Summary:
Zip code 33647 in Tampa, Florida, is served by two public high schools, Wharton High School and Freedom High School, both part of the Hillsborough County School District, and together they educate over 4,000 students in grades 9-12.
Wharton High School stands out as the stronger academic performer, consistently achieving higher proficiency rates in core subjects like Algebra 1 (31% vs. 24%), Geometry (54% vs. 39%), and Biology 1 (75% vs. 62%). It also holds a higher state ranking (47th percentile) compared to Freedom High School (32nd percentile). However, Freedom High School boasts a significantly higher graduation rate (93.1% vs. 86.9%) and a slightly lower student-to-teacher ratio (22.3:1 vs. 23.7:1), despite spending more per student ($9,720 vs. $9,230). This creates a notable paradox: Freedom helps more students earn diplomas, but Wharton’s students demonstrate higher academic mastery on standardized tests.
The most pressing issue for both schools is a severe chronic absenteeism crisis, with rates of 43.8% at Wharton and 48.4% at Freedom—far exceeding the district and state averages of around 31%. This means nearly half of all students are missing so much school it jeopardizes their learning. Additionally, socioeconomic factors play a role, as Freedom has a higher percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (47.73% vs. 40.52%). While Wharton shows improving year-over-year test scores, Freedom’s trends are more stagnant, suggesting Wharton may be implementing more effective academic strategies. For parents, Wharton offers stronger academics, while Freedom provides a more supportive environment for graduation.
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