Hillsborough High School

Q: Is Hillsborough High School a good school?

Hillsborough High School ranks 469 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Hillsborough High School is a public high school in Tampa, Florida, serving 1,891 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 45 out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger. The student population is diverse, with 16.13% White, 29.56% African American, 42.46% Hispanic, and 8.09% Asian students.

Hillsborough High School faces several challenges, including lower academic performance compared to district and state averages, with proficiency rates in Algebra 1 (24%), Geometry (38%), and 10th grade English Language Arts (48%) all below the benchmarks. The school's four-year graduation rate has fluctuated in recent years, ranging from 82.7% to 91.8%, which is still lower than the district and state averages. Additionally, Hillsborough High School has experienced high rates of chronic absenteeism, reaching as high as 52.8% in the 2020-2021 school year, significantly higher than the district and state. The school also has a relatively high percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 55.47% to 69.75%, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families.

When comparing Hillsborough High School to nearby schools, some interesting patterns emerge. Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate High School, a public charter school, consistently outperforms Hillsborough High School on academic measures, with higher proficiency rates and a much higher graduation rate of 95.5%. In contrast, Chamberlain High School, another public high school in the district, has similar demographic characteristics to Hillsborough High School but significantly lower academic performance and graduation rates. The challenges faced by Hillsborough High School are further highlighted by the extremely low academic performance and graduation rates at North Tampa Success Center, a small public high school in the district.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

5000 N Central Ave
Tampa, FL 33603

(813) 276-5620

District: Hillsborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
469^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,935

Feeder schools for Hillsborough High School:

Elementary:	Broward Elementary School
	Egypt Lake Elementary School
	Foster Elementary School
	Graham Elementary School
	More...
	Mendenhall Elementary School
	Oak Grove Elementary School
	Seminole Heights Elementary School
Middle:	Memorial Middle School
	Stewart Middle Magnet School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.2

Number of students: 1,891

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.5%

African American:

29.6%

White:

16.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.5%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Hillsborough High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hillsborough High School ranks worse than 58.1% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 24^th among 42 ranked high schools in the Hillsborough School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 35.37. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Hillsborough High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Hillsborough High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42.5%), African American (29.6%), White (16.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hillsborough High School is 21.2, which is the 19^th best among 42 high schools in the Hillsborough School District. (See more...)

Compare Hillsborough High School employs 89 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hillsborough High School is $7,935, which is the 25^th highest among 42 high schools in the Hillsborough School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Hillsborough High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Hillsborough High School 469^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Hillsborough High School in the ranking list.)

Hillsborough:

SchoolDigger ranks Hillsborough 45^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Hillsborough High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	74.28	110^th	484	77.3%
2005	72.96	122^nd	487	74.9%
2006	68.78	136^th	477	71.5%
2007	62.13	208^th	563	63.1%
2008	60.44	235^th	577	59.3%
2009	59.52	255^th	587	56.6%
2010	58.45	280^th	620	54.8%
2011	60.04	267^th	622	57.1%
2012	40.06	326^th	606	46.2%
2013	33.14	433^rd	648	33.2%
2014	38.46	423^rd	687	38.4%
2016	38.58	392^nd	693	43.4%
2017	34.17	428^th	714	40.1%
2018	38.76	385^th	716	46.2%
2019	38.79	403^rd	734	45.1%
2021	37.25	392^nd	746	47.5%
2022	37.81	413^th	774	46.6%
2023	33.61	465^th	792	41.3%
2024	35.37	469^th	807	41.9%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

50%

Reviews:

by a parent
Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Worst IB program in Tampa. Close Quote

by a student
Friday, April 22, 2011

This is a very wonderful school. It offers a wide range of academic programs and the teachers are excellent. Also, the fact that this school is an IB school makes it even better! A school must be fantastic in all areas in order to receive the IB title, which this school has achieved. That says everything about Hillsborough High School! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hillsborough High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	951	607	30	192	7	n/a	n/a	0	1787
1989	848	595	38	198	6	n/a	n/a	0	1685
1990	717	585	37	194	4	n/a	n/a	0	1537
1991	708	565	41	223	1	n/a	n/a	0	1538
1992	738	553	54	229	8	n/a	n/a	0	1582
1993	801	693	72	261	5	n/a	n/a	0	1832
1994	978	753	95	356	7	n/a	n/a	0	2189
1995	928	875	95	440	5	n/a	n/a	0	2343
1996	928	875	95	440	5	n/a	n/a	0	2343
1997	895	856	83	421	5	n/a	n/a	0	2260
1998	833	837	92	444	6	n/a	n/a	0	2212
1999	824	833	93	450	5	n/a	n/a	0	2205
2000	819	826	99	503	6	n/a	n/a	0	2253
2001	847	819	89	553	7	n/a	n/a	0	2315
2002	711	713	95	565	9	n/a	n/a	0	2093
2003	711	713	95	565	9	n/a	n/a	0	2093
2004	701	648	94	581	9	n/a	n/a	0	2033
2005	663	631	109	634	8	n/a	n/a	0	2045
2006	608	685	134	632	7	n/a	n/a	0	2066
2007	558	719	124	644	5	n/a	n/a	64	2114
2008	515	658	130	547	5	n/a	n/a	85	1940
2009	533	710	127	532	5	n/a	n/a	78	1985
2010	555	658	116	525	9	n/a	n/a	50	1913
2011	528	628	113	621	8	0	42	0	1940
2012	496	572	129	627	6	1	53	0	1884
2013	430	552	125	647	7	1	53	0	1815
2014	412	576	122	697	5	1	58	0	1871
2015	402	580	127	772	3	4	59	0	1947
2016	384	597	126	806	4	4	59	0	1980
2017	341	566	122	820	2	6	56	0	1913
2018	306	664	131	827	3	3	49	0	1983
2019	305	620	134	772	4	6	59	0	1900
2020	329	583	154	755	4	2	63	0	1890
2021	341	553	155	773	3	3	66	0	1894
2022	336	622	157	796	2	2	77	0	1992
2023	305	559	153	803	2	3	66	0	1891

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hillsborough High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1787	121.0	14.7	26.5
1989	1685	112.0	15.0	31.1
1990	1537	104.0	14.7	34.2
1991	1538	109.0	14.1	39.6
1992	1582	101.0	15.6	31.7
1993	1832	109.0	16.8	33.9
1994	2189	135.0	16.2	34.5
1995	2343	148.0	15.8	36.7
1996	2343	148.0	15.8	36.7
1997	2260	136.0	16.6	38
1998	2212	127.0	17.4	34.4
1999	2205	125.0	17.6	39.2
2000	2253	129.0	17.5	35.5
2001	2315	139.0	16.7	45.8
2002	2093	140.0	15.0	46.6
2003	2093	140.0	15.0	46.6
2004	2033	146.0	13.9	48.6
2005	2045	151.0	13.5	53
2006	2066	90.0	23.0	50.1
2007	2114	101.0	20.9	55.8
2008	1940	115.5	16.8	58.7
2009	1985	119.0	17.6	61.2
2010	1913	111.0	17.2	57.5
2011	1940	106.4	18.2	59.1
2012	1884	110.6	17.0	59.3
2013	1815	109.0	16.6	61.4
2014	1871	103.0	18.1	65.1
2015	1947	107.0	18.1	69.1
2016	1980	107.0	18.5	65.8
2017	1913	107.0	17.8	67.6
2018	1983	111.0	17.8	70.6
2019	1900	104.0	18.2	69.2
2020	1890	102.5	18.4	65.2
2021	1894	100.0	18.9	69.7
2022	1992	94.6	21.0	61.5
2023	1891	89.0	21.2	55.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Hillsborough High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1787	121.0	14.7	26.5
1989	1685	112.0	15.0	31.1
1990	1537	104.0	14.7	34.2
1991	1538	109.0	14.1	39.6
1992	1582	101.0	15.6	31.7
1993	1832	109.0	16.8	33.9
1994	2189	135.0	16.2	34.5
1995	2343	148.0	15.8	36.7
1996	2343	148.0	15.8	36.7
1997	2260	136.0	16.6	38
1998	2212	127.0	17.4	34.4
1999	2205	125.0	17.6	39.2
2000	2253	129.0	17.5	35.5
2001	2315	139.0	16.7	45.8
2002	2093	140.0	15.0	46.6
2003	2093	140.0	15.0	46.6
2004	2033	146.0	13.9	48.6
2005	2045	151.0	13.5	53
2006	2066	90.0	23.0	50.1
2007	2114	101.0	20.9	55.8
2008	1940	115.5	16.8	58.7
2009	1985	119.0	17.6	61.2
2010	1913	111.0	17.2	57.5
2011	1940	106.4	18.2	59.1
2012	1884	110.6	17.0	59.3
2013	1815	109.0	16.6	61.4
2014	1871	103.0	18.1	65.1
2015	1947	107.0	18.1	69.1
2016	1980	107.0	18.5	65.8
2017	1913	107.0	17.8	67.6
2018	1983	111.0	17.8	70.6
2019	1900	104.0	18.2	69.2
2020	1890	102.5	18.4	65.2
2021	1894	100.0	18.9	69.7
2022	1992	94.6	21.0	61.5
2023	1891	89.0	21.2	55.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hillsborough High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$461 (6.3%)	$6,836 (93.7%)	$7,297
2019	$553 (6.9%)	$7,501 (93.1%)	$8,055
2020	$584 (7.0%)	$7,783 (93.0%)	$8,366
2021	$1,002 (12.4%)	$7,097 (87.6%)	$8,099
2022	$1,046 (13.3%)	$6,807 (86.7%)	$7,852
2023	$1,341 (16.9%)	$6,594 (83.1%)	$7,935

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hillsborough High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 403^rd of 734 High schools	Ranks 465^th of 792 High schools	3.8%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough High School)	47	48	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	55	50	5%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough High School)	46	46
10th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)	53	49	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Hillsborough High School)	60	46	14%
End of Course Biology 1 (Hillsborough)	67	62	5%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Hillsborough High School)	67	53	14%
End of Course US History (Hillsborough)	73	65	8%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Hillsborough High School)	29	29
End of Course Algebra 1 (Hillsborough)	63	60	3%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Hillsborough High School)	47	39	8%
End of Course Geometry (Hillsborough)	57	53	4%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1900	1891	0.5%
African American	620	559	9.8%
American Indian	4	2	50%
Asian	134	153	14.2%
Hispanic	772	803	4%
Pacific Islander	6	3	50%
White	305	305
Two or More Races	59	66	11.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	69.2%	55.5%	13.7%

Schools Near Hillsborough High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)					FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hillsborough High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	5000 N Central Ave	Tampa	33603	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 276-5620	1,891	89	21.2	55.5%	305 (16.1%)	559 (29.6%)	803 (42.5%)	153 (8.1%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	66 (3.5%)	35.4	469^th of 807 public high schools	41.9%		33.6	465^th of 792 public high schools	41.3%	4				41.0	48.0					24.0	38.0	56.0	60.0		$7,935	$1,341	$6,594
Seminole Heights Charter High School	Public, Charter	7-12	4006 N Florida Ave	Tampa	33603	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	Yes	(813) 234-0809	239	4	59.7	71.5%	18 (7.5%)	132 (55.2%)	81 (33.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (3.3%)	3.2	754^th of 807 public high schools	6.6%		3.5	740^th of 792 public high schools	6.6%	14				11.0	11.0					0.0	5.0	3.0	12.0		$9,392	$3,357	$6,035
Pace Center For Girls	Public	6-12	1933 E Hillsborough Ave	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 739-0410	57	3	19.0	5.3%	4 (7.0%)	30 (52.6%)	18 (31.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (8.8%)								(n/a)
Middleton High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	4801 N 22nd St	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 233-3360	1,511	73	20.6	57.3%	184 (12.2%)	716 (47.4%)	302 (20.0%)	231 (15.3%)	6 (0.4%)	5 (0.3%)	67 (4.4%)	42.3	394^th of 807 public high schools	51.2%		37.5	417^th of 792 public high schools	47.3%	23				55.0	46.0					10.0	54.0	61.0	59.0		$9,460	$1,637	$7,823
Carver Exceptional Center	Public	6-12	2934 E Hillsborough Ave	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 236-3500	43	11	3.9	67.4%	8 (18.6%)	22 (51.2%)	11 (25.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.7%)								(n/a)															$54,234	$10,448	$43,785
Blake High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1701 N Boulevard	Tampa	33607	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 272-3422	1,537	71	21.6	54.9%	336 (21.9%)	649 (42.2%)	440 (28.6%)	18 (1.2%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (6.0%)	30.4	535^th of 807 public high schools	33.7%		34.3	453^rd of 792 public high schools	42.8%	82				40.0	44.0					31.0	44.0	44.0	56.0		$8,817	$1,975	$6,843
Hillsborough Ese Contracted Residential Placement	Public	6-12	1202 E Palm Ave	Tampa	33605	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 273-7513	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Chamberlain High School	Public	9-12	9401 N Boulevard	Tampa	33612	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 975-7677	1,262	65	19.5	72.2%	154 (12.2%)	372 (29.5%)	669 (53.0%)	25 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.2%)	39 (3.1%)	12.6	664^th of 807 public high schools	17.7%		14.4	643^rd of 792 public high schools	18.8%	21				19.0	23.0					18.0	19.0	39.0	45.0		$9,509	$2,287	$7,221
North Tampa Success Center	Public	6-12	8602 N Armenia Ave	Tampa	33604	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 631-4426	140	8	17.5	83.6%	7 (5.0%)	86 (61.4%)	41 (29.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.9%)	1	806^th of 807 public high schools	0.1%		1.1	790^th of 792 public high schools	0.3%	16	15.0	8.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	9.0	9.0	0.0	0.0					9.0	$28,219	$3,411	$24,808
Les Peters Academy	Public	6-12	3930 W Dr Martin Luther King	Tampa	33614	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 871-7655	21	3	7.0	14.3%	9 (42.9%)	8 (38.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (19.0%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Hillsborough High School

What schools feed into Hillsborough High School?

Hillsborough High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Broward Elementary School
Elementary : Egypt Lake Elementary School
Elementary : Foster Elementary School
Elementary : Graham Elementary School
Elementary : Mendenhall Elementary School
Elementary : Oak Grove Elementary School
Elementary : Seminole Heights Elementary School
Middle : Memorial Middle School
Middle : Stewart Middle Magnet School

Hillsborough High School

Hillsborough:

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Rank History for Hillsborough High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Hillsborough High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Hillsborough High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Hillsborough High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Hillsborough High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Hillsborough High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Hillsborough High School