Slam Academy Tampa Elementary

Slam Academy Tampa Elementary is a small public school in Tampa, FL, serving 248 students in grades K-5 within the Hillsborough district, but it faces significant challenges that set it apart from nearby schools.

The most critical issue at Slam Academy is an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate, which has hovered near 50% for the past three years—more than double the rate at nearby Citrus Park Elementary School (22.4%) and over three times the rate at top-performing schools like Northwest Elementary School (14.9%) and Westchase Elementary School (16.3%). The school also has a very high student-teacher ratio of 31:1, nearly double the average of surrounding schools, which suggests limited individualized attention for students. Additionally, the percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch has fluctuated dramatically, reaching as high as 91% in recent years, indicating a highly economically disadvantaged student body compared to nearby schools like Westchase Elementary (21.46%) and Deer Park Elementary School (23.51%).

Despite these challenges, there is a notable bright spot: in the 2025-2026 school year, 3rd grade English Language Arts proficiency reached 64%, which was 9 points above the district average and 4 points above the state average. This represents a 31-point jump from the previous year, suggesting a potentially effective teacher or intervention program. However, this success is not sustained in later grades, with 4th grade scoring 35% and 5th grade scoring 43%. The school's overall performance remains well below the high-performing schools in its immediate area, such as Northwest Elementary and Westchase Elementary, which rank in the 91st and 94th percentiles respectively. The primary takeaway is that addressing attendance and engagement is likely the most critical step for improving academic outcomes at Slam Academy.