How strong are the public high schools in Tampa?
With a fresh school year kicking off, we analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to identify those schools that made the biggest strides last year, as well as those that top the city's best public high school rankings.
Alonso High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in Tampa, rising from a B+ to an A-, according to data from Niche.
For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 8302 Montague St., enrolls 2,580 students. Alonso High School serves a somewhat diverse population: 56% of students identify as Hispanic and 30% identify as white. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B+ on an A-D scale for academics, B for administration and B- for clubs and activities.
The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.
Academically, 58% of Alonso High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 51% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 43% in math and 45% in reading.
It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Wharton High School saw its overall rating jump from a B to a B+. The school is located at 20150 Bruce B. Downs Blvd. and is a bit smaller, currently serving 2,443 students, of whom 31% identify as white, 31% identify as black and 27% identify as Hispanic.
Niche gave Wharton High School mixed grades: B on an A-D scale for academics, C+ for administration and B- for clubs and activities. Wharton High School's latest math proficiency was at 48%, and reading proficiency was 48%.
Leto High School also improved, from a C+ to a B-. The school is located at 4409 W. Sligh Ave. and has 2,302 students currently enrolled, of whom 77% identify as Hispanic and 11% identify as white.
Niche gave Leto High School B-'s across the board for administration, academics and clubs and activities. Leto High School's latest math proficiency was at 39%, and reading proficiency was 31%. The school's improved overall grade is notable in that it serves a less affluent population, with 81% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 22% more than the city average.
While some public high schools are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:
- Plant High School, with an overall rating of A+.
- Sickles High School, with an A rating overall.
- Robinson High School, rated A overall.
This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.
