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Robert Willis Elementary School

Q: Is Robert Willis Elementary School a good school?

Robert Willis Elementary School ranks 246 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

246^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 89% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Robert Willis Elementary School in Lakewood Ranch, FL, is a high-performing public school serving 785 students in grades PK through 5 within the Manatee County School District. This school has a strong track record of academic excellence, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for seven consecutive years before a slight dip to a 4-star rating in the most recent two years, yet it still ranks in the top 11% of all elementary schools in Florida.

Robert Willis stands out for its exceptional and consistent math performance, with 3rd and 4th-grade proficiency rates reaching 86% and 88% respectively in the latest testing year. This is notably higher than nearby schools like Braden River Elementary (80% math proficiency) and B.D. Gullett Elementary (67% math proficiency). The school also boasts a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of just 13.4%, which is less than half the district average of 29.4% and significantly lower than schools in the neighboring Sarasota district, such as Gocio Elementary (30.3%). This suggests a highly engaged student body and strong family-school connections.

Despite its high performance, Robert Willis operates with efficient spending at $11,519 per student, which is lower than many peers like Tara Elementary ($14,251) and Tatum Ridge Elementary ($14,630). While the school has seen a slight decline from its historic peak ranking of 65th in the state in 2022-2023 to 246th in 2025-2026, it remains a top-tier choice in the Lakewood Ranch area. The school serves a relatively affluent community, with only 25.86% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, but its success is not solely tied to demographics, as evidenced by its strong outcomes compared to schools with similar or lower poverty rates.

785

Students ?

16.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,519

Per pupil spending ?

25.9%

Free/discounted lunch ?

14705 The Masters Ave
Lakewood Ranch, FL 34202

(941) 316-8245

District: Manatee

Students who attend Robert Willis Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	R. Dan Nolan Middle School
High:	Lakewood Ranch High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.5%

Hispanic:

17.3%

Two or more races:

9.4%

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At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 95th percentile in 2016 → 89th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Florida average (80% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 11% of Florida elementary schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Manatee

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 6 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school80%

District avg60%

Florida avg62%

246^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Top 11%▼ down 6 pts since 2016

From top 5% (2016) to top 11% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^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	85.6	246 of 2240	89.0%	★★★★☆
2025	86.6	251 of 2258	88.9%	★★★★☆
2024	92.1	112 of 2256	95.0%	★★★★★
2023	94.0	65 of 2240	97.1%	★★★★★
2022	93.3	87 of 2219	96.1%	★★★★★
2021	93.9	84 of 2247	96.3%	★★★★★
2019	90.7	137 of 2182	93.7%	★★★★★
2018	91.2	121 of 2118	94.3%	★★★★★
2017	90.5	140 of 2112	93.4%	★★★★★
2016	91.9	114 of 2087	94.5%	★★★★★
2014	95.3	34 of 2064	98.4%	★★★★★
2013	86.1	214 of 2029	89.5%	★★★★☆
2012	91.5	107 of 1984	94.6%	★★★★★
2011	86.4	191 of 1985	90.4%	★★★★★
2010	86.5	181 of 1919	90.6%	★★★★★
2009	88.7	129 of 1847	93.0%	★★★★★
2008	91.6	79 of 1789	95.6%	★★★★★
2007	90.3	98 of 1786	94.5%	★★★★★

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math85%+22 vs state

English Language Arts77%+17 vs state

Science73%+13 vs state

5.0

1 rating

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3★0

2★0

1★0

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Schools Near Robert Willis 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)		EOC Algebra 1 (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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Robert Willis Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	14705 The Masters Ave	Lakewood Ranch	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 316-8245	785	47	16.7	25.9%	514 (65.5%)	17 (2.2%)	136 (17.3%)	42 (5.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	74 (9.4%)	85.6	246^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.0%		86.6	251^st of 2258 public elementary schools	88.9%	5	75.0	80.0	76.0				86.0	88.0	71.0	100.0			73.0				$11,519	$779	$10,741
Gilbert W McNeal Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6325 Lorraine Rd	Lakewood Ranch	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-8165	672	44	15.2	24.1%	476 (70.8%)	36 (5.4%)	109 (16.2%)	12 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	37 (5.5%)	91.3	107^th of 2240 public elementary schools	95.2%		88.9	202^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	91.1%	95	83.0	73.0	86.0				92.0	84.0	90.0	100.0			90.0				$12,580	$933	$11,647
Braden River Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6125 River Club Blvd	Bradenton	34202	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-7012	547	37	14.7	40.6%	320 (58.5%)	22 (4.0%)	159 (29.1%)	16 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.5%)	78.7	412^th of 2240 public elementary schools	81.6%		70.1	639^th of 2258 public elementary schools	71.7%	227	75.0	58.0	75.0				88.0	80.0	74.0	100.0			70.0				$14,305	$981	$13,326
B.D. Gullett Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	12125 44th Ave E	Bradenton	34211	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 727-2607	1,314	79	16.6	21.3%	898 (68.3%)	34 (2.6%)	236 (18.0%)	41 (3.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	104 (7.9%)	74.1	525^th of 2240 public elementary schools	76.6%		83.6	322^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	85.7%	203	73.0	73.0	72.0				78.0	67.0	73.0	100.0			62.0				$9,992	$595	$9,398
Tatum Ridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4100 Tatum Rd	Sarasota	34240	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 316-8188	864	56	15.5	25.3%	652 (75.5%)	20 (2.3%)	134 (15.5%)	14 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (5.1%)	86.3	221^st of 2240 public elementary schools	90.1%		86.2	261^st of 2258 public elementary schools	88.4%	40	81.0	74.0	76.0				84.0	86.0	77.0				78.0				$14,630	$245	$14,385
Tara Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	6950 Linger Lodge Rd E	Bradenton	34203	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 751-7660	582	41	14.1	51.7%	310 (53.3%)	30 (5.2%)	164 (28.2%)	41 (7.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	35 (6.0%)	77.4	445^th of 2240 public elementary schools	80.1%		84.8	295^th of 2258 public elementary schools	86.9%	150	67.0	75.0	73.0				69.0	89.0	70.0	98.0			69.0				$14,251	$1,099	$13,153
Fruitville Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Honore Ave	Sarasota	34232	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	No	(941) 361-6200	704	52	13.5	55.0%	404 (57.4%)	59 (8.4%)	203 (28.8%)	8 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (4.3%)	71.7	585^th of 2240 public elementary schools	73.9%		71.2	604^th of 2258 public elementary schools	73.3%	19	69.0	63.0	72.0				68.0	72.0	84.0				71.0				$17,247	$290	$16,956
Imagine Charter At Lakewood Ranch	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	10535 Portal Crossing	Bradenton	34211	Manatee County	Manatee	Yes	No	No	No	(941) 750-0900	456	27	16.8	54.2%	248 (54.4%)	43 (9.4%)	133 (29.2%)	5 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (5.9%)	34	1563^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	30.2%		32.6	1569^th of 2258 public elementary schools	30.5%	6	64.0	31.0	63.0	62.0	50.0	58.0	66.0	56.0	38.0	38.0	47.0	61.0	40.0	58.0	92.0	74.0	$11,871	$113	$11,758
Gene Witt Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Rye Rd E	Bradenton	34212	Manatee County	Manatee	No	No	No	No	(941) 741-3628	742	47	15.7	27.9%	532 (71.7%)	23 (3.1%)	111 (15.0%)	27 (3.6%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	48 (6.5%)	86.1	230^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.7%		87.5	234^th of 2258 public elementary schools	89.6%	4	79.0	77.0	76.0				86.0	89.0	67.0	100.0			77.0				$12,514	$840	$11,674
Gocio Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3450 Gocio Rd	Sarasota	34235	Sarasota County	Sarasota	No	No	No	Yes	(941) 361-6405	654	47	13.9	81.2%	131 (20.0%)	99 (15.1%)	390 (59.6%)	7 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (4.0%)	40.9	1381^st of 2240 public elementary schools	38.3%		23.9	1802^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	20.2%	421	57.0	49.0	58.0				66.0	53.0	57.0				54.0				$19,225	$2,424	$16,801

Frequently Asked Questions about Robert Willis Elementary School

What district is Robert Willis Elementary School in?

Manatee

What is the racial makeup of Robert Willis Elementary School?

Students at Robert Willis Elementary School are 65% White, 17% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 5% Asian, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Robert Willis Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Robert Willis Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : R. Dan Nolan Middle School
High : Lakewood Ranch High School

How many students attend Robert Willis Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 785 students attended Robert Willis Elementary School.

Is Robert Willis Elementary School a good school?

Robert Willis Elementary School ranks 246^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Robert Willis Elementary 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.