Summary:
In zip code 34292 (Venice, FL), there is one middle school, Venice Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 732 students as part of the high-performing Sarasota district, which ranks in the top 13% of Florida districts.
Venice Middle School shows a mixed performance profile. The school excels in advanced math, with 95% of students proficient in Geometry and 89% in Algebra 1, and consistently strong Civics scores (87% proficient). However, grade-level math proficiency varies widely: 7th grade math is strong at 72% proficient, but 6th grade math is below average at 49%, and 8th grade math dropped sharply from 48% to 28% proficiency in one year. English Language Arts (ELA) is a consistent strength across all grades, with proficiency rates between 64% and 70%, at or above state averages. The school's state ranking fell from the 73rd percentile to the 62nd percentile, even though many test scores remained stable, suggesting other schools improved faster or ranking formulas changed. Chronic absenteeism is 20.1%, equal to the district average but well below the state average of 31.4%. Per-student spending is $13,744, and the student-teacher ratio is 16.2:1.
For parents, the key takeaway is that Venice Middle School offers strong advanced math and civics programs, along with consistent ELA instruction, but the significant drop in 8th-grade math proficiency and below-average 6th-grade math scores are areas of concern. The school benefits from being in the top-ranked Sarasota district, and its overall performance is solid, though the recent ranking decline warrants attention. The school serves a community where about 39% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
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