State Grades Show Challenge for Higher-Need Title I High Schools

Hillsborough County’s seven public high schools with the lowest percentages of children qualifying for a free and reduced-price meals received “A” grades from the state this year, "based in large measure on results from the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) in reading, math, science and writing.

• See 2012 State Grades for Hillsborough Public High Schools (in the chart below).

Included in that top seven were Bloomingdale, Durant, Newsome and Riverview.

In contrast, five of the county’s six public high schools with the highest free- or reduced-lunch rates received “C” grades from the state — the exception being Middleton, which also has a magnet school program drawing students to the school from other areas of the county. All six schools qualify for Title I funds. Middleton received a “B” grade from the state.

• See 2012 Guide to Calculating School Grades (Florida Department of Education)

Brandon Patch reviewed the 2012 state grades for Hillsborough County’s 27 public high schools, to see how they fared according to the number of students eligible for free and reduced-price meals and free milk, according to federal Income Eligibility Guidelines. The guidelines are intended to direct benefits to those children most in need and are revised annually to account for changes in the Consumer Price Index.

Students with a "sufficiently high percentage of economically disadvantaged students" are deemed Title I schools, and as such they receive supplemental funds to meet school educational goals.

• See the Title 1 fact sheet posted on the Hillsborough County school district's Web site.

Only one of the county’s 10 Title 1 high schools — Tampa Bay Tech — received an “A” grade from the state. Tampa Bay Tech offers several magnet school programs that draw students from throughout the county.

In the Greater Brandon area, Title I designations have been given to Armwood, in Seffner, and Spoto, in Riverview; the two schools received grades of “C” and “B,” respectively.

Brandon received a “B” while Strawberry Crest, in Plant City, earned an “A.” Strawberry Crest has a rigorous magnet school program for International Baccalaureate (IB) students.

Brandon and Strawberry Crest are not Title I schools.

Rounding out the nine public high schools in Eastern Hillsborough County is Plant City, which this year received an "A" grade from the state.

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2012 State Grades for Hillsborough Public High Schools
(Note: The 2012 grades are preliminary.) 

  School  Name 2012 Points 2012  2011 2010 2009 2008 Free- or Reduced Lunch- Rate Minority Rate Title I School Newsome 1291 A A A A A 15 27

No

Plant 1315 A A A B A 17 33 No Steinbrenner 1266 A A B

19 31 No Bloomingdale 1177 A B B B A 31 39 No Sickles 1131 A B A A A 36 52 No Durant 1094 A B B B B 42 39 No Riverview 1155 A B A B A 42 50 No Wharton 1062 B B A C B 43 64 No Strawberry Crest 1148 A B C

45 44 No Gaither 1067 A B A B A 45 55 No Robinson 1150 A B B B B 46 54 No Freedom 1071 B B B C A 49 55 No Alonso 1060 A B B B A 51 62 No East Bay 997 B B A D C 52 56

No

Brandon 1015 B A B C C 53 54 No King 1135 B B A D B 54 76 No Plant City 1111 A A B C B 57 50 No Hillsborough 1111 B B B C A 62 74

Yes

Blake 992 B B A D D 63 70 Yes Tampa Bay Tech 1209 A B B B A 65 84 Yes Chamberlain 990 B A C D C 67 65 Yes Spoto 1021 B A D D C 69 77 Yes Armwood 881 C B C D C 71 60 Yes Jefferson 951 C B B C B 73 90 Yes Lennard 956 C B B C D 75 75 Yes Middleton 991 B D C D D 79 88

Yes

Leto 920 C C C D C 82 86 Yes Source: Florida Department of Education
Computer-Assisted Reporting: Linda Chion Kenney / Brandon Patch