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Simmons Career Center

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

756^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 844 Florida Alternative Schools

Better than 10% of Florida alternative schools

Summary

Simmons Career Center is an alternative public school serving grades PK-12 in Plant City, Florida, with a total enrollment of 163 students. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 49th out of 67 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Simmons Career Center has consistently high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 84.6% to 89.7% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. However, the school's test scores are significantly lower than the state and district averages across various subjects and grade levels, with proficiency rates below 35% in subjects like Algebra 1, Geometry, and 10th Grade English Language Arts, compared to state averages of 55-71%. Additionally, Simmons Career Center has had high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 30.9% to 62.3%, much higher than the state and district averages. The school also serves a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 71.17% to 83.6%, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

Simmons Career Center is located in close proximity to several other alternative schools in the Hillsborough School District, including Hillsborough Girls Academy, Lake Academy, Lopez Exceptional Center, and Willis Peters Exceptional Center, all of which share similar characteristics. When compared to schools in the neighboring Polk School District, such as Real Academy and Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy, the performance gap becomes even more pronounced, with these Polk County schools generally having higher test scores, graduation rates, and lower chronic absenteeism rates.

127

Students ?

12.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$21,332

Per pupil spending ?

62.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1202 W Grant St
Plant City, FL 33563

(813) 707-7430

District: Hillsborough

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

52.8%

White:

33.9%

African American:

10.2%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Simmons Career Center to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 13th percentile in 2014 → 10th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (18% vs 63% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (10th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Florida average (84% vs 92%)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school18%

District avg62%

Florida avg63%

756^th of 844

Florida public high schools ?

Bottom 10%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 9Alternative Schools in the Hillsborough

49^th of 67Hillsborough among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2025	4.4	756 of 844	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	7.4	692 of 807	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	10.6	659 of 792	16.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	6.7	671 of 774	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	5.1	670 of 746	10.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	8.0	627 of 734	14.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	11.3	588 of 716	17.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	11.7	591 of 714	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	7.2	606 of 693	12.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	7.4	599 of 687	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	5.5	577 of 648	11.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	12.1	514 of 606	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	11.3	537 of 622	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	3.3	603 of 620	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	5.0	555 of 587	5.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	1.9	478 of 484	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Biology 133%-38 vs state

Algebra 129%-31 vs state

US History22%-49 vs state

English Language Arts19%-39 vs state

Geometry4%-51 vs state

★

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Schools Near Simmons Career Center

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				FAST English Language Arts (2025)								FAST Math (2025)						Statewide Science Science (2025)		EOC Algebra 1 (2025)	EOC Geometry (2025)	EOC Biology 1 (2025)	EOC US History (2025)	EOC Civics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Simmons Career Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1202 W Grant St	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 707-7430	127	10	12.7	62.2%	43 (33.9%)	13 (10.2%)	67 (52.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.1%)								(n/a)								19.0									29.0	4.0	33.0	22.0		$21,332	$1,619	$19,712
Simmons Exceptional Center	Public, Alternative	K-12	1202 W Grant St	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 707-7430	29	4	7.2	79.3%	12 (41.4%)	11 (37.9%)	4 (13.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.9%)								(n/a)																						$53,078	$11,954	$41,123
Willis Peters Exceptional Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2919 Nelson Ave	Dover	33527	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 747-9462	61	11	5.5	49.2%	23 (37.7%)	14 (23.0%)	20 (32.8%)	3 (4.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)								(n/a)																						$52,127	$6,893	$45,234
Lopez Exceptional Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	315 W Old Hillsborough Ave	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8008	57	13	4.3	45.6%	19 (33.3%)	19 (33.3%)	15 (26.3%)	2 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.5%)								(n/a)																						$53,289	$7,198	$46,090
The Spring	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1009 N Parsons Rd	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 651-2166	10	0		30.0%	0 (0.0%)	6 (60.0%)	4 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Polk Virtual Instruction Program	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	604 S Central Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 354-3999	17	0			7 (41.2%)	4 (23.5%)	6 (35.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																						$9,489	$96	$9,394
Polk Full Time Eschool	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	604 S Central Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 354-3999	429	0		0.7%	178 (41.5%)	58 (13.5%)	165 (38.5%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	22 (5.1%)								(n/a)	39.0	48.0	40.0	79.0	57.0	61.0	59.0	42.0	33.0	22.0	17.0	31.0	17.0	29.0	41.0	47.0	34.0	33.0	61.0	69.0	74.0	$17,885	$1,479	$16,406
Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)	Public, Alternative	4-12	951 Mount Airy Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-0500	215	22	9.7	87.9%	48 (22.3%)	72 (33.5%)	85 (39.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	2 (0.9%)	7 (3.3%)								(n/a)		14.0	15.0	26.0	24.0	11.0				10.0	5.0	4.0	13.0	11.0	3.0	11.0					18.0	$22,073	$2,426	$19,646
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1201 Enchanted Dr	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 499-2980	84	15	5.6	69.0%	37 (44.0%)	20 (23.8%)	19 (22.6%)	3 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	4 (4.8%)								(n/a)																						$54,053	$14,067	$39,986
Florida Connections Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	13008 N Telecom Pkwy	Temple Terrace	33637	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	Yes	No	(813) 291-0550	5,748	133	43.2	25.1%	2,404 (41.8%)	1,009 (17.6%)	1,811 (31.5%)	85 (1.5%)	16 (0.3%)	25 (0.4%)	398 (6.9%)								(n/a)	41.0	48.0	38.0	51.0	52.0	47.0	49.0	49.0	24.0	23.0	20.0	29.0	29.0	30.0	30.0	31.0	32.0	27.0	61.0	53.0	56.0	$6,977	$219	$6,757

Frequently Asked Questions about Simmons Career Center

How many students attend Simmons Career Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 127 students attended Simmons Career Center.

What is the racial makeup of Simmons Career Center?

Students at Simmons Career Center are 53% Hispanic, 34% White, 10% African American, 3% Two or more races.

What district is Simmons Career Center in?

Hillsborough

Is Simmons Career Center a good school?

Simmons Career Center ranks in the bottom 10.4% of Florida alternative schools.

Rate Simmons Career Center!

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Schools in Plant City, FL

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.