Summary:
In zip code 33619 (Tampa, FL), there is only one high school, Falkenburg Road Jail, which serves a very small population of 31 students in grades 6 through 12 within a correctional facility, making it a unique educational institution in the Hillsborough school district.
Falkenburg Road Jail is a standout school due to its extreme data points, which reflect its specialized mission rather than traditional academic performance. The school reports a graduation rate of just 5.9% for the 2024-2025 school year, far below the district average of 90.9% and state average of 92.2%, highlighting the challenge of completing a diploma in a transient, incarcerated setting. Conversely, it boasts a perfect 0.0% chronic absenteeism rate for 2023-2024, a stark contrast to the district's 31.3% and state's 31.4%, because attendance is mandatory within the facility. The school also spends $23,903 per student, significantly higher than typical public schools, reflecting the high costs of operating a secure educational environment with specialized staff and security.
Key metrics reveal a school of extremes: a student-teacher ratio of 10.3:1 allows for individualized attention, yet 9th-grade English Language Arts proficiency on the FAST exam is 0%, and only 9.68% of students qualify for free/reduced lunch (likely because meals are provided to all residents). The paradox of high spending ($23,903 per student) with low academic outcomes underscores the immense challenges of educating a population with profound academic and behavioral needs. The perfect absenteeism rate demonstrates that removing the barrier of getting students to show up can achieve ideal attendance, while the low graduation rate likely reflects high turnover rather than program failure. This school serves a critical, often overlooked educational frontier, providing stability and a potential pathway to a GED or re-entry into traditional schooling.
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