Summary:
There are three elementary schools serving grades PK through 5 in the 33510 zip code of Brandon, Florida, all part of the Hillsborough County School District, which is ranked 45th out of 70 districts in the state.
Limona Elementary School is the standout school in this area, consistently outperforming its neighbors across nearly every metric. Limona ranks in the top half of Florida elementary schools (52nd percentile), while Yates Elementary School (8th percentile) and Schmidt Elementary School (12th percentile) rank in the bottom 15%. Limona's test scores are significantly higher, often exceeding district and state averages—for example, 71% of its 5th graders were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 40% at Yates and 36% at Schmidt. Limona also has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate (28.8%) than Yates (45.3%) and Schmidt (44.5%), which is a strong indicator of a more engaged student body.
A key finding is that higher spending does not guarantee better results. Schmidt has the highest per-student spending ($13,179) but the lowest state ranking, while Limona has the lowest spending ($11,736) and the highest performance. Chronic absenteeism is a major challenge at Yates and Schmidt, with rates far exceeding district and state averages. While socioeconomic factors correlate with performance—Yates and Schmidt have higher free/reduced lunch rates (70.26% and 72.75%) than Limona (52.67%)—Limona's success shows that a school with moderate economic disadvantage can still achieve strong results. Overall, Limona is the clear choice for families prioritizing academic excellence, while Yates and Schmidt face significant challenges that parents should investigate further.
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