Summary:
The seven schools in zip code 34653 (New Port Richey, Florida) serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the Pasco County school district, a mid-tier district ranked 37th out of 70 in the state.
The standout school is Wendell Krinn Technical High School, which earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 80th percentile statewide. It boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate, far exceeding the district (96.9%) and state (92.2%) averages, and excels in EOC exams with 97% proficiency in US History and 90% in Biology 1. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 20.9% is the lowest in the zip code. In contrast, Gulf Middle School struggles with a 50.5% chronic absenteeism rate, the highest in the area, and is the lowest-performing middle school. Among elementary schools, Deer Park Elementary School is the strongest with a 3-star rating and 57th percentile ranking, achieving 67% proficiency in 3rd-grade ELA and 71% in 3rd-grade Math. Cotee River Elementary School and Calusa Elementary School are the lowest-performing elementary schools, both with high free/reduced lunch rates (65.78% and 64.99% respectively) and chronic absenteeism rates above 40%.
A critical issue is chronic absenteeism, averaging 37.5% across the zip code, well above the state average of 31.4%. Pepin Academies Of Pasco County, an alternative school, has a 47.9% absenteeism rate but maintains a 93.9% graduation rate, indicating a focus on keeping students on track despite low test scores (0% proficiency in 5th-grade Math and Science). Plato Academy Trinity Charter School is a paradox: it has the lowest spending per student ($8,651) and a moderate FRL rate (41.1%), yet achieves a 40th percentile ranking with strong Algebra 1 proficiency (94%) but weak 5th-grade Science (40%). Overall, the area shows a stark contrast between the high-performing technical high school and struggling elementary and middle schools, with inconsistent performance suggesting school leadership and community engagement are key factors.
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