Mitchell Elementary School

Mitchell Elementary School in Tampa, FL, serves 698 students from Pre-K through 5th grade in the Hillsborough district, and is located in a relatively affluent area of the 33609 zip code where only about 22% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.

Mitchell has historically been a high-performing school, but recent data shows a concerning decline. After ranking 54th in the state in 2021-2022, it dropped to 398th in 2025-2026, a fall of over 340 places. This is especially notable because nearby schools like Mabry Elementary School (ranked #63) and Gorrie Elementary School (ranked #120) have maintained their top-tier status. Even MacFarlane Park Elementary Magnet School, which has a slightly higher poverty rate, now outperforms Mitchell in nearly every subject. For example, in 4th grade math, MacFarlane Park scores 96% proficiency compared to Mitchell's 74%. This suggests Mitchell is not capitalizing on its demographic advantages as effectively as its peers.

The school's math scores remain a relative strength, but English Language Arts (ELA) is slipping, particularly in early grades. Chronic absenteeism at 11.9% is double that of top-performing neighbors like Mabry (5.7%) and Roosevelt Elementary School (6.5%), though still well below the district average of 31.3%. Notably, per-student spending has increased 23% over four years to $10,286, yet performance has declined, indicating the issue may be how resources are used rather than a lack of them. While Mitchell remains a much better option than its immediate neighbor, Bridgeprep Academy Of Tampa (ranked 2,159th), the school's leadership faces a clear challenge to reverse this downward trend.