Summary:
The city of Wimauma, Florida, is served by three public elementary schools within the Hillsborough School District, enrolling a combined 1,647 students from Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade, and the data reveals a stark performance divide between the two traditional public schools and one public charter school.
RCMA Wimauma Community Academy is the clear standout, ranking in the 54th percentile statewide (3 stars) and showing consistent improvement. It dramatically outperforms its local peers in key areas: 5th Grade Math proficiency is an astonishing 93% compared to just 35% at Reddick Elementary School and 31% at Wimauma Elementary School. RCMA also excels in 8th Grade Science (73% proficient vs. 50% district average) and has a remarkably low chronic absenteeism rate of 12.1%, a fraction of the 36.4% and 37.2% rates at Reddick and Wimauma, respectively. In contrast, Reddick and Wimauma Elementary are both in the bottom 10% of Florida schools (9th and 7th percentiles, 0 stars), with test scores well below district and state averages across nearly every subject and grade level.
A key finding is the "money vs. performance" paradox: RCMA spends the least per student ($10,575) while achieving the best results, whereas Wimauma Elementary spends the most ($14,324) but performs the worst. This suggests that how money is used matters more than the total amount. The data also highlights chronic absenteeism as a powerful leading indicator of school health, with the two struggling schools showing rates significantly higher than the already-high district average of 31.3%. For parents, the choice is clear: RCMA Wimauma Community Academy is a high-performing outlier with strong math and science programs, while Reddick and Wimauma Elementary face significant challenges that require careful consideration.
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