Summary:
Zip code 34982 in Fort Pierce, Florida, is home to three schools within the St. Lucie district, including two traditional elementary schools and one alternative school, serving a community where a high percentage of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.
The standout story in this area is the dramatic turnaround at Weatherbee Elementary School, which jumped from the 9th percentile to the 32nd percentile in state rankings over the past year, showing significant improvement in math and science scores. In contrast, White City Elementary School has been the more consistent performer, maintaining rankings in the 31st to 36th percentile range, and notably excels in 4th grade English Language Arts where 68% of students meet state standards. Both elementary schools face challenges with chronic absenteeism, with rates around 35%, which is above the state average and likely impacts academic performance. St. Lucie Detention Center is a unique alternative school with only 56 students, and its data—such as a 1% chronic absenteeism rate—should not be compared to traditional schools due to the nature of its facility.
Key metrics show that both elementary schools serve similar low-income populations, with free/reduced lunch rates above 62%, and spend nearly identical amounts per student (around $11,600). However, White City benefits from a lower student-teacher ratio of 16.4:1 compared to Weatherbee's 19.2:1, which may contribute to its stability. For parents, Weatherbee offers a school on an upward trajectory with recent gains, while White City provides more consistent performance and smaller class sizes, though both schools would benefit from addressing attendance issues to improve overall outcomes.
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