Summary:
The six schools in zip code 33440 (Clewiston, FL) serve approximately 3,380 students across elementary, middle, and high school levels within the rural Hendry district, which ranks 59th out of 70 districts in Florida, alongside the unique Ahfachkee Day School district.
Central Elementary School stands out as the highest-ranked school in the area, consistently performing above state averages in 5th Grade Science (71%) and Math (83%), while also having the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (26.3%) among non-alternative schools. Clewiston Middle School presents a paradox: despite a high chronic absenteeism rate of 40.7%, it achieves exceptional results in advanced coursework, with 100% of Geometry students and 79% of Algebra 1 students scoring proficient. In contrast, Clewiston High School is the lowest-ranked school (25th percentile), with only 24% proficient in Algebra 1 and a 47.7% chronic absenteeism rate, though its graduation rate (88.9%) exceeds the district average. The elementary schools—Westside Elementary School and Eastside Elementary School—show strong math foundations, both scoring above the state average in 5th Grade Math (69% and 83% respectively). Ahfachkee Day School is an outlier with a 77:1 student-to-teacher ratio and serves a highly disadvantaged population, making direct comparisons difficult.
The most critical finding is a severe chronic absenteeism crisis, with rates ranging from 26.3% at Central Elementary to 47.7% at the high school, far exceeding the district average of 20.1%. This likely explains the "drop-off" from strong elementary math performance to weak high school outcomes, as student engagement plummets during the transition. The middle school's ability to excel with advanced students while struggling with attendance suggests a two-tier system where top performers thrive but many others fall behind. For parents, the data highlights that while elementary schools provide a solid academic foundation, the high school faces significant challenges with attendance and resource allocation, making it crucial to monitor student engagement through the middle school years.
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