Best Elementary Schools in Zip Code 33712

There are six elementary schools serving grades PK-5 (and one K-8) in zip code 33712, St. Petersburg, Florida, all part of the Pinellas County School District, which reveals a stark divide in educational experiences within the same community.

The standout performer is James B. Sanderlin K-8, a magnet school that consistently ranks in the top 30% of Florida schools with a 4-star rating, the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (11.3%), and the lowest poverty rate (37.58% free/reduced lunch). It excels in advanced subjects like Algebra 1 and Geometry. Lakeview Fundamental Elementary is the most consistent high-achieving traditional elementary school, also earning a 4-star rating for three consecutive years with strong 3rd-grade ELA (81%) and Math (79%) proficiency, a moderate poverty rate (42.07%), and very low absenteeism (14.0%). In contrast, Maximo Elementary faces the greatest challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom 30% of Florida schools with the highest per-student spending ($21,650) yet the lowest test scores and a 49.7% chronic absenteeism rate. Melrose Elementary shows the most dramatic improvement, jumping from a 1-star to a 3-star rating despite having the highest poverty rate (90.45%) and highest absenteeism (57.4%).

A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as the two highest-spending schools (Maximo and Melrose) are the lowest-performing, while the lowest-spending school (Sanderlin) is the highest-performing. Chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of performance, with the three lowest-absenteeism schools being the top-ranked, and the three highest-absenteeism schools being the lowest-ranked. This data reveals a tale of two school systems within one zip code, where a family's choice can mean the difference between a top-30% and a bottom-20% educational experience.