Blake High School

Blake High School in Tampa, FL, is a large urban school serving 1,608 students in grades 9-12 within the Hillsborough School District, where over half of its students come from low-income households. The school faces significant challenges, most notably a severe chronic absenteeism rate that has remained above 43% for the past four years, which is a key factor driving its academic struggles and a 1-star rating. This attendance crisis is much higher than at nearby Plant High School, which has a 26% absenteeism rate, and it directly impacts student learning, as students cannot benefit from instruction if they are not in class.

Academically, Blake underperforms compared to district and state averages, especially in math, where only 32% of students are proficient in Algebra 1 and 39% in Geometry—roughly half the rates of the district and state. While other nearby schools like Middleton High School (24% Algebra 1) and Jefferson High School (35% Algebra 1) also struggle in this area, Blake's math scores are consistently low. The graduation rate has also declined to 87.5%, now below the district average of 90.9% and lower than schools like Leto High School (95.2%) and Hillsborough High School (93.9%), despite those schools also facing high absenteeism.

Despite these challenges, there are some bright spots. Blake shows a relative strength in US History, with 69% of students proficient, close to the state average of 71%, and English Language Arts scores are showing a slight upward trend, with 10th-grade proficiency rising from 42% to 50% over the past few years. The school's per-student spending of $10,157 is actually higher than at Plant High School ($8,739), indicating that funding is not the primary issue. The most urgent priority for Blake is to address its attendance crisis, as this foundational problem is preventing students from fully engaging with instruction and improving overall school performance.