BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a modestly sized elementary campus in BRADENTON, Florida, part of MANATEE. The school caters to 421 students in grades pre-K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 604 students per school, that is 30% leaner than typical.

Across the 80 schools in MANATEE (54,215 students total), BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL shows that 47% of students identify as Hispanic, with the remaining enrollment distributed across several groups; the rest looks like 25% Black, 18% White, 7% multiracial, 3% Asian. The wider county runs roughly 18% Hispanic, putting the school's mix visibly more Hispanic than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, On paper, BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has 30 full-time-equivalent teachers, translating to a class-load average of around 14.0:1. The state averages around 17.5:1, so this campus is tighter than the state norm typical. About 76% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is above Manatee County's rate of about 51%.

On a demographically-adjusted basis, BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 43.0%; this one delivers 40.1%.

In the surrounding community, Manatee County reports that the typical household earns roughly $78,457 per year, about 35% of the adult population holds a bachelor's degree or above, and census figures put the poverty rate at about 6%. In all, Manatee County runs 86 public schools (combined enrollment of about 54,208 students), of which BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one.

Nearest neighbor: BRADENTON BAY HIGH SCHOOL, around 0.6 miles off. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. On composite proficiency, BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL comes 4th of 5 in the immediate cluster, beneath the nearby-schools average of 43.1%.

Geographically, the school is in a high-density area.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at BALLARD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has declined 8%, going from 456 students in 2018 to 421 in 2025. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 12.7:1 in 2018 to 14.0:1 today.

In the discussion threads here, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.