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Gaither High School

Q: Is Gaither High School a good school?

Gaither High School ranks 309 th of 838 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 9-12

309^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 838 Florida High Schools

Better than 63% of Florida high schools

Summary

Gaither High School in Tampa, FL, is a large traditional public high school serving 2,040 students in grades 9-12 within the Hillsborough district, and it consistently occupies a solid middle ground in the local school ecosystem.

Gaither has a strong track record of graduating students, with a 93.9% graduation rate that consistently exceeds district and state averages. The school shines in US History and Biology, where proficiency rates (82% and 75%, respectively) are competitive with top-performing neighbors like Steinbrenner High School and Sickles High School. However, Gaither struggles significantly with Algebra 1, where only 45% of students are proficient—well below the district and state average of 63%. A major concern is chronic absenteeism, which at 43.6% is dramatically higher than the district average of 31.3% and more than double the rates at Steinbrenner (20.2%) and Sickles (23.7%). This absenteeism issue likely impacts overall academic performance and is a key area for improvement.

Compared to nearby schools, Gaither sits between high-achieving, lower-poverty schools like Steinbrenner and Sickles, and schools facing greater challenges such as Chamberlain High School and Leto High School. The school’s 35.6% free/reduced lunch rate reflects this middle position. Interestingly, Gaither’s spending per student ($9,159) is modest compared to some lower-performing schools, suggesting that the key to improvement lies not in more funding, but in effectively addressing chronic absenteeism and Algebra 1 proficiency. For parents, Gaither offers a solid, well-rounded education with a strong graduation rate, but it’s important to be aware of the challenges in math and attendance that may require extra support at home.

2,040

Students ?

23.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,159

Per pupil spending ?

35.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

16200 N Dale Mabry Hwy
Tampa, FL 33618

(813) 975-7340

District: Hillsborough

Feeder schools for Gaither High School:

Elementary:	Claywell Elementary School
	Essrig Elementary School
	Miles Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.6%

White:

34.6%

African American:

9.5%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Gaither High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 56th percentile in 2016 → 63rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Florida median (63rd percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (44% vs 31% Florida)

!Algebra 1 scores 18 pts below the Florida average

!Large classes — about 24 students per teacher

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school64%

District avg63%

Florida avg64%

309^th of 838

Florida public high schools ?

Top 37%▲ up 8 pts since 2016

From top 44% (2016) to top 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

16^th of 41High Schools in the Hillsborough

45^th of 70Hillsborough 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	52.0	309 of 838	63.1%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.6	227 of 844	73.1%	★★★★☆
2024	49.8	305 of 807	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2023	47.1	316 of 792	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.7	302 of 774	61.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	43.1	334 of 746	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.8	262 of 734	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	50.8	271 of 716	62.2%	★★★☆☆
2017	48.3	296 of 714	58.5%	★★★☆☆
2016	47.0	308 of 693	55.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	53.3	297 of 687	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2013	46.4	319 of 648	50.8%	★★★☆☆
2012	41.7	314 of 606	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	68.4	193 of 622	69.0%	★★★☆☆
2010	72.1	161 of 620	74.0%	★★★★☆
2009	74.5	129 of 587	78.0%	★★★★☆
2008	79.4	104 of 577	82.0%	★★★★☆
2007	77.4	100 of 563	82.2%	★★★★☆
2006	83.0	60 of 477	87.4%	★★★★☆
2005	81.3	74 of 487	84.8%	★★★★☆
2004	87.4	47 of 484	90.3%	★★★★★

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

US History82%+8 vs state

Biology 175%~ state avg

Geometry63%+7 vs state

English Language Arts56%-4 vs state

Algebra 145%-18 vs state

2.0

4 ratings · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★3

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Does not support the student. I've had all of my kids go through Gaither high and the last two school years have been the worst I have ever seen. Something has changed in the higher ups...Principal and assistant principal and it has all been down hill from there. Would not recommend this school at all Close Quote

Schools Near Gaither High School

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 Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC US History (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 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gaither High School	Public	9-12	16200 N Dale Mabry Hwy	Tampa	33618	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 975-7340	2,040	86	23.7	35.6%	705 (34.6%)	194 (9.5%)	991 (48.6%)	52 (2.5%)	4 (0.2%)	1 (0.0%)	93 (4.6%)	52	309^th of 838 public high schools	63.1%		58.6	227^th of 844 public high schools	73.1%	82				53.0	60.0					45.0	63.0	75.0	82.0		$9,159	$819	$8,339
Steinbrenner High School	Public	9-12	5575 W Lutz Lake Fern Rd	Lutz	33558	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 792-5131	2,396	85	28.1	16.1%	1,336 (55.8%)	92 (3.8%)	605 (25.3%)	242 (10.1%)	3 (0.1%)	1 (0.0%)	117 (4.9%)	77.5	86^th of 838 public high schools	89.7%		76.7	99^th of 844 public high schools	88.3%	13				81.0	80.0					52.0	75.0	94.0	88.0		$8,481	$685	$7,795
Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	9-12	10948 N Central Ave	Tampa	33612	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	No	(813) 971-5600	624	34	17.4	11.1%	190 (30.4%)	115 (18.4%)	235 (37.7%)	45 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.0%)	32 (5.1%)	65	184^th of 838 public high schools	78.0%		63.6	196^th of 844 public high schools	76.8%	12				72.0	77.0					37.0	61.0	82.0	86.0		$9,481	$00	$9,481
Sports Leadership And Management Academy (Tampa)	Public, Charter	6-12	7116 Gunn Hwy	Tampa	33625	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	Yes	(813) 920-8802	580	11	52.7	50.0%	51 (8.8%)	48 (8.3%)	457 (78.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	23 (4.0%)	23	645^th of 838 public high schools	23.0%		37.7	488^th of 844 public high schools	42.2%	157	61.0	45.0	49.0	56.0	53.0	35.0	48.0	38.0	24.0	46.0	31.0	35.0	34.0	62.0	$9,666	$371	$9,294
Victory Charter School Tampa 6-12	Public, Charter	6-12	13901 Sheldon Rd	Tampa	33625	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(813) 551-2144	145	3	48.3	11.7%	28 (19.3%)	4 (2.8%)	101 (69.7%)	7 (4.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	4 (2.8%)	44.4	418^th of 838 public high schools	50.1%		48.7	350^th of 844 public high schools	58.5%	68	80.0					67.0						100.0		62.0	$6,666	$00	$6,666
Building Construction Academy At Bowers Whitley	Public	9-12	13609 N 22nd St	Tampa	33613	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 558-1750	76	7	10.3	61.8%	12 (15.8%)	21 (27.6%)	34 (44.7%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (10.5%)								(n/a)															$36,472	$6,632	$29,840
West University Charter High	Public, Charter	9-12	11602 N 15th St	Tampa	33612	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	Yes	(813) 971-5011	419	7	59.8	30.3%	45 (10.7%)	165 (39.4%)	187 (44.6%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.6%)	1.5	812^th of 838 public high schools	3.1%		2.5	793^rd of 844 public high schools	6.0%	19				7.0	15.0					10.0	0.0	9.0	9.0		$8,790	$613	$8,178
North Tampa Success Center	Public	6-12	8602 N Armenia Ave	Tampa	33604	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 631-4426	48	8	6.4	93.8%	5 (10.4%)	27 (56.3%)	15 (31.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)	15.6	686^th of 838 public high schools	18.1%		1.4	831^st of 844 public high schools	1.5%	145	0.0	8.0	0.0		46.0		8.0	5.0	5.0	42.0				6.0	$88,069	$9,579	$78,490
Chamberlain High School	Public	9-12	9401 N Blvd	Tampa	33612	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 975-7677	1,183	49	24.3	61.9%	126 (10.7%)	368 (31.1%)	619 (52.3%)	29 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (3.4%)	11	701^st of 838 public high schools	16.3%		9.6	707^th of 844 public high schools	16.2%	6				27.0	34.0					11.0	29.0	40.0	45.0		$10,773	$1,374	$9,398
Sickles High School	Public	9-12	7950 Gunn Hwy	Tampa	33626	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 631-4742	2,398	92	26.0	22.6%	958 (39.9%)	105 (4.4%)	1,014 (42.3%)	181 (7.5%)	3 (0.1%)	3 (0.1%)	134 (5.6%)	69.3	142^nd of 838 public high schools	83.1%		66.1	177^th of 844 public high schools	79.0%	35				74.0	75.0					56.0	74.0	83.0	81.0		$8,630	$719	$7,910

Frequently Asked Questions about Gaither High School

What district is Gaither High School in?

Hillsborough

What is the racial makeup of Gaither High School?

Students at Gaither High School are 49% Hispanic, 35% White, 10% African American, 5% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

Is Gaither High School a good school?

Gaither High School ranks 309^th of 838 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools feed into Gaither High School?

Gaither High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Claywell Elementary School
Elementary : Essrig Elementary School
Elementary : Miles Elementary School

How many students attend Gaither High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 2,040 students attended Gaither High 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.