Summerfield Crossings Elementary School

Summerfield Crossings Elementary School in Riverview, FL, is a public school serving 797 students in grades PK-5 within the Hillsborough district, where about half of the students come from low-income families. The school has faced a concerning downward trend over the past decade, with its state ranking dropping from the 42nd percentile in 2015-2016 to the 13th percentile in the most recent data, earning it a 1-star rating and placing it among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Florida.

Academically, Summerfield Crossings consistently scores below district and state averages in every subject and grade level tested. For example, only 36% of 5th graders were proficient in math, compared to 62% statewide, while just 37% of 4th graders met English Language Arts standards versus 60% statewide. Nearby Riverview Academy of Math and Science (a 4-star school) achieved 77% proficiency in 4th grade ELA, and Doby Elementary School (a 2-star school) reached 62% in 5th grade math. A notable bright spot is 3rd grade math, where 53% of students were proficient—the school's highest rate for any subject that year, suggesting a potential early intervention program that doesn't carry through to later grades.

Chronic absenteeism is a severe issue, with 36% of students missing too much school in 2023-2024, up from just 9.9% in 2019-2020 and higher than district and state averages. Interestingly, the school spends $10,708 per student, more than the high-performing Riverview Academy of Math and Science ($8,992), yet it is outperformed by Summerfield Elementary School just 2.12 miles away, which serves a similar demographic but earns a 2-star rating. This comparison suggests that factors like instructional quality and school culture, rather than funding alone, are driving the performance gap. For parents, the presence of higher-performing nearby options may be worth exploring.