Summary:
Zip code 33837 in Davenport, Florida, is home to two public high schools, Davenport High School and Ridge Community High School, both serving grades 9-12 within the Polk County School District, a district facing significant challenges statewide.
While neither school is a top performer, they have distinct profiles. Davenport High School generally achieves better academic outcomes, outperforming its counterpart in four of six core subjects, including Geometry (33% vs. 21% proficient) and both English Language Arts exams. However, it has a glaring weakness: an alarmingly high chronic absenteeism rate of 55.6%, meaning more than half its students miss significant school. In contrast, Ridge Community High School has a lower absenteeism rate (40.9%) and spends more per student ($8,108 vs. $7,709) with a better student-teacher ratio (23:1 vs. 25.7:1), yet it lags behind in most test scores. This spending paradox suggests that factors beyond resources, such as curriculum or teaching quality, are at play. Both schools serve economically diverse populations, with Ridge having a higher rate of students on free/reduced lunch (61.66% vs. 49.29%).
The most critical takeaway is that math proficiency is a major weakness for both schools, with Algebra 1 proficiency at just 20% for Davenport and 27% for Ridge—far below the state average of 63%. Despite these low scores and high absenteeism, both schools boast graduation rates near 92%, close to the state average. This disconnect between test scores and graduation rates suggests that students may be earning diplomas without demonstrating grade-level proficiency, a trend that warrants careful consideration for parents evaluating academic rigor in this area.
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