Woodbridge Elementary School

Woodbridge Elementary School is a public school in Tampa, FL, serving 602 students in grades PK-5 within the Hillsborough district, where a majority of students come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

The most notable story at Woodbridge is its dramatic academic turnaround. After years of ranking in the bottom 10-20% of Florida elementary schools, the school jumped to the 22nd percentile in 2025-2026—its highest rank in nearly a decade. This improvement is driven by double-digit gains in test scores across nearly every subject and grade level. For example, 5th grade math proficiency rose from 32% to 52%, and 4th grade English Language Arts jumped from 33% to 51%. This rate of improvement is unmatched by nearby traditional public schools like Bay Crest Elementary School, Bellamy Elementary School, and Town & Country Elementary School, which have seen flat or declining performance. However, a stark contrast exists with high-performing charter schools in the area, such as Hillsborough Academy Of Math And Science and Horizon Charter School Of Tampa, which have much lower poverty rates and achieve top-tier test scores.

Despite this positive momentum, Woodbridge faces two critical challenges. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 32.2% remains high, well above the 16.3% rate at nearby Westchase Elementary School. Additionally, the student-teacher ratio has ballooned to 19.2:1, the highest among comparable traditional schools in the area, which could threaten future progress. Interestingly, Woodbridge’s per-student spending of $12,534 is lower than some lower-performing neighbors, suggesting that instructional strategy, not just funding, is driving its recent success. The school’s 5th graders have been a consistent bright spot, and replicating their success in lower grades will be key to sustaining this turnaround.