Summary:
The city of Sarasota, Florida is home to 24 elementary schools, a mix of public and public charter schools serving students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade, with a few extending to 8th grade. These schools vary significantly in size, student demographics, and academic performance, with some standouts like Ashton Elementary School, Lakeview Elementary School, and Southside Elementary School ranking among the top 55 elementary schools in the state of Florida.
The Sarasota School District as a whole is highly ranked, 7th out of 67 districts in Florida, with a 5-star rating. However, there are stark disparities in performance between the top-achieving and lowest-performing schools in the district. For example, 5th grade science proficiency ranges from 90% at Ashton Elementary to just 26% at Suncoast School for Innovative Studies. This gap appears to be closely tied to socioeconomic factors, as schools with higher percentages of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch tend to have lower test scores.
Interestingly, a few high-poverty schools like Southside and Lakeview have been able to achieve exceptional results, demonstrating that with the right resources and strategies, students from disadvantaged backgrounds can succeed. The data also highlights the variation in quality among the district's charter schools, with some like Sarasota Suncoast Academy performing very well, and others like Suncoast School for Innovative Studies struggling. Overall, the Sarasota elementary school landscape presents a complex picture, with both bright spots of excellence and areas in need of significant improvement.
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