Summary:
The four schools in zip code 33572, serving the Apollo Beach area within the Hillsborough County School District, offer a diverse mix of traditional elementary, K-8, and alternative education options for a total of 4,090 students.
The clear standout is Dorothy C York Pk-8 Magnet School, which consistently ranks in the top 20% of Florida elementary schools with a 4-star rating. Its success is driven by the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (11.7%) and the highest test scores across nearly every subject. In contrast, Doby Elementary School presents a paradox: despite having the highest per-student spending ($12,133) and the smallest class sizes (13.9:1), it earns only a 2-star rating and has the lowest academic performance, coupled with a critical chronic absenteeism rate of 38.6%. Apollo Beach K-8 School is a solid, above-average performer with a 4-star rating and strong results in 5th-grade math and science. Slam Academy At Apollo Beach serves a different purpose as an alternative K-12 school, with lower test scores and a higher student-teacher ratio (29.4:1) typical for its mission.
The most critical takeaway is that chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of academic success in this zip code. The data shows a direct correlation: lower absenteeism at Dorothy C. York (11.7%) and Apollo Beach (19.1%) leads to high rankings, while Doby's high absenteeism (38.6%) correlates with poor outcomes. This suggests that getting students to school daily is the single most important factor for achievement, outweighing even higher spending and smaller class sizes. For families, Dorothy C. York is the top academic choice, while Apollo Beach offers a strong alternative, and Doby's challenges highlight the need for community engagement to improve attendance.
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