Summary:
In zip code 33614, there is one middle school, Pierce Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 858 students in the Hillsborough County school district, an area with a high percentage of students from low-income families.
Pierce Middle School is a school of stark contrasts. It has a state ranking in the bottom 11th percentile (1-star rating) and a chronic absenteeism rate of 45.4%, which is alarmingly high and likely a major factor behind low test scores. However, the school shows a remarkable strength in advanced coursework, with 93% of students proficient in Algebra 1, which is 30 points above the district and state averages. This success is sharply contrasted by significant struggles in core subjects: only 18% of 8th graders are proficient in Science, and just 20% of 7th graders are proficient in Math. The school spends a relatively high $10,185 per student, yet this investment has not translated into strong overall academic performance, raising questions about how funds are allocated.
Despite the low overall rankings, there are small signs of progress. Proficiency rates in 6th and 8th grade ELA and Math have improved by 3 to 10 percentage points over the last year, suggesting recent efforts may be starting to help. The school also faces a notable civics gap, with only 53% proficiency compared to the state average of 77%. For parents, the key takeaway is that Pierce Middle School offers a strong advanced math program for select students, but the majority of the student body struggles with core subjects, and the high absenteeism rate is a critical concern that needs to be addressed for any meaningful improvement.
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