Just Elementary School

Just Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tampa, Florida, serving 281 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 47th out of 67 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Just Elementary School stands out for several key reasons. It has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (79.36%) compared to surrounding schools, which range from 13-68% African American. Academically, the school consistently performs well below district and state averages on standardized tests, with only 10-21% of students proficient in math, compared to 55-59% at the district and state levels. Additionally, Just Elementary has an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 56.6%, much higher than the 18.9% to 58.3% range of nearby schools. The school also serves a predominantly low-income population, with 92.17% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than the 12.72% to 94.74% range of surrounding schools.

Despite these challenges, Just Elementary School spends $11,526 per student, which is lower than the spending at some nearby schools, such as Patricia Sullivan Metropolitan Ministries Partnership School ($27,159 per student) and Washington Elementary School ($16,456 per student). This suggests that factors beyond just district-level policies and resources may be contributing to the school's poor academic outcomes, and addressing the root causes of chronic absenteeism and socioeconomic challenges should be a top priority for the school and district.