FloridaSchoolsTROPICAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TROPICAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PublicRegular
MERRITT ISLAND, Florida · BREVARD
Teachers38.0FTE
Ratio16.3:1students per teacher
Students619enrolled
SCHOOL SNAPSHOT
Students619
Grade Span
Student:Teacher16.3:1
Free/Reduced Lunch50%
Title INo
SectorPublic
Student : Teacher
14.2:1
12.9%vs prior yrUS avg 15.4:1
Teacher FTE
40
5.3%vs prior yr
Enrollment
569
8.1%vs prior yr
Years of Data
5
2020–2024
Counselors
1:681
69%vs prior yrASCA max 1:250
Nurses
NASN max 1:750
Psychologists
NASP max 1:500
Social Workers
SSWAA max 1:250
Trends & 5-year history below

Pupil : Teacher Ratio — 5-Year Trend

13.9:114.8:115.7:116.6:117.5:118.4:12020202120222023202414.5:114.9:118.1:116.3:114.2:1This schoolUS public-school avg

Enrollment & Teacher FTE

560586612638664690363941434548202020212022202320246816426716195694743373840EnrollmentTeacher FTE

Year-by-year workforce

Metric20202021202220232024Nat Avg
Enrollment681642671619569
Teacher FTE4743373840
Pupil : Teacher ratio14.5:114.9:118.1:116.3:114.2:115.4:1

What These Numbers Mean

Teacher FTE

Full-Time Equivalent counts part-time teachers proportionally. One full-time teacher = 1.0 FTE; two half-time teachers also = 1.0 FTE. This is the standard federal reporting unit.

Pupil : Teacher ratio

NCES-reported ratio divides total enrollment by teacher FTE. It is NOT the same as average class size — schools with specialists, coaches, and resource teachers will show lower ratios than typical class sizes.

How to read the trend

A falling pupil:teacher ratio (line going down) means more staffing per student — generally a positive signal. A rising line can indicate budget pressure or fast enrollment growth outpacing hiring. Always compare to the US average (dashed grey).

Historical data spans 20202024 from NCES CCD.

Student Support & Wellbeing

Non-teaching staff who support student mental health, physical health, and behavioural needs. Lower pupil-to-staff ratios mean more one-on-one access.

Counselors & Social Workers — staff to pupils (recommended 1:250)

1:01:1471:2941:4411:5881:7352015201720201:4021:4021:681Counselor : PupilsSocial Worker : PupilsRecommended 1:250

Support staffing & ratios — year by year

Metric201520172020Nat Avg
Counselors (FTE)221
Nurses (FTE)000
Psychologists (FTE)000
Social Workers (FTE)000
Counselor : Pupils1:4021:4021:6811:250
Nurse : Pupils1:750
Psychologist : Pupils1:500
Social Worker : Pupils1:250

Why these ratios matter

Counselors (ASCA 250:1)

School counselors support academic planning, college & career readiness, and social-emotional wellbeing. The American School Counselor Association recommends no more than 250 students per counselor.

Nurses (NASN 750:1)

School nurses manage chronic conditions, medications, immunisations, and emergencies. The National Association of School Nurses recommends at least 1 full-time nurse per 750 students (more for high-need populations).

Psychologists (NASP 500:1)

School psychologists assess learning & behavioural needs, run mental-health interventions, and coordinate special-education services. NASP recommends 500:1 or lower.

Social workers (SSWAA 250:1)

School social workers bridge home-school relationships, address attendance & trauma, and connect families to community resources. SSWAA recommends 250:1.

Source: US Dept of Education CRDC (20152020) — Civil Rights Data Collection.