Summary:
The five schools in zip code 32778 (Tavares, FL) serve students from Pre-K through 12th grade within the Lake County School District, a 3-star district ranked 32nd out of 70 in Florida.
The standout performer in this area is Pinecrest Academy Tavares, a K-8 charter school that earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 83rd percentile statewide. This is a stark contrast to the other schools, which all hold 2-star or 1-star ratings. Interestingly, Pinecrest achieves these results with the lowest per-student spending ($6,310) and a relatively high student-teacher ratio, while Tavares Elementary School, the lowest-performing school with a 1-star rating, spends nearly double that amount ($11,111) and has the smallest class sizes. This suggests that factors like school culture and curriculum at Pinecrest are more impactful than simply spending more money. The most critical issue facing the area is the alarming 56.2% chronic absenteeism rate at Tavares High School, which is nearly double the district average and likely a primary driver of its low academic performance. Despite this, the high school boasts a strong 95.1% graduation rate.
There is a notable "performance cliff" between the elementary/middle schools and the high school. While Pinecrest Academy excels and Tavares Middle School shows a bright spot with 100% proficiency in Geometry EOC, Tavares High School struggles with proficiency rates in core subjects like Algebra 1 (34%) falling well below state averages. The two elementary-level schools are on opposite trajectories: Pinecrest is a stable 4-star school, while Tavares Elementary is declining, serving a more economically disadvantaged population and failing to meet state benchmarks in 3rd-grade ELA (32% proficient) and Math (39% proficient).
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