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Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School

Q: Is Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School a good school?

Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School ranks 558 th of 1205 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

558^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,205 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 54% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School is a public middle school in Tampa, Florida, serving 580 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 49 out of 67 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School consistently outperforms the Hillsborough district and the state of Florida in several key test score metrics, such as 99% proficiency in EOC/Algebra 1 and 100% proficiency in EOC/Geometry, compared to 59% and 53% for the district, respectively. However, the school has experienced relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 30.9% to 33.2% over the past few years, which is higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school has a significant population of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 58.66% to 67.35% over the past few years, indicating a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students compared to the state and district.

Compared to nearby middle schools in the Hillsborough district, Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School consistently outperforms them in test scores, particularly in EOC/Algebra 1, EOC/Geometry, and FAST/Math assessments. The school's increased spending per student, from $8,393 in 2020-2021 to $9,861 in 2023-2024, may be a reflection of the district's efforts to invest in the school's resources and programs, which could be contributing to the school's academic performance.

595

Students ?

18.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,712

Per pupil spending ?

51.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

14303 Citrus Pointe Dr
Tampa, FL 33625

(813) 792-5125

District: Hillsborough

Students who attend Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School usually attend:

High:

Sickles High School

Feeder schools for Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School:

Elementary:	Bellamy Elementary School
	Citrus Park Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

66.6%

White:

17.0%

African American:

6.4%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 47th percentile in 2014 → 54th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 7 percentile points since 2014

✓Above the Florida median (54th percentile)

Worth a look

!Civics scores 10 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school60%

District avg54%

Florida avg58%

558^th of 1,205

Florida public middle schools ?

Top 46%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

16^th of 41Middle 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	52.4	558 of 1205	53.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	45.2	655 of 1196	45.2%	★★☆☆☆
2023	48.7	584 of 1177	50.4%	★★★☆☆
2022	48.3	570 of 1148	50.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	44.0	638 of 1136	43.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	52.6	521 of 1099	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.5	540 of 1035	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	51.0	501 of 1031	51.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	52.8	460 of 997	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2014	47.0	534 of 999	46.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	48.9	501 of 956	47.6%	★★☆☆☆
2012	49.8	465 of 897	48.2%	★★☆☆☆
2011	57.9	410 of 891	54.0%	★★★☆☆
2010	65.8	301 of 839	64.1%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Geometry100%+45 vs state

Algebra 199%+39 vs state

Math66%+10 vs state

Civics61%-10 vs state

Science51%~ state avg

English Language Arts51%-6 vs state

1.0

2 ratings · 1 written review

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a citizen
Monday, December 18, 2017

I'm fearful for our boy - bullying is rampant & the principal ignores pleas for help from the student being bullied. Admin calling the students who complain names, e.g., "liar", tattle tale, etc., instead of stopping the bullies. Close Quote

Schools Near Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				FAST English Language Arts (2025)			FAST Math (2025)			Statewide Science Science (2025)	EOC Algebra 1 (2025)	EOC Geometry (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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School	Public	6-8	14303 Citrus Pointe Dr	Tampa	33625	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 792-5125	595	31	18.9	51.4%	101 (17.0%)	38 (6.4%)	396 (66.6%)	37 (6.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.7%)	52.4	558^th of 1205 public middle schools	53.7%		45.2	655^th of 1196 public middle schools	45.2%	97	54.0	50.0	49.0	66.0	38.0	77.0	51.0	99.0	100.0	61.0	$11,712	$1,440	$10,272
Davidsen Middle School	Public	6-8	10501 Montague St	Tampa	33626	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 558-5300	969	45	21.7	48.8%	193 (19.9%)	44 (4.5%)	673 (69.5%)	35 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	23 (2.4%)	30.6	880^th of 1205 public middle schools	27.0%		41.8	699^th of 1196 public middle schools	41.6%	181	43.0	42.0	47.0	41.0	19.0	52.0	39.0	74.0	100.0	51.0	$9,773	$1,333	$8,439
Hill Middle School	Public	6-8	5200 Ehrlich Rd	Tampa	33624	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 975-7325	820	42	19.3	42.2%	215 (26.2%)	72 (8.8%)	463 (56.5%)	29 (3.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.6%)	46	658^th of 1205 public middle schools	45.4%		54.5	523^rd of 1196 public middle schools	56.3%	135	48.0	56.0	44.0	56.0	35.0	73.0	43.0	90.0	100.0	68.0	$10,348	$1,137	$9,210
Walker Middle Magnet School	Public, Magnet	6-8	8282 N Mobley Rd	Odessa	33556	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	No	(813) 631-4726	1,039	50	20.8	20.9%	415 (39.9%)	37 (3.6%)	369 (35.5%)	139 (13.4%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	72 (6.9%)	94.2	34^th of 1205 public middle schools	97.2%		94.2	37^th of 1196 public middle schools	96.9%	3	90.0	88.0	84.0	94.0		95.0	84.0	95.0	100.0	93.0	$9,692	$771	$8,920
Farnell Middle School	Public	6-8	13912 Nine Eagles Dr	Tampa	33626	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 356-1640	1,184	50	23.7	20.9%	602 (50.8%)	50 (4.2%)	289 (24.4%)	158 (13.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	83 (7.0%)	82	187^th of 1205 public middle schools	84.5%		82.2	169^th of 1196 public middle schools	85.9%	18	79.0	75.0	68.0	84.0	40.0	77.0	72.0	91.0	100.0	86.0	$8,235	$527	$7,708
Webb Middle School	Public	6-8	6035 Hanley Rd	Tampa	33634	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 872-5351	782	34	23.3	62.0%	43 (5.5%)	50 (6.4%)	658 (84.1%)	11 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.6%)	21.1	987^th of 1205 public middle schools	18.1%		26	915^th of 1196 public middle schools	23.5%	72	29.0	36.0	27.0	45.0	24.0	54.0	27.0	63.0		41.0	$9,344	$1,401	$7,942
Pierce Middle School	Public	6-8	5511 N Hesperides St	Tampa	33614	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 872-5344	858	39	22.0	67.4%	41 (4.8%)	77 (9.0%)	719 (83.8%)	12 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	8 (0.9%)	15.7	1064^th of 1205 public middle schools	11.7%		17.5	1032^nd of 1196 public middle schools	13.7%	32	28.0	28.0	26.0	46.0	17.0	40.0	26.0	96.0		43.0	$10,185	$1,655	$8,530
Martinez Middle School	Public	6-8	5601 W Lutz Lake Fern Rd	Lutz	33558	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 558-1190	1,104	50	22.2	15.9%	605 (54.8%)	37 (3.4%)	257 (23.3%)	126 (11.4%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	75 (6.8%)	91.2	64^th of 1205 public middle schools	94.7%		90.6	75^th of 1196 public middle schools	93.7%	11	84.0	85.0	82.0	93.0	56.0	89.0	77.0	94.0	100.0	90.0	$8,592	$530	$8,063
Buchanan Middle School	Public	6-8	1001 W Bearss Ave	Tampa	33613	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 975-7600	928	41	22.4	62.7%	86 (9.3%)	222 (23.9%)	571 (61.5%)	13 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (3.7%)	17.7	1038^th of 1205 public middle schools	13.9%		15.6	1044^th of 1196 public middle schools	12.7%	6	40.0	27.0	29.0	37.0	12.0	43.0	31.0	91.0		43.0	$9,574	$1,286	$8,288
Excelsior Prep Charter Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	2156 University Square Mall	Tampa	33612	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(813) 644-9060	38	2	25.3	92.1%	1 (2.6%)	16 (42.1%)	21 (55.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	31.7	863^rd of 1205 public middle schools	28.4%					(n/a)	59.0	31.0		43.0	44.0					63.0	$10,136	$740	$9,396

Frequently Asked Questions about Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School

What high school do graduates of Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School attend?

Students who attend Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School usually go on to attend Sickles High School

What is the racial makeup of Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School?

Students at Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School are 67% Hispanic, 17% White, 6% African American, 6% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 595 students attended Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School.

Is Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School a good school?

Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School ranks 558^th of 1205 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Sergeant Paul R Smith Middle School in?

Hillsborough

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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.