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Stephen Foster Elementary School

Public, Magnet Grades K-5

1995^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 11% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Stephen Foster Elementary School is a K-5 public school in Gainesville, FL, serving 403 students within the Alachua school district. The school has experienced a dramatic and sustained decline in academic performance over the past six years, dropping from a 3-star school (67th percentile) in 2019 to a 1-star school (11th percentile) in the 2025-2026 school year, placing it in the bottom tier of Florida elementary schools.

Academically, Stephen Foster now trails both district and state averages significantly. For example, only 30% of 3rd graders are proficient in Math, compared to 52% in the district and 66% statewide. This is a stark contrast to nearby high-performing schools like Boulware Springs Charter and Glen Springs Elementary, which consistently outperform district and state averages. While Stephen Foster spends a relatively high $13,250 per student—more than Boulware Springs Charter ($9,725) and The One Room School House Project ($9,613)—this funding is not translating into academic gains. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 28.3%, but it is lower than the district average of 31.6% and far below the most struggling nearby schools like Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Elementary (62.6%) and W. A. Metcalfe Elementary (53.3%).

There is a glimmer of hope in 3rd Grade ELA, where proficiency has occasionally matched or exceeded the district average in recent years, suggesting a potential foundation in early literacy. However, the school sits in a precarious middle ground: it is not the worst performer in its area (Rawlings and Metcalfe are far worse), but its outcomes are much closer to those struggling schools than to high-performing charters or traditional schools like Littlewood Elementary, which has remained a stable 3-star school. The most urgent takeaway is that the current strategy is failing, and a significant intervention—focused on instructional quality and resource allocation—is required to reverse the trend.

403

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

59.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3800 NW 6th St
Gainesville, FL 32609

(352) 955-6706

District: Alachua

Students who attend Stephen Foster Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:

Westwood Middle School

Racial breakdown:

African American:

46.4%

White:

22.3%

Hispanic:

16.6%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Stephen Foster Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 72nd percentile in 2016 → 11th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (42% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (11th percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 61 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school42%

District avg56%

Florida avg62%

1,995^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 11%▼ down 61 pts since 2016

From top 28% (2016) to bottom 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

21^st of 28Elementary Schools in the Alachua

50^th of 70Alachua 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	17.1	1995 of 2240	10.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	18.7	1957 of 2258	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	30.2	1612 of 2256	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.9	1531 of 2240	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2022	41.4	1279 of 2219	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2021	47.9	1134 of 2247	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2019	65.8	717 of 2182	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	66.8	683 of 2118	67.8%	★★★☆☆
2017	63.2	762 of 2112	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2016	70.1	592 of 2087	71.6%	★★★★☆
2014	82.5	325 of 2064	84.3%	★★★★☆
2013	81.7	322 of 2029	84.1%	★★★★☆
2012	79.0	366 of 1984	81.6%	★★★★☆
2011	74.9	470 of 1985	76.3%	★★★★☆
2010	79.4	333 of 1919	82.6%	★★★★☆
2009	72.8	467 of 1847	74.7%	★★★★☆
2008	83.6	235 of 1789	86.9%	★★★★☆
2007	63.0	695 of 1786	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2006	70.3	509 of 1688	69.8%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Science48%-12 vs state

English Language Arts43%-18 vs state

Math39%-25 vs state

★

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Schools Near Stephen Foster Elementary 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)	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 Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Total
Stephen Foster Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	3800 NW 6th St	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 955-6706	403	29	13.9	59.1%	90 (22.3%)	187 (46.4%)	67 (16.6%)	24 (6.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (8.4%)	17.1	1995^th of 2240 public elementary schools	10.9%		18.7	1957^th of 2258 public elementary schools	13.3%	38	36.0	46.0	48.0	30.0	49.0	43.0	48.0
C. W. Norton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2200 NW 45th Ave	Gainesville	32605	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6765	540	40	13.5	44.4%	234 (43.3%)	140 (25.9%)	99 (18.3%)	21 (3.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (8.3%)	43.3	1314^th of 2240 public elementary schools	41.3%		42.4	1290^th of 2258 public elementary schools	42.9%	24	63.0	55.0	59.0	56.0	53.0	47.0	68.0
Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Elementary School	Public, Magnet	K-5	3500 NE 15th St	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 955-6715	312	25	12.4	89.7%	13 (4.2%)	263 (84.3%)	22 (7.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (4.5%)	0.7	2227^th of 2240 public elementary schools	0.6%		2.9	2235^th of 2258 public elementary schools	1.0%	8	18.0	24.0	22.0	11.0	20.0	11.0	14.0
The One Room School House Project	Public, Charter	K-5	4180 NE 15th St	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	Yes	No	No	Yes	(352) 376-4014	176	11	16.0	71.0%	38 (21.6%)	104 (59.1%)	11 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	22 (12.5%)	63.2	808^th of 2240 public elementary schools	63.9%		41.2	1324^th of 2258 public elementary schools	41.4%	516	83.0	68.0	61.0	83.0	61.0	50.0	61.0
Boulware Springs Charter	Public, Charter	K-5	1303 NE 23rd Ave	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	Yes	No	No	Yes	(352) 244-9732	171	14	12.2	56.7%	37 (21.6%)	102 (59.6%)	19 (11.1%)	2 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (6.4%)	72.2	570^th of 2240 public elementary schools	74.6%		69.8	648^th of 2258 public elementary schools	71.3%	78	84.0	69.0	74.0	68.0	66.0	71.0	68.0
W. A. Metcalfe Elementary School	Public	K-5	1250 NE 18th Ave	Gainesville	32609	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6713	463	32	14.3	86.6%	24 (5.2%)	371 (80.1%)	34 (7.3%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.3%)	4.9	2200^th of 2240 public elementary schools	1.8%		7.5	2189^th of 2258 public elementary schools	3.1%	11	40.0	33.0	35.0	26.0	28.0	27.0	17.0
Glen Springs Elementary School	Public	K-5	2826 NW 31st Ave	Gainesville	32605	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6708	429	29	14.7	38.2%	198 (46.2%)	111 (25.9%)	59 (13.8%)	18 (4.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (9.8%)	51.5	1101^st of 2240 public elementary schools	50.8%		56.3	966^th of 2258 public elementary schools	57.2%	135	76.0	61.0	65.0	58.0	56.0	46.0	64.0
Alachua Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)	Public, Virtual	K-5	1108 NW 7th Ave	Gainesville	32601	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	Yes	No	(352) 955-6840	29	0		44.8%	11 (37.9%)	10 (34.5%)	6 (20.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.9%)								(n/a)
Carolyn Beatrice Parker Elementary	Public	K-5	1912 NW 5th Ave	Gainesville	32603	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6705	501	36	13.7	37.7%	165 (32.9%)	126 (25.1%)	163 (32.5%)	24 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.6%)	27.1	1741^st of 2240 public elementary schools	22.3%		27.6	1708^th of 2258 public elementary schools	24.4%	33	53.0	38.0	55.0	45.0	39.0	50.0	59.0
Littlewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1262 NW 31st Drive	Gainesville	32605	Alachua County	Alachua	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 955-6712	714	50	14.2	45.5%	250 (35.0%)	222 (31.1%)	152 (21.3%)	33 (4.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	57 (8.0%)	53.8	1052^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	53.0%		65	756^th of 2258 public elementary schools	66.5%	296	60.0	63.0	63.0	63.0	67.0	61.0	57.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Stephen Foster Elementary School

How many students attend Stephen Foster Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 403 students attended Stephen Foster Elementary School.

What district is Stephen Foster Elementary School in?

Alachua

What is the racial makeup of Stephen Foster Elementary School?

Students at Stephen Foster Elementary School are 46% African American, 22% White, 17% Hispanic, 8% Two or more races, 6% Asian.

Is Stephen Foster Elementary School a good school?

Stephen Foster Elementary School ranks in the bottom 10.9% of Florida elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Stephen Foster Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Stephen Foster Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Westwood Middle School

Rate Stephen Foster Elementary School!

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

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.