Florida Connections Academy

Summary:

Florida Connections Academy is a public charter virtual school located in Tampa, Florida, serving students from kindergarten through 12th grade with a total enrollment of 5,126 students. The school is part of the Hillsborough District, which is ranked 45th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

While Florida Connections Academy has a diverse student population, with 41.24% White, 18.3% African American, 30.59% Hispanic, 2.07% Asian, and 7.08% two or more races, its performance metrics are generally lower than the nearby Coastal Connections Academy, another virtual school located in a different district. Florida Connections Academy has a 52.2% four-year graduation rate, significantly lower than the state and district averages, as well as Coastal Connections Academy's 86.6% graduation rate. Additionally, the school's test scores are generally lower than the Hillsborough District and state averages across various subjects and grade levels.

Despite having a relatively low chronic absenteeism rate of 0%, which is significantly better than some alternative schools in the area, Florida Connections Academy faces challenges in providing a high-quality education to its diverse student population. The school's student-teacher ratio of 36:1 is higher than nearby alternative schools, and its performance metrics, including test scores and graduation rates, suggest that the school may need to address areas such as academic achievement and student engagement to better serve its students and compete with other virtual and alternative schools in the region.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Virtual, Alternative K-12

13008 N Telecom Pkwy
Temple Terrace, FL 33637

(813) 291-0550

District: Hillsborough

SchoolDigger Rank:
1921^st of 2,256 Florida Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $6,998

Student/teacher ratio: 36.0

Number of students: 5,126

Racial breakdown:

White:

41.2%

Hispanic:

30.6%

African American:

18.3%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 46.6%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Florida Connections Academy to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Florida Connections Academy ranks worse than 85.2% of elementary schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.37. (See more...)

Compare Details Florida Connections Academy ranks worse than 62% of middle schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.44. (See more...)

Compare Details Florida Connections Academy ranks worse than 64.4% of high schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.9. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Florida Connections Academy 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 Florida Connections Academy has the largest alternative school student body size in the Hillsborough School District. Student population at Florida Connections Academy is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (41.2%), Hispanic (30.6%), African American (18.3%). (See more...)

Compare Details 46.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Florida Connections Academy is 36. 17 alternative schools in the Hillsborough School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Florida Connections Academy employs 142 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Florida Connections Academy is $6,998. 14 alternative schools in the Hillsborough School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Florida Connections Academy was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Florida Connections Academy 741^st of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Florida Connections Academy in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Florida Connections Academy 520^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Florida Connections Academy in the ranking list.)

Hillsborough:

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

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Rank History for Florida Connections Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2021	38.89	1342^nd	2247	40.3%
2022	27.35	1631^st	2219	26.5%
2023	23.28	1790^th	2240	20.1%
2024	19.37	1921^st	2256	14.8%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Florida Connections Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2021	60.62	415^th	1136	63.5%
2022	48.18	574^th	1148	50.0%
2023	39.88	704^th	1177	40.2%
2024	38.44	741^st	1196	38.0%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Florida Connections Academy

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2021	43.38	331^st	746	55.6%
2022	34.32	447^th	774	42.2%
2023	35.65	437^th	792	44.8%
2024	31.90	520^th	807	35.6%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Florida Connections Academy

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2019	782	216	36	308	9	9	73	1433
2020	1235	345	46	593	4	13	169	2405
2021	1834	624	87	1132	11	17	291	3996
2022	2181	1160	149	1760	18	26	367	5661
2023	2114	938	106	1568	15	22	363	5126

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 Florida Connections Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	1433	34.0	42.1	47.9
2020	2405	61.0	39.4	23.2
2021	3996	90.0	44.4	40.7
2022	5661	117.0	48.3	50.6
2023	5126	142.0	36.0	46.6

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 Florida Connections Academy

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2019	1433	34.0	42.1	47.9
2020	2405	61.0	39.4	23.2
2021	3996	90.0	44.4	40.7
2022	5661	117.0	48.3	50.6
2023	5126	142.0	36.0	46.6

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 Florida Connections Academy

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$5,316 (100.0%)	$5,316
2020	$00 (0.0%)	$5,796 (100.0%)	$5,796
2021	$80 (1.4%)	$5,493 (98.6%)	$5,573
2022	$511 (7.6%)	$6,246 (92.4%)	$6,757
2023	$1,194 (17.1%)	$5,804 (82.9%)	$6,998

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Florida Connections Academy

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.

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1433	5126	257.7%
African American	216	938	334.3%
American Indian	9	15	66.7%
Asian	36	106	194.4%
Hispanic	308	1568	409.1%
Pacific Islander	9	22	144.4%
White	782	2114	170.3%
Two or More Races	73	363	397.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.9%	46.6%	1.3%

Schools Near Florida Connections Academy

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	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 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th 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
Florida Connections Academy	Public, Virtual, Charter, Alternative	K-12	13008 N Telecom Pkwy	Temple Terrace	33637	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	Yes	No	(813) 291-0550	5,126	142	36.0	46.6%	2,114 (41.2%)	938 (18.3%)	1,568 (30.6%)	106 (2.1%)	15 (0.3%)	22 (0.4%)	363 (7.1%)								(n/a)	42.0	40.0	40.0	53.0	49.0	48.0	52.0	47.0	26.0	30.0	17.0	30.0	41.0	38.0	28.0	35.0	28.0	25.0	58.0	55.0	51.0	$6,998	$1,194	$5,804
Florida Autism Charter School Of Excellence	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	6310 E Sligh Ave	Tampa	33617	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	Yes	(813) 985-3223	160	26	6.1	50.0%	38 (23.8%)	48 (30.0%)	61 (38.1%)	5 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (5.0%)								(n/a)																						$27,156	$3,369	$23,787
Hillsborough Girls Academy	Public, Alternative	4-12	9506 E Columbus Dr	Tampa	33619	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 630-4513	20	3	6.6	85.0%	5 (25.0%)	11 (55.0%)	4 (20.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Lake Academy	Public, Alternative	4-12	9504 E Columbus Dr	Tampa	33619	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 840-7240	30	4	7.5	90.0%	11 (36.7%)	17 (56.7%)	1 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.3%)								(n/a)
Pepin Academies	Public, Charter, Alternative	3-12	3916 E Hillsborough Ave	Tampa	33610	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	Yes	No	No	No	(813) 236-1755	858	93	9.2	17.1%	281 (32.8%)	223 (26.0%)	302 (35.2%)	13 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	39 (4.5%)								(n/a)	7.0	2.0	0.0	22.0	10.0	11.0	14.0	15.0	7.0	0.0	0.0	7.0	9.0	8.0	0.0	3.0	3.0	11.0	18.0	28.0	9.0	$17,251	$2,657	$14,594
Idea Hope	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	5050 E 10th Ave	Tampa	33619	Hillsborough County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(813) 755-4690	794	40	19.8	100.0%	31 (3.9%)	548 (69.0%)	207 (26.1%)	5 (0.6%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)	26.0	24.0		22.0	23.0	32.0			30.0	27.0		28.0	34.0	51.0		23.0					64.0	$19,705	$1,223	$18,482
Hospital/Homebound/Homebased Programs	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	3993 E 21st Ave	Tampa	33605	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 273-3933	155	22	7.0	21.9%	47 (30.3%)	46 (29.7%)	55 (35.5%)	5 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)								(n/a)																	20.0		50.0	55.0		$93,963	$25,099	$68,865
The Spring	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1009 N Parsons Rd	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 651-2166	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lopez Exceptional Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	315 W Old Hillsborough Ave	Seffner	33584	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 744-8008	49	13	3.7	42.9%	16 (32.7%)	17 (34.7%)	15 (30.6%)	1 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																						$57,422	$15,616	$41,806
Medical Academy At D.W. Waters	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2704 N Highland Ave	Tampa	33602	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 233-2655	44	8	5.8		7 (15.9%)	21 (47.7%)	16 (36.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)							44.0										28.0	53.0	61.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Florida Connections Academy

How many students attend Florida Connections Academy?

In the 2022-23 school year, 5,126 students attended Florida Connections Academy.

What district is Florida Connections Academy in?

Hillsborough

Is Florida Connections Academy a good school?

Florida Connections Academy ranks in the bottom 14.8% of Florida alternative schools.

What is the racial makeup of Florida Connections Academy?

Students at Florida Connections Academy are 41% White, 31% Hispanic, 18% African American, 7% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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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.