Summary:
Zip code 34711 in Clermont, Florida, is served by two public middle schools, East Ridge Middle School and Windy Hill Middle School, both part of the Lake County school district and serving grades 6 through 8 with similar enrollment sizes and per-student funding.
East Ridge Middle School is the standout school in this area, consistently outperforming Windy Hill Middle School and district averages across nearly every academic metric. East Ridge ranks in the 72nd percentile statewide (4 stars) compared to Windy Hill’s 59th percentile (3 stars), and it leads in 8 out of 10 core subject tests. The most dramatic differences are in 6th grade math (66% vs. 49% proficient) and 8th grade math (78% vs. 71%). Both schools share a notable weakness in 7th grade math, where proficiency drops sharply—East Ridge falls to 31% and Windy Hill to 37%, both well below the state average of 53%. However, both schools excel in advanced math, with Algebra 1 and Geometry proficiency rates of 92-100%, far exceeding district and state averages.
Chronic absenteeism is a concern at both schools, though East Ridge’s rate of 27.9% is better than the state average of 31.4%, while Windy Hill’s rate of 31.4% matches it. Both schools outperform the Lake County district average of 37.7%. For parents, East Ridge Middle School is the clear choice for consistent, above-average performance across all subjects, while Windy Hill Middle School offers strong advanced math programs but lags in several core areas. The performance gap between these two similarly funded schools suggests that factors like school leadership and teaching quality play a significant role in student outcomes.
Thank you for your feedback!