Belcher Elementary School

Belcher Elementary School in Clearwater, FL, is a public school serving 467 students in grades PK-5 within the Pinellas district, and it has shown a clear upward trajectory in state rankings over the past decade, now sitting in the 65th percentile.

Belcher’s most distinctive feature is its strong academic growth in upper grades, particularly in 5th grade, where English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency reached 73% and Science proficiency hit 68% in the most recent school year—both well above district and state averages. This creates a "J-curve" pattern: while 3rd-grade scores (58% Math, 61% ELA) lag behind the district, by 5th grade, students outperform it. This is a stark contrast to nearby Plumb Elementary, which excels in early grades but sees scores dip later. Belcher also benefits from high per-student spending ($15,584) and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.3:1, which likely supports this growth. However, a persistent challenge is chronic absenteeism at 32.0%, higher than the district average and significantly above nearby charter schools like Discovery Academy of Science (21.0%) and Pinellas Preparatory Academy (16.8%).

Despite being surrounded by high-performing charter options, Belcher holds its own, even matching or exceeding Discovery Academy of Science in 5th-grade Science (68% vs. 70%). A dramatic year-over-year improvement—4th and 5th-grade ELA scores jumped from 54% and 49% to 67% and 73%—suggests effective interventions are taking hold. For parents, Belcher offers a compelling choice if they value strong late-elementary development over early acceleration, though the high absenteeism rate is a factor to watch.