Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 33612

The seven elementary schools in Tampa's 33612 zip code, all part of the Hillsborough County School District and serving Pre-K through 5th grade (with two extending to 8th grade), face significant challenges, including high poverty and chronic absenteeism, resulting in all schools ranking in the bottom half of Florida elementary schools.

Lake Magdalene Elementary School stands out as the top performer, earning the area's only 2-star rating and ranking in the 36th percentile. It boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (29.8%) and the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (53.72%), and is the only school to score at or above district averages in multiple subjects, notably achieving 71% proficiency in 4th-grade Math. In contrast, Shaw Elementary School, Witter Elementary School, and Miles Elementary School are the lowest-ranked, with chronic absenteeism rates exceeding 43%. Forest Hills Elementary School is the most improved, showing a consistent upward trend in its state rank over three years. New Springs Schools presents a paradox: its elementary FAST scores are low, yet its middle school students achieve 100% proficiency in Civics and 81% in Algebra 1 EOC. Legacy Preparatory Academy, the smallest school with only 102 students and the highest poverty rate (94.12%), shows pockets of strength in 8th grade, outperforming the district in both ELA and Math.

The defining challenge across the zip code is chronic absenteeism, averaging a staggering 40.5%—far above the state average of 31.4%. This directly correlates with low academic performance, as the three lowest-ranked schools have the highest absenteeism rates. Interestingly, higher per-student spending does not guarantee better results; Miles Elementary spends the most ($14,727 per student) but ranks in the 9th percentile, while Lake Magdalene spends less ($11,936) and is the top-ranked school. Despite the overall struggles, there are glimmers of hope in math, with strong scores at Lake Magdalene and Forest Hills, and the K-8 schools demonstrate that students can achieve high levels when effectively taught in later grades.