Summary:
Zip code 34212 in Bradenton, Florida, is served by three public schools within the Manatee County School District, including two elementary schools and one middle school, which together serve a combined enrollment of roughly 2,193 students and consistently outperform the district's below-average state ranking.
The standout school in this area is Gene Witt Elementary School, a high-performing institution that ranks in the top 10% of all Florida elementary schools and boasts exceptional test scores, such as 86% proficiency in 3rd-grade math and 77% in science, far exceeding state averages. In contrast, Freedom Elementary School is a solid, above-average school with a higher percentage of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch (43.89% vs. 27.9% at Gene Witt), yet it still posts strong proficiency rates of 72.3% in ELA and 69% in math. Carlos E. Haile Middle School is a powerhouse in advanced math, with 93% of students proficient in Algebra 1 and a perfect 100% in Geometry, though it struggles with standard 7th-grade math, where only 37% are proficient compared to 53% statewide.
Key takeaways include a clear trend of rising chronic absenteeism by grade level, from 10.3% at Gene Witt Elementary to 25.6% at Haile Middle School, though all schools remain below the state average of 31.4%. Spending per student varies, with Gene Witt at $12,514, Freedom at $11,911, and Haile at $10,574, yet Haile's lower spending and higher student-to-teacher ratio (21:1) still yield exceptional advanced math results, highlighting that resource allocation and instructional focus matter more than raw spending. Overall, families in this zip code have access to two strong elementary options and a middle school that excels at accelerating top math students, making it a desirable area for education despite the district's broader challenges.
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