Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 33615

This analysis examines five elementary schools in Tampa, Florida's zip code 33615, all part of the Hillsborough County School District, serving grades PK through 5 with enrollments ranging from 514 to 602 students.

Bellamy Elementary School stands out as the top performer, ranking 1482 out of 2240 Florida elementary schools (34th percentile, 2 stars) and is the only school in the area to achieve a 2-star rating. It excels in 3rd-grade English Language Arts (63% proficient) and 4th-grade Math (64% proficient), both exceeding district and state averages. In contrast, Bay Crest Elementary School is the lowest-performing school, ranking 2069 (8th percentile, 0 stars) with the lowest test scores across nearly all subjects, including a critical 28% proficiency in 3rd-grade ELA. Dickenson Elementary School shows a promising trend with significant year-over-year improvement in Math, such as 3rd-grade Math jumping from 36% to 57% proficiency. Davis Elementary School and Woodbridge Elementary School fall in the middle, with Davis having the highest per-student spending ($13,853) but ranking near the bottom (2000), while Woodbridge has the lowest spending ($12,534) and a middle-of-the-pack ranking.

Key metrics reveal systemic challenges: chronic absenteeism is alarmingly high across all schools, ranging from 30.2% (Bellamy) to 40.6% (Dickenson), all exceeding the state average of 31.4%. Free/reduced lunch eligibility is high (61% to 71%), indicating significant economic need. Notably, spending does not correlate with performance—Davis spends the most but ranks poorly—while student-teacher ratios show a stronger link: Bellamy (14.9:1) and Dickenson (14.2:1) have the lowest ratios and highest rankings, while Bay Crest has the highest ratio (24:1) and lowest ranking. The "Bellamy Model" for early literacy, where 3rd-grade ELA proficiency exceeds the state average, offers a potential blueprint for improvement. Dickenson's Math gains, despite having the highest absenteeism, suggest targeted interventions can yield results even in challenging environments.