Summary:
Zip code 33428 in Boca Raton, FL, is home to two public elementary schools serving grades PK-5: Coral Sunset Elementary School and Waters Edge Elementary School, both part of the Palm Beach School District.
Waters Edge Elementary School is the standout performer, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 6% of Florida elementary schools for three consecutive years. It achieves significantly higher academic scores than its neighbor, with average ELA proficiency at 88% and math proficiency at 82.7%, far exceeding both district and state averages. In contrast, Coral Sunset Elementary School holds a 3-star rating and performs near the middle of the pack statewide, with average ELA proficiency at 68% and math at 63.3%. Notably, Coral Sunset spends $18,431 per student—$3,881 more than Waters Edge—yet achieves lower results, highlighting a spending-versus-performance paradox. The free/reduced lunch rate is 42.07% at Coral Sunset versus 15.16% at Waters Edge, indicating different socioeconomic profiles. Chronic absenteeism is a critical concern at Coral Sunset, where 26.9% of students are chronically absent, more than double the 12.2% rate at Waters Edge and above the district average of 23.4%.
Despite its challenges, Coral Sunset Elementary School is not a failing school; it outperforms state averages in 5th grade ELA (77% vs. 61%) and math (65% vs. 62%). However, the data clearly shows that Waters Edge Elementary School offers a consistently excellent educational environment with low absenteeism and top-tier academic results, making it the preferred choice for families seeking high performance in this zip code.
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