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James Tillman Elementary Magnet School

Q: Is James Tillman Elementary Magnet School a good school?

James Tillman Elementary Magnet School ranks 1239 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades PK, KG-5

1239^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 45% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

James Tillman Elementary Magnet School in Palmetto, FL, serves 614 students in grades PK-5 within the Manatee School District, and it stands out as a remarkable story of improvement, rising from the bottom 2% of Florida elementary schools a decade ago to the 45th percentile today.

The school’s biggest strength is its exceptional math performance. In the most recent school year, 72% of 4th graders and 78% of 5th graders were proficient in math, significantly outpacing both district and state averages. This is a standout achievement compared to nearby schools like Blackburn Elementary School and Manatee Elementary School, which serve similar communities but remain in the bottom 10-20% of the state. Even more impressive, James Tillman’s 5th-grade math scores (78%) nearly matched those of the top-rated Palmetto Charter School (79%), despite serving a student population with far higher economic need. The school also operates efficiently, spending $12,269 per student—thousands less than peers like G D Rogers Garden- Bullock Elementary ($17,755)—while achieving stronger academic results.

However, there are areas for growth. English Language Arts (ELA) scores lag behind, with 5th-grade proficiency at 49% compared to the district’s 62%. Chronic absenteeism is also a persistent challenge, rising to 32.6% in 2023-2024, which is higher than the district average. Despite these hurdles, James Tillman’s sustained upward trajectory and standout math program make it a beacon of progress in its community, offering a strong option for families seeking a school that is clearly on the rise.

614

Students ?

16.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$12,269

Per pupil spending ?

73.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1415 29th St E
Palmetto, FL 34221

(941) 723-4833

District: Manatee

Students who attend James Tillman Elementary Magnet School usually attend:

Middle:	Buffalo Creek Middle School
High:	Palmetto High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.0%

African American:

27.9%

White:

18.7%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare James Tillman Elementary Magnet School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 54th percentile in 2025 → 45th in 2026

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 54th-percentile peak (2025) to 45th (2026)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school59%

District avg60%

Florida avg62%

1,239^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 45%▲ up 43 pts since 2016

From bottom 2% (2016) to bottom 45% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

20^th of 41Elementary Schools in the Manatee

40^th of 70Manatee among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	46.5	1239 of 2240	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	53.1	1039 of 2258	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	50.5	1081 of 2256	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	50.2	1093 of 2240	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	50.2	1069 of 2219	51.8%	★★★☆☆
2021	41.8	1271 of 2247	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	31.8	1547 of 2182	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.4	1509 of 2118	28.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	17.7	1843 of 2112	12.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	5.1	2044 of 2087	2.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	28.1	1552 of 2064	24.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	27.2	1559 of 2029	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	24.5	1572 of 1984	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	15.9	1773 of 1985	10.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	17.9	1661 of 1919	13.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	17.6	1617 of 1847	12.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	18.9	1531 of 1789	14.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	7.6	1706 of 1786	4.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	17.5	1448 of 1688	14.2%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math70%+6 vs state

Science52%-8 vs state

English Language Arts52%-9 vs state

3.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, February 25, 2016

When my family first moved to Palmetto I really loved the school. The principle was always into everything. last year that all changed and the school started going down hill. Teachers are great I think if we had another all in principal, everything would be great. Close Quote

Schools Near James Tillman Elementary Magnet School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James Tillman Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1415 29th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 723-4833	614	37	16.5	73.1%	115 (18.7%)	171 (27.9%)	276 (45.0%)	10 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (6.5%)	46.5	1239^th of 2240 public elementary schools	44.7%		53.1	1039^th of 2258 public elementary schools	54.0%	200	52.0	54.0	49.0				61.0	72.0	78.0				52.0					$12,269	$1,765	$10,505
Hola! Elementary @ Msa	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	700 Haben Blvd	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(941) 708-8770	551	36	15.3	29.0%	124 (22.5%)	54 (9.8%)	347 (63.0%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.8%)	31.4	1639^th of 2240 public elementary schools	26.8%		30.1	1643^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	27.2%	4	61.0	49.0	47.0				55.0	57.0	47.0				46.0					$10,222	$00	$10,222
Blackburn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3904 17th St E	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 723-4800	452	34	13.4	79.6%	91 (20.1%)	120 (26.5%)	212 (46.9%)	7 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.9%)	16.4	2011^th of 2240 public elementary schools	10.2%		16.2	2006^th of 2258 public elementary schools	11.2%	5	30.0	43.0	29.0				51.0	51.0	51.0				38.0					$16,274	$2,005	$14,269
Palm View K-8 School	Public	PK, KG-8	6025 Bayshore Rd	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 723-4812	606	44	13.7	75.1%	152 (25.1%)	116 (19.1%)	301 (49.7%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (5.4%)	42.5	1331^st of 2240 public elementary schools	40.6%		21.4	1863^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	17.5%	532	65.0	40.0	60.0	46.0	54.0	41.0	66.0	47.0	70.0	67.0	42.0	75.0	58.0	37.0	74.0	100.0	69.0	$15,587	$1,906	$13,681
Palmetto Charter School	Public, Charter	K-8	1607 17th St W	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 723-3711	458	34	13.4	33.6%	323 (70.5%)	33 (7.2%)	78 (17.0%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.4%)	88.8	161^st of 2240 public elementary schools	92.8%		89.1	192^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	91.5%	31	75.0	77.0	85.0	82.0	82.0	70.0	85.0	89.0	79.0	91.0	89.0	89.0	84.0	70.0	100.0		100.0	$11,359	$254	$11,106
Palmetto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1540 10th St W	Palmetto	34221	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 723-4822	519	37	14.0	75.3%	92 (17.7%)	60 (11.6%)	336 (64.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.8%)	37.1	1475^th of 2240 public elementary schools	34.2%		39.6	1372^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	39.2%	103	40.0	48.0	52.0				45.0	67.0	69.0	100.0			60.0					$15,274	$2,378	$12,896
Manatee Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1609 6th Ave E	Bradenton	34208	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 741-3319	488	33	14.7	85.5%	15 (3.1%)	158 (32.4%)	298 (61.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.9%)	14.6	2049^th of 2240 public elementary schools	8.5%		9.2	2164^th of 2258 public elementary schools	4.2%	115	31.0	35.0	34.0				44.0	51.0	12.0	91.0			41.0					$14,542	$1,947	$12,596
G D Rogers Garden- Bullock Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	515 13th Ave W	Bradenton	34205	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 209-7540	472	38	12.4	75.0%	37 (7.8%)	143 (30.3%)	270 (57.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.2%)	9.1	2154^th of 2240 public elementary schools	3.8%		6.1	2207^th of 2258 public elementary schools	2.3%	53	28.0	24.0	25.0				41.0	46.0	50.0				24.0					$17,755	$2,303	$15,453
Ballard Elementary School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	912 18th St W	Bradenton	34205	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(941) 708-8400	421	30	14.0	76.2%	75 (17.8%)	107 (25.4%)	199 (47.3%)	11 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (6.7%)	12.2	2097^th of 2240 public elementary schools	6.4%		19.5	1926^th of 2258 public elementary schools	14.7%	171	29.0	25.0	47.0				40.0	43.0	33.0	94.0			33.0					$15,311	$2,047	$13,265
Louise R Johnson K-8 School Of International Studies	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	2121 26th Ave E	Bradenton	34208	Manatee County	Manatee	No	Yes	No	No	(941) 741-3344	844	57	14.8	69.3%	224 (26.5%)	175 (20.7%)	377 (44.7%)	24 (2.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (5.1%)	47.5	1209^th of 2240 public elementary schools	46.0%		63.7	787^th of 2258 public elementary schools	65.1%	422	55.0	64.0	58.0	60.0	71.0	69.0	65.0	67.0	50.0	77.0	42.0	82.0	42.0	64.0	87.0	100.0	78.0	$12,891	$779	$12,112

Frequently Asked Questions about James Tillman Elementary Magnet School

What district is James Tillman Elementary Magnet School in?

Manatee

What is the racial makeup of James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?

Students at James Tillman Elementary Magnet School are 45% Hispanic, 28% African American, 19% White, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What schools do graduates of James Tillman Elementary Magnet School attend?

Students who attend James Tillman Elementary Magnet School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Buffalo Creek Middle School
High : Palmetto High School

Is James Tillman Elementary Magnet School a good school?

James Tillman Elementary Magnet School ranks 1239^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend James Tillman Elementary Magnet School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 614 students attended James Tillman Elementary Magnet School.

Rate James Tillman Elementary Magnet School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.