Summary:
Zip code 33771 in Largo, FL, is home to three schools within the highly-rated Pinellas school district: two K-8 schools and one traditional middle school, with no standalone high schools in the immediate area.
Pinellas Preparatory Academy stands out as the top-performing school, consistently earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 62nd-65th percentile statewide. It boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (16.8%) and the lowest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (38%), while excelling in advanced coursework like Algebra 1 (98% proficiency) and Civics (89% proficiency). In contrast, Largo Middle School faces the most challenges, with a 1-star rating, the highest chronic absenteeism rate (34.7%), and the highest economic disadvantage rate (55%). Despite this, Largo Middle School's top students perform exceptionally well on advanced math End-of-Course exams, with 86% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 90% in Geometry. Plato Academy Largo Charter School is a rising standout, showing dramatic improvement by jumping from the 32nd to the 54th percentile in one year, with strong 2024-2025 test scores in 5th Grade Math (75% proficient) and 8th Grade Science (69% proficient).
A key finding is the "two-track" system in middle school math: while all three schools struggle with grade-level FAST Math assessments (often with proficiency in the teens), they achieve excellent results on advanced Algebra 1 and Geometry EOCs, revealing a wide achievement gap within each school. The data also reinforces a strong link between absenteeism, poverty, and performance, with Largo Middle School's higher rates correlating with lower overall scores. For families, the absence of a high school in the zip code means students must plan for a transition outside the area after 8th grade.
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