Summary:
The six schools in Clewiston, Florida, serve approximately 3,380 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, and are primarily part of the Hendry school district, which ranks in the 16th percentile statewide, with the exception of Ahfachkee Day School, an alternative school operating under its own district.
The three elementary schools are the strongest performers in the area. Central Elementary School stands out as the highest-performing school, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 65th percentile, with test scores well above district and state averages and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (26.3%) among non-alternative schools. Eastside Elementary School and Westside Elementary School also earn 3-star ratings, ranking in the 63rd and 60th percentiles respectively. In contrast, secondary schools struggle significantly. Clewiston Middle School has a 2-star rating and a 36th percentile rank, but shows a remarkable strength in advanced math, with 100% of its Geometry students proficient. Clewiston High School is rated 1-star and ranks in the 25th percentile, with an alarming 47.7% chronic absenteeism rate. Ahfachkee Day School has no academic performance data available and reports a 98.7% free/reduced lunch rate and an extreme student-to-teacher ratio of 77:1.
A critical takeaway is the sharp drop in performance from elementary to secondary school, suggesting a systemic challenge in supporting students through the transition. Chronic absenteeism is a major crisis, especially at the high school and middle school levels, and is likely a primary driver of low test scores. Interestingly, spending per student does not correlate with success, as Central Elementary outperforms higher-spending schools like Eastside Elementary. The data also reveals a stark contrast at Clewiston Middle School, where advanced math students excel while general math proficiency is very low, indicating a need to better support all students in foundational skills.
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