Summary:
Zip code 33761 in Clearwater, Florida, is home to a single high school, Countryside High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 with a total enrollment of 1,396 students as part of the Pinellas County school district.
Countryside High School shows a clear pattern of academic strengths and challenges. The school excels in Biology 1, with 85% of students proficient in the most recent year, significantly outperforming both the district (75%) and state (74%). English Language Arts (ELA) scores are also strong, with 67% of 9th graders and 65% of 10th graders meeting proficiency, again above district and state averages. However, math remains a notable weakness: Algebra 1 proficiency sits at just 47% and Geometry at 48%, both below the district and state averages. A dramatic turnaround in Algebra 1—from 16% to 47% proficiency in one year—suggests recent improvements, but the school still lags in this area. The graduation rate is an impressive 97.2%, well above the district (93.4%) and state (92.2%) averages, and the school has shown consistent improvement in its state ranking, moving from the 50th percentile to the 68th percentile over three years.
One of the most interesting findings is the paradox of high chronic absenteeism alongside a high graduation rate. At 40.7%, chronic absenteeism is significantly higher than the district (30.6%) and state (31.4%), yet the school still graduates nearly all its students. This may indicate effective credit recovery programs or flexible scheduling. The school spends $10,304 per student with a student-teacher ratio of 19.9:1, and 32% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch. Overall, Countryside High School is on a positive trajectory, with strong science and ELA programs, but math achievement and chronic absenteeism remain key areas for improvement.
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