Summary:
Zip code 34239 in Sarasota, FL, is home to three public schools—Southside Elementary School (K-5), Brookside Middle School (6-8), and Sarasota High School (9-12)—all part of the highly rated Sarasota County School District, which ranks in the 87th percentile statewide.
Southside Elementary School is the standout performer in the area, ranking 15th out of 2,240 elementary schools in Florida (99th percentile) with a 5-star rating. Its test scores are exceptional, with 98% of 3rd graders proficient in math and 91% of 5th graders proficient in science, far exceeding district and state averages. The school also boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip code at 10.5%, less than half the district average. In contrast, Brookside Middle School has a 3-star rating and ranks in the 55th percentile, though it excels in advanced math—100% of its students taking the Geometry EOC exam were proficient. Sarasota High School earns a 4-star rating and a 74th percentile rank, with a strong 96.5% graduation rate that exceeds both district and state averages, and its overall rank has been steadily improving.
A key takeaway is that spending per student does not directly predict performance: Brookside Middle School spends the most at $16,553 per student but has the lowest state rank, while Southside Elementary spends less ($14,291) yet achieves elite results. Chronic absenteeism is a clear indicator of school health, with Southside’s low rate aligning with its top performance, while Brookside (20.1%) and Sarasota High (22.4%) have rates double that. Notably, Sarasota High School shows a significant weakness in Algebra 1, with only 34% proficiency compared to the district’s 70%, despite strong scores in Biology (85%) and US History (78%), pointing to a specific instructional challenge that needs attention.
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