Best Public Schools in Clearwater, FL

The city of Clearwater, Florida, is home to 28 public schools within the Pinellas County School District, serving a diverse range of students from elementary through high school, including alternative and charter options.

For parents, the standout academic performer is Clearwater Fundamental Middle School, which consistently achieves top-tier test scores and a 5-star rating, far outpacing other middle schools like Oak Grove Middle School, where 7th-grade math proficiency is notably low. Among high schools, Countryside High School leads with a 97.2% graduation rate and strong test scores, while Clearwater High School also excels with a 99% graduation rate. Charter schools show mixed results: Discovery Academy of Science and Plato Academy Clearwater are top performers, but Enterprise Charter High School struggles with a 0-star rating and a 56.5% graduation rate. Schools like Bayside High School and Pinellas Teleschool face significant challenges, including very high chronic absenteeism and low test scores, often serving students with complex needs.

Key metrics reveal that chronic absenteeism is a critical differentiator: top schools like Clearwater Fundamental have rates as low as 5.8%, while struggling schools exceed 80%. Per-student spending varies dramatically, from $9,019 at Clearwater Fundamental to over $54,000 at Calvin A. Hunsinger School, which serves a specialized population. This shows that higher spending often reflects greater student needs rather than guaranteeing better outcomes. Overall, the data highlights that school quality in Clearwater is highly variable, with a few exceptional schools and several that require targeted support, making it essential for parents to research individual schools carefully.