Summary:
The 7 public schools in zip code 33710, serving St. Petersburg, Florida, are part of the highly-rated Pinellas County School District and include 4 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, and 1 high school, revealing a stark performance gap between a few standout schools and several others facing significant challenges.
The clear standout is St. Petersburg Collegiate High School, ranked #1 in Florida with near-perfect test scores, a 100% graduation rate, and incredibly low chronic absenteeism (1.6%). At the elementary level, Pasadena Fundamental Elementary School is the top performer, ranking in the 94th percentile with strong test scores (89% proficiency in 3rd Grade ELA) and an 8.1% chronic absenteeism rate. In contrast, the two middle schools are the weakest link: Tyrone Middle School (51st percentile) outperforms Azalea Middle School (21st percentile), but both struggle with chronic absenteeism rates above 37% and test scores that lag behind district averages. The other elementary schools—Westgate Elementary School, Azalea Elementary School, and Northwest Elementary School—perform adequately but are not in the same league as Pasadena Fundamental.
Key takeaways include a pronounced "middle school problem" where both middle schools have alarmingly high chronic absenteeism and low math proficiency (e.g., only 5% of 7th graders at Azalea Middle were proficient in Math). The "fundamental" program at Pasadena Elementary appears to drive its success, with test scores 10-20 points higher than its peers. Notably, spending per student does not correlate with performance—Azalea Elementary School spends the most ($16,929 per student) but is only a 4-star school, while the top-ranked high school spends the least ($8,851). For parents, this area offers an exceptional high school option and a top-tier elementary school, but the middle schools present a significant concern that warrants careful consideration.
Thank you for your feedback!