Wharton High School

Summary:

Wharton High School is a public high school in Tampa, Florida, serving 2,289 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Hillsborough School District, which is ranked 45 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Wharton High School stands out for its diverse student population, with 26.61% White, 31.19% African American, and 31.5% Hispanic students. However, the school has faced challenges, including a decline in four-year graduation rates from 92.7% in 2019-2020 to 84.5% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the state and district averages. Additionally, Wharton High School has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 17.2% in 2019-2020 to 43.4% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state and district averages. The school's test scores are also consistently lower than the state and district averages across various subjects and grade levels.

When compared to nearby schools, Brooks Debartolo Collegiate High School and Dr. Kiran C. Patel High School consistently outperform Wharton High School in terms of state rankings, test scores, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. On the other hand, West University Charter High School and Bowers-Whitley Career Center have significantly lower performance metrics compared to Wharton High School. The school's diverse student population and high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 46.09% to 57.65%, suggest that socioeconomic factors may play a significant role in the school's performance.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 20150 Bruce B Downs Blvd
       Tampa, FL  33647


(813) 631-4710

District: Hillsborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
482nd of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,381 Help


Feeder schools for Wharton High School:

Elementary:    Dr Carter G Woodson K-8 School
    Heritage Elementary School
    Hunter's Green Elementary School
    Kimbell Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Benito Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  23.4 Help
Number of students:  2,289

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
31.5%
African American:
31.2%
White:
26.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  46.1% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Wharton High School ranks worse than 59.7% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 25th among 42 ranked high schools in the Hillsborough School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 34.55. (See more...)
Help
The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Wharton High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Student population at Wharton High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (31.5%), African American (31.2%), White (26.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 46.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
Help
Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Wharton High School is 23.4. 34 high schools in the Hillsborough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Wharton High School employs 97.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Wharton High School is $7,381. 31 high schools in the Hillsborough School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Wharton High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Wharton High School 482nd of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Wharton High School in the ranking list.)

Hillsborough:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Wharton High School.

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Rank History for Wharton High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 57.33 218th 484 55.0%
2005 61.61 198th 487 59.3%
2006 64.23 165th 477 65.4%
2007 58.89 234th 563 58.4%
2008 63.19 214th 577 62.9%
2009 63.30 222nd 587 62.2%
2010 64.96 218th 620 64.8%
2011 66.57 203rd 622 67.4%
2012 41.29 318th 606 47.5%
2013 46.36 320th 648 50.6%
2014 47.31 347th 687 49.5%
2016 43.45 343rd 693 50.5%
2017 45.11 326th 714 54.3%
2018 44.05 337th 716 52.9%
2019 45.08 329th 734 55.2%
2021 38.15 383rd 746 48.7%
2022 38.17 410th 774 47.0%
2023 36.08 432nd 792 45.5%
2024 34.55 482nd 807 40.3%
See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

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

Wharton High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.3)
33%

0%

0%

0%

67%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Friday, May 24, 2019

Open Quote My son is about to graduate with Honors and go on to attend UCF. He had a very good 4 years at Wharton in the AP program. Also, the Track Team coaches are excellent! Close Quote


by a student
Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Open Quote I grew up in the New Tampa area, a very beautiful and upscale community but the schools are everything but. I had a choice between Freedom and Wharton and wish I could have been bussed to a different district. Parents, please don't think that because a neighborhood is nice that a school is going to be. I faked sick multiple times a week because I was too afraid to go to school because of the high amount of gangs, drugs and violence. Close Quote



Enrollment information for Wharton High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1998 738 591 40 262 5 n/a n/a 0 1636
1999 967 731 60 344 10 n/a n/a 0 2112
2000 1052 810 55 406 10 n/a n/a 0 2333
2001 1129 814 58 387 9 n/a n/a 0 2397
2002 930 652 60 418 3 n/a n/a 0 2063
2003 930 652 60 418 3 n/a n/a 0 2063
2004 961 625 55 410 2 n/a n/a 0 2053
2005 938 672 63 464 2 n/a n/a 0 2139
2006 962 689 83 522 2 n/a n/a 0 2258
2007 918 740 83 516 4 n/a n/a 97 2358
2008 881 749 92 521 11 n/a n/a 113 2367
2009 890 708 91 525 13 n/a n/a 126 2353
2010 974 735 109 551 16 n/a n/a 94 2479
2011 929 714 119 592 14 1 94 0 2463
2012 867 705 119 587 10 5 88 0 2381
2013 868 731 103 588 7 5 103 0 2405
2014 814 701 107 579 8 4 111 0 2324
2015 752 676 103 599 6 5 120 0 2261
2016 793 741 111 637 7 7 125 0 2421
2017 764 748 133 666 5 8 119 0 2443
2018 754 771 137 685 8 8 108 0 2471
2019 743 729 132 701 6 14 104 0 2429
2020 673 673 117 668 5 9 96 0 2241
2021 603 655 113 624 2 9 98 0 2104
2022 627 682 102 670 3 8 115 0 2207
2023 609 714 113 721 2 2 128 0 2289

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 Wharton High School

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 1636 91.0 18.0 38.4
1999 2112 118.0 17.9 33
2000 2333 132.0 17.7 39.3
2001 2397 142.0 16.9 33.2
2002 2063 121.0 17.0 30.9
2003 2063 121.0 17.0 30.9
2004 2053 124.0 16.6 31.5
2005 2139 126.0 17.0 39.2
2006 2258 98.0 23.0 34.6
2007 2358 102.0 23.1 36.1
2008 2367 130.0 18.2 36.4
2009 2353 139.0 17.8 38.4
2010 2479 132.0 18.7 41.7
2011 2463 131.0 18.8 42.3
2012 2381 128.5 18.5 40.5
2013 2405 128.0 18.7 43.3
2014 2324 127.0 18.2 46.9
2015 2261 128.0 17.6 50.5
2016 2421 124.0 19.5 51.5
2017 2443 124.0 19.7 50.2
2018 2471 127.0 19.4 53.3
2019 2429 116.0 20.9 50.7
2020 2241 118.0 18.9 51.7
2021 2104 117.0 17.9 57.7
2022 2207 100.5 21.9 51.3
2023 2289 97.5 23.4 46.1

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 Wharton High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1998 1636 91.0 18.0 38.4
1999 2112 118.0 17.9 33
2000 2333 132.0 17.7 39.3
2001 2397 142.0 16.9 33.2
2002 2063 121.0 17.0 30.9
2003 2063 121.0 17.0 30.9
2004 2053 124.0 16.6 31.5
2005 2139 126.0 17.0 39.2
2006 2258 98.0 23.0 34.6
2007 2358 102.0 23.1 36.1
2008 2367 130.0 18.2 36.4
2009 2353 139.0 17.8 38.4
2010 2479 132.0 18.7 41.7
2011 2463 131.0 18.8 42.3
2012 2381 128.5 18.5 40.5
2013 2405 128.0 18.7 43.3
2014 2324 127.0 18.2 46.9
2015 2261 128.0 17.6 50.5
2016 2421 124.0 19.5 51.5
2017 2443 124.0 19.7 50.2
2018 2471 127.0 19.4 53.3
2019 2429 116.0 20.9 50.7
2020 2241 118.0 18.9 51.7
2021 2104 117.0 17.9 57.7
2022 2207 100.5 21.9 51.3
2023 2289 97.5 23.4 46.1

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 Wharton High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $286 (4.4%) $6,224 (95.6%) $6,510
2019 $294 (4.3%) $6,587 (95.7%) $6,881
2020 $417 (5.6%) $7,001 (94.4%) $7,419
2021 $857 (11.4%) $6,633 (88.6%) $7,489
2022 $959 (13.5%) $6,148 (86.5%) $7,108
2023 $1,260 (17.1%) $6,121 (82.9%) $7,381

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Wharton 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 329th of 734 High schoolsRanks 432nd of 792 High schools
 9.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Wharton High School)5541
 14%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)5550
 5%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5551
 4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Wharton High School)4941
 8%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Hillsborough)5349
 4%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5349
 4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Wharton High School)5951
 8%
   End of Course Biology 1 (Hillsborough)6762
 5%
   End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)6763
 4%
End of Course US History (Wharton High School)7459
 15%
   End of Course US History (Hillsborough)7365
 8%
   End of Course US History (Florida)7063
 7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Wharton High School)3223
 9%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Hillsborough)6360
 3%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)6254
 8%
End of Course Geometry (Wharton High School)4440
 4%
   End of Course Geometry (Hillsborough)5753
 4%
   End of Course Geometry (Florida)5750
 7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students24292289
 5.8%
African American729714
 2.1%
American Indian62
 66.7%
Asian132113
 14.4%
Hispanic701721
 2.9%
Pacific Islander142
 85.7%
White743609
 18%
Two or More Races104128
 23.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients50.7%46.1%
 4.6%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Wharton High School

Students at Wharton High School are 31% Hispanic, 31% African American, 27% White, 6% Two or more races, 5% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,289 students attended Wharton High School.

Wharton High School ranks 482nd of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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