Summary:
Zip code 34785 in Wildwood, Florida, is home to a single high school, Wildwood Middle/ High School, which serves grades 6 through 12 with a total enrollment of 710 students and is part of the Sumter County School District.
Wildwood Middle/ High School presents a mixed picture for parents. On the positive side, the school boasts a strong graduation rate of 95.1%, which is notably higher than the state average of 92.2%. However, a major concern is its chronic absenteeism rate of 44.5%, which is dramatically higher than both the district (26.9%) and state (31.4%) averages. This suggests that while most students eventually graduate, a very large portion are missing significant instructional time, which likely impacts academic performance. The school's state ranking is in the 39th percentile (513th out of 838 schools), earning a 2-star rating, and its performance on standardized tests is generally below district and state averages, with some exceptions like Algebra 1 (68% proficient vs. 63% state) and 7th Grade ELA (65% proficient vs. 62% state).
Key metrics include a student-teacher ratio of 16.2:1, spending of $15,499 per student, and a free/reduced lunch rate of 49.44%, indicating a moderate level of economic disadvantage. The school shows significant year-over-year volatility in test scores, such as 7th Grade Math dropping from 47% to 25% proficiency between recent years, making it hard to identify clear trends. The high spending per student does not correlate with high academic performance, suggesting that funds may not be effectively allocated or that the high absenteeism rate is negating potential benefits. Overall, the school's most critical challenge is addressing its extremely high chronic absenteeism to improve academic outcomes.
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