Summary:
In zip code 34233 (Sarasota, FL), there is one middle school, Sarasota Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with a total enrollment of 1,290 students.
Sarasota Middle School is a standout high-performing institution within the top 13% of all Florida middle schools for three consecutive years. The school consistently outperforms both its Sarasota district and the state of Florida in nearly every subject. It achieves exceptional results in advanced math courses, with 99% proficiency in Geometry and 94% in Algebra 1 during the 2025-2026 school year. The school also boasts a very low chronic absenteeism rate of 10.2%, which is roughly one-third of the state average, indicating strong student engagement. With a student-teacher ratio of 17.4:1 and per-student spending of $12,320, the school demonstrates efficient resource allocation and effective teaching practices.
A key finding is the "8th Grade Math Paradox": while the school excels in advanced math courses, proficiency in the standard 8th-grade math FAST exam is only 36%, significantly below the state average of 61%. This suggests a highly bifurcated math program where advanced students thrive while students in the standard track struggle. However, the school shows consistent year-over-year growth in core subjects, with 8th Grade ELA proficiency rising from 79% to 87% and 8th Grade Science from 79% to 81% between the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 school years. The school benefits from being in the top-ranked Sarasota district, but it consistently outperforms its own district averages, proving itself a leader within an already high-performing system.
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