Summary:
Zip code 33316 in Fort Lauderdale, FL, is served by two elementary schools: Harbordale Elementary School and Charter School Of Excellence, both part of the Broward school district, and they represent a stark contrast in performance and demographics.
Harbordale Elementary School is the standout school in the area, consistently earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the top 22% of all Florida elementary schools. Its academic performance is strong across the board, with 3rd grade math proficiency at 74% and 5th grade science at 58%, both exceeding state averages. The school also benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio of 17.8:1 and a chronic absenteeism rate of 23.8%, which is well below the district and state averages. In contrast, Charter School Of Excellence is a struggling school with a 2-star rating, ranking in the bottom 41% of Florida elementary schools. It faces significant challenges, including a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 46.1% and critically low 3rd grade math proficiency at just 31%. The school also has a larger class size of 23.4:1 and spends slightly less per student ($11,704) despite serving a student body with a much higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunch (90.85% compared to Harbordale's 31.58%).
Despite the challenges, there is a glimmer of hope for Charter School Of Excellence, as its state ranking has improved each year, and its 5th grade math (68%) and ELA (59%) scores are its strongest subjects, suggesting that students who remain at the school may make academic gains by the upper grades. For parents, the choice is clear: Harbordale Elementary School offers a consistently high-quality education with strong test scores and a stable learning environment, while Charter School Of Excellence is a school in need of improvement, where poverty and absenteeism are significant hurdles to academic success.
Thank you for your feedback!