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Joseph L. Carwise Middle School

Q: Is Joseph L. Carwise Middle School a good school?

Joseph L. Carwise Middle School ranks 300 th of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-8

300^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,216 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 75% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Joseph L. Carwise Middle School in Palm Harbor, FL, serves 859 students in grades 6-8 and is part of the Pinellas County School District, a consistently strong district ranked in the top 20% in Florida. This school has earned a stable 4-star rating for the past decade, placing it in a reliable middle ground—outperforming nearby schools like Safety Harbor Middle School and Tarpon Springs Middle School (both 3-star), while not quite reaching the top-tier status of magnet schools like Clearwater Fundamental Middle School or East Lake Middle School Academy Of Engineering (both 5-star).

Carwise stands out for its exceptional advanced math program, with 100% of Geometry students and 79% of Algebra 1 students proficient—significantly higher than its closest neighbor, Palm Harbor Middle School (76% Algebra 1). However, the school faces a notable challenge in 7th-grade math, where only 50% of students are proficient, which is below the state average of 53%. This "7th-grade math slump" is a common issue across the district, but Carwise's performance here is a clear area for improvement. The school also excels in humanities and science, with English Language Arts scores (68-74% proficient) and Civics (85%) consistently beating district and state averages.

Carwise invests heavily in smaller class sizes, spending $11,539 per student—more than Palm Harbor Middle ($9,217) and East Lake Middle ($9,772)—resulting in a favorable student-teacher ratio of 17.5:1. One growing concern is chronic absenteeism, which has risen to 24.9% in 2023-2024, though this remains better than the district average of 30.6%. Overall, Carwise offers a well-rounded, solid academic experience with a strong focus on advanced math, making it a compelling choice for families seeking a stable, above-average middle school in the Palm Harbor area.

859

Students ?

17.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,539

Per pupil spending ?

31.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3301 Bentley Dr
Palm Harbor, FL 34684

(727) 724-1442

District: Pinellas

Students who attend Joseph L. Carwise Middle School usually attend:

High:

East Lake High School

Feeder schools for Joseph L. Carwise Middle School:

Elementary:	Cypress Woods Elementary School
	Forest Lakes Elementary School
	Highland Lakes Elementary School
	Oldsmar Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

65.9%

Hispanic:

19.8%

African American:

6.3%

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Compare Joseph L. Carwise Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 73rd percentile in 2016 → 75th in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Florida average (74% vs 61% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 25% of Florida middle schools

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Pinellas

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school74%

District avg63%

Florida avg61%

300^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Top 25%▲ up 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 21Middle Schools in the Pinellas

15^th of 70Pinellas 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
2026	72.3	300 of 1216	75.3%	★★★★☆
2025	76.8	249 of 1205	79.3%	★★★★☆
2024	73.0	294 of 1196	75.4%	★★★★☆
2023	73.2	282 of 1177	76.0%	★★★★☆
2022	68.3	326 of 1148	71.6%	★★★★☆
2021	68.7	319 of 1136	71.9%	★★★★☆
2019	69.6	309 of 1099	71.9%	★★★★☆
2018	71.6	271 of 1035	73.8%	★★★★☆
2017	74.8	240 of 1031	76.7%	★★★★☆
2016	70.6	268 of 997	73.1%	★★★★☆
2014	80.9	159 of 999	84.1%	★★★★☆
2013	79.9	163 of 956	82.9%	★★★★☆
2012	83.1	123 of 897	86.3%	★★★★☆
2011	83.2	127 of 891	85.7%	★★★★☆
2010	85.9	84 of 839	90.0%	★★★★★
2009	90.9	41 of 780	94.7%	★★★★★
2008	91.5	39 of 740	94.7%	★★★★★
2007	90.9	46 of 736	93.8%	★★★★★
2006	87.4	68 of 675	89.9%	★★★★★
2005	84.5	77 of 602	87.2%	★★★★☆
2004	84.4	76 of 593	87.2%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Geometry100%+44 vs state

Civics85%+8 vs state

Algebra 179%+16 vs state

Math73%+14 vs state

English Language Arts71%+10 vs state

Science64%+12 vs state

★

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Schools Near Joseph L. Carwise Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)			FAST Math (2026)			Statewide Science Science (2026)	EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	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
Joseph L. Carwise Middle School	Public	6-8	3301 Bentley Dr	Palm Harbor	34684	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	No	(727) 724-1442	859	49	17.5	31.1%	566 (65.9%)	54 (6.3%)	170 (19.8%)	31 (3.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	37 (4.3%)	72.3	300^th of 1216 public middle schools	75.3%		76.8	249^th of 1205 public middle schools	79.3%	51	68.0	74.0	72.0	73.0	50.0	74.0	64.0	79.0	100.0	85.0	$11,539	$509	$11,030
Palm Harbor Middle School	Public	6-8	1800 Tampa Rd	Palm Harbor	34683	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	No	(727) 669-1146	1,017	49	20.7	27.9%	750 (73.7%)	30 (2.9%)	187 (18.4%)	17 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	33 (3.2%)	69.2	340^th of 1216 public middle schools	72.0%		66.7	361^st of 1205 public middle schools	70.0%	21	78.0	73.0	65.0	65.0	32.0	75.0	61.0	76.0	100.0	83.0	$9,217	$326	$8,892
East Lake Middle School Academy Of Engineering	Public, Magnet	6-8	1200 Silver Eagle Dr	Tarpon Springs	34688	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	Yes	No	No	(727) 942-5419	392	20	19.6	11.2%	304 (77.6%)	9 (2.3%)	48 (12.2%)	17 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.6%)	90.7	61^st of 1216 public middle schools	95.0%		92.1	52^nd of 1205 public middle schools	95.7%	9	84.0	88.0	88.0	80.0		92.0	91.0	90.0	100.0	97.0	$9,772	$238	$9,533
Chi Chi Rodriquez Academy	Public	4-8	3030 N McMullen Booth Rd	Clearwater	33761	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	Yes	(727) 791-3522	90	7	12.8	53.3%	49 (54.4%)	18 (20.0%)	20 (22.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (3.3%)	8	1129^th of 1216 public middle schools	7.2%		8.2	1125^th of 1205 public middle schools	6.6%	4	8.0	25.0	30.0	13.0	35.0	16.0	23.0			63.0	$14,664	$943	$13,722
Tarpon Springs Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	501 N Florida Ave	Tarpon Springs	34689	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	Yes	No	No	(727) 943-5511	649	34	19.0	46.1%	379 (58.4%)	84 (12.9%)	132 (20.3%)	14 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (6.2%)	52.4	588^th of 1216 public middle schools	51.6%		59.5	469^th of 1205 public middle schools	61.1%	119	60.0	60.0	66.0	53.0		52.0	68.0	75.0	96.0	83.0	$11,086	$624	$10,463
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%)	81.7	174^th of 1216 public middle schools	85.7%		82	187^th of 1205 public middle schools	84.5%	13	82.0	78.0	71.0	81.0	50.0	85.0	73.0	97.0	100.0	89.0	$8,235	$527	$7,708
Safety Harbor Middle School	Public	6-8	901 1st Ave N	Safety Harbor	34695	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	No	(727) 724-1400	956	47	20.3	44.0%	455 (47.6%)	123 (12.9%)	323 (33.8%)	12 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (4.3%)	58.9	488^th of 1216 public middle schools	59.9%		52.4	560^th of 1205 public middle schools	53.5%	72	67.0	67.0	59.0	65.0	19.0	69.0	56.0	76.0	100.0	82.0	$9,798	$653	$9,144
Paul R. Smith Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	1410 Sweetbriar Dr	Holiday	34691	Pasco County	Pasco	No	Yes	No	Yes	(727) 246-3200	830	47	17.8	64.0%	396 (47.7%)	84 (10.1%)	244 (29.4%)	12 (1.4%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.4%)	89 (10.7%)	17.4	1061^st of 1216 public middle schools	12.7%		19.6	1009^th of 1205 public middle schools	16.3%	52	46.0	47.0	44.0	26.0	12.0	33.0	30.0	75.0		66.0	$10,050	$1,148	$8,902
Dunedin Highland Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	70 Patricia Ave	Dunedin	34698	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	Yes	No	No	(727) 469-4112	842	46	18.3	39.9%	404 (48.0%)	150 (17.8%)	203 (24.1%)	33 (3.9%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (0.8%)	45 (5.3%)	69.9	329^th of 1216 public middle schools	72.9%		72.9	293^rd of 1205 public middle schools	75.7%	36	66.0	73.0	70.0	66.0	27.0	80.0	71.0	95.0	100.0	87.0	$11,092	$953	$10,139
Seven Springs Middle School	Public	6-8	2441 Little Rd	Trinity	34655	Pasco County	Pasco	No	No	No	No	(727) 774-6700	1,498	77	19.5	25.6%	984 (65.7%)	64 (4.3%)	261 (17.4%)	94 (6.3%)	3 (0.2%)	3 (0.2%)	89 (5.9%)	69	342^nd of 1216 public middle schools	71.9%		71.1	316^th of 1205 public middle schools	73.8%	26	73.0	74.0	64.0	68.0	42.0	75.0	62.0	81.0	100.0	88.0	$8,602	$511	$8,090

Frequently Asked Questions about Joseph L. Carwise Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Joseph L. Carwise Middle School?

Students at Joseph L. Carwise Middle School are 66% White, 20% Hispanic, 6% African American, 4% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

How many students attend Joseph L. Carwise Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 859 students attended Joseph L. Carwise Middle School.

What district is Joseph L. Carwise Middle School in?

Pinellas

What high school do graduates of Joseph L. Carwise Middle School attend?

Students who attend Joseph L. Carwise Middle School usually go on to attend East Lake High School

Is Joseph L. Carwise Middle School a good school?

Joseph L. Carwise Middle School ranks 300^th of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Rate Joseph L. Carwise Middle School!

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

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.