Summary:
The seven schools in Tampa's 33603 zip code, part of the Hillsborough County School District, serve elementary through high school grades and present a dramatic spectrum of academic performance, from a top-tier charter to a high school in crisis.
The standout performer is Trinity School For Children, a K-8 charter that earns a 4-star rating with proficiency rates 20-40 points above district averages, a low 13.6% chronic absenteeism rate, and a negligible 1.65% of students on free/reduced lunch. In stark contrast, Seminole Heights Charter High School is in crisis with a 0-star rating, a 14.7% graduation rate, near-zero academic proficiency, and a staggering 90.4% chronic absenteeism rate. The other schools generally perform below district averages. For example, in 5th-grade Math, Trinity scored 60% proficient, while Mendenhall Elementary School (53%) and Broward Elementary School (45%) lagged behind the district average of 58%. Memorial Middle School shows a "two-schools-in-one" dynamic, where 90% of its Algebra 1 students are proficient, yet overall 7th-grade math proficiency is just 21%.
Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue, with four of seven schools exceeding the district average of 31.3%, including Memorial Middle (46.7%) and Hillsborough High School (43.0%). Spending per student varies wildly, from Broward Elementary's $29,015 (with a low 8.6:1 student-teacher ratio) to Hillsborough High's $9,943 (23.2:1 ratio), yet higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes. The data shows a near-perfect inverse relationship between absenteeism and performance, suggesting that improving attendance is the most impactful intervention for struggling schools in this area.
Thank you for your feedback!