Summary:
Zip code 34785 in Wildwood, FL, is served by three public schools within the Sumter County School District, a 3-star district ranked 26th in Florida, covering grades PK-12 with a total enrollment of nearly 1,800 students.
Wildwood Elementary School (PK-5) stands out as the academic leader in the area, consistently outperforming both district and state averages in core subjects like 3rd Grade English Language Arts (70%) and Math (79%). In contrast, Wildwood Middle/ High School (6-12) faces significant challenges, including a chronic absenteeism rate of 44.5%—nearly double the district average—and below-average performance on high school end-of-course exams like Biology (54%) and US History (62%). Despite these struggles, it boasts a high graduation rate of 95.1%, exceeding the state average. Wildwood Intermediate School (3-6) shows variable academic performance, with 4th graders excelling in Math (75%) but 5th graders struggling (46%), and it reports a suspicious 0.0% chronic absenteeism rate, likely a data error.
A key takeaway is the spending-performance disconnect: Wildwood Middle/ High School has the highest per-student spending ($15,499) but the lowest academic outcomes, while Wildwood Elementary achieves top results with lower spending ($14,330). This suggests funds at the middle/high school may be directed toward addressing absenteeism rather than directly boosting test scores. Additionally, 7th Grade English Language Arts at Wildwood Middle/ High School is a bright spot, with 65% proficiency exceeding the state average, offering a potential model for improvement. Overall, families should note the strong early education at Wildwood Elementary, but be aware of the attendance and performance challenges at the middle/high school level.
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