Summary:
Zip code 33765 in Clearwater, Florida, is home to four schools within the Pinellas district, serving a mix of elementary and high school grades, and it presents a dramatic tale of two extremes in educational performance and demographics.
The standout performer is Plato Academy Clearwater, a K-8 charter school that consistently achieves top-tier academic results, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the 84th percentile statewide. Its test scores are dramatically higher than district and state averages, with 100% proficiency in Geometry and 89% in Algebra 1, while serving a very low-poverty student body (4.87% free/reduced lunch) and maintaining low chronic absenteeism (15.5%). In stark contrast, Pinellas Teleschool and Pinellas Gulf Coast Academy are critically underperforming high schools with 0-star ratings, ranking in the bottom 10th percentile of Florida high schools. Pinellas Teleschool has a catastrophic 5.3% graduation rate and 71.2% chronic absenteeism, while Gulf Coast Academy has a 70.5% graduation rate and 48.5% chronic absenteeism. Skycrest Elementary sits in the middle, performing near district averages while serving a high-poverty population (66.79% free/reduced lunch).
A key takeaway is that higher spending per student does not guarantee success: the highest-spending school (Gulf Coast Academy at $18,021) has poor outcomes, while the lowest-spending school (Plato Academy at $9,329) excels. This highlights that factors like school culture and family support are powerful drivers of academic success. For parents, this zip code offers a clear choice between a high-performing charter school and struggling traditional public schools, with Skycrest Elementary providing a stable, middle-of-the-road option for elementary students.
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