Is Plato Academy Clearwater a good school?

Plato Academy Clearwater ranks 557 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Plato Academy Clearwater?

In the 2022-23 school year, 630 students attended Plato Academy Clearwater.

What is the racial makeup of Plato Academy Clearwater?

Students at Plato Academy Clearwater are 60% White, 20% Hispanic, 9% African American, 7% Asian, 4% Two or more races.

Plato Academy Clearwater

Summary:

Plato Academy Clearwater is a public charter elementary and middle school serving around 630 students in grades K-8 in Clearwater, Florida, which is part of the Pinellas County School District. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the county and state averages on a variety of academic measures, including end-of-course exams, statewide science assessments, and Florida's English Language Arts and Math assessments.

Plato Academy Clearwater stands out for its racial diversity, with a higher percentage of White, Asian, and multi-racial students compared to many nearby schools, which tend to have predominantly Hispanic or African American student populations. The school also maintains relatively low chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 4.9% to 16.5% over the past several years, lower than the rates at many surrounding schools. Additionally, Plato Academy Clearwater's per-student spending is lower than some of the nearby public schools, while maintaining a relatively low student-teacher ratio of 13.1 to 13.6 students per teacher.

Plato Academy Clearwater's consistent academic excellence, with a history of 4- and 5-star ratings from the SchoolDigger organization, suggests that the school is delivering high-quality education in a cost-effective manner. This success, combined with the school's diverse student population and low chronic absenteeism, could make Plato Academy Clearwater a model for collaboration and the sharing of best practices with nearby schools, such as Belleair Elementary School, Curtis Fundamental Elementary, and McMullen-Booth Elementary School.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

2045 Palmetto St
Clearwater, FL 33765

(727) 228-9517

District: Pinellas

SchoolDigger Rank:
557^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,843

Student/teacher ratio: 13.6

Number of students: 630

Racial breakdown:

White:

59.8%

Hispanic:

20.0%

African American:

8.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Plato Academy Clearwater to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Plato Academy Clearwater ranks better than 75.3% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 35^th among 90 ranked elementary schools in the Pinellas School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 73.57. (See more...)

Compare Details Plato Academy Clearwater ranks better than 73.7% of middle schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.17. (See more...)

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 Racial makeup is: White (59.8%), Hispanic (20%), African American (8.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Plato Academy Clearwater is 13.6, which is the 45^th best among 90 elementary schools in the Pinellas School District. (See more...)

Compare Plato Academy Clearwater employs 46 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Plato Academy Clearwater is $7,843. 88 elementary schools in the Pinellas School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Plato Academy Clearwater was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Plato Academy Clearwater 315^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Plato Academy Clearwater in the ranking list.)

Pinellas:

SchoolDigger ranks Pinellas 23^rd of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Plato Academy Clearwater

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2007	90.61	92^nd	1786	94.8%
2008	75.94	391^st	1789	78.1%
2009	88.16	141^st	1847	92.4%
2010	91.33	78^th	1919	95.9%
2011	92.36	57^th	1985	97.1%
2012	90.07	131^st	1984	93.4%
2013	84.23	255^th	2029	87.4%
2014	83.79	294^th	2064	85.8%
2016	89.92	147^th	2087	93.0%
2017	80.20	373^rd	2112	82.3%
2018	90.45	143^rd	2118	93.2%
2019	87.90	213^th	2182	90.2%
2021	83.50	340^th	2247	84.9%
2022	76.51	490^th	2219	77.9%
2023	65.62	723^rd	2240	67.7%
2024	73.57	557^th	2256	75.3%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Rank History for Plato Academy Clearwater

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2010	87.11	74^th	839	91.2%
2011	86.32	92^nd	891	89.7%
2012	88.08	79^th	897	91.2%
2013	91.41	51^st	956	94.7%
2014	88.78	77^th	999	92.3%
2016	84.68	124^th	997	87.6%
2017	73.28	260^th	1031	74.8%
2018	87.41	117^th	1035	88.7%
2019	90.24	76^th	1099	93.1%
2021	77.51	223^rd	1136	80.4%
2022	64.81	364^th	1148	68.3%
2023	71.44	308^th	1177	73.8%
2024	71.17	315^th	1196	73.7%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary 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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a student
Saturday, November 12, 2011

It's a great school. I've been going here for 5 years and it's been loads of fun! Our curriculum is challenging, we have a Gifted Program, and we have a daily Greek language/culture class Close Quote

Enrollment information for Plato Academy Clearwater

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	53	6	1	2	0	n/a	n/a	0	62
2006	77	0	1	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	89
2007	109	8	2	15	0	n/a	n/a	9	143
2008	140	8	3	20	0	n/a	n/a	15	186
2009	180	8	4	22	0	n/a	n/a	18	232
2010	213	7	9	24	0	n/a	n/a	21	274
2011	228	7	12	46	0	0	27	0	320
2012	250	12	12	49	0	0	19	0	342
2013	259	12	13	56	0	0	24	0	364
2014	261	14	17	52	0	0	18	0	362
2015	257	17	17	56	0	0	17	0	364
2016	290	22	19	60	2	1	22	0	416
2017	303	22	21	67	2	1	19	0	435
2018	315	22	26	72	1	1	18	0	455
2019	322	28	26	82	1	1	19	0	479
2020	334	29	27	93	1	3	13	0	500
2021	332	42	34	100	1	1	14	0	524
2022	344	41	34	107	1	1	11	0	539
2023	377	54	41	126	4	4	24	0	630

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 Plato Academy Clearwater

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	62	5.0	12.4	22.6
2006	89	6.0	14.8	14.6
2007	143	8.0	17.9	26.1
2008	186	10.5	17.7	24.6
2009	232	15.3	17.2	22
2010	274	16.5	16.6	22.5
2011	320	16.0	20.0	15.3
2012	342	27.0	12.6	21.1
2013	364	27.0	13.4	22.3
2014	362	21.0	17.2	22.1
2015	364	21.0	17.3	22.5
2016	416	26.0	16.0	24.3
2017	435	21.0	20.7	23.7
2018	455	27.0	16.8	27.3
2019	479	32.0	14.9	25.3
2020	500	29.0	17.2	28
2021	524	39.0	13.4	28.2
2022	539	41.0	13.1	28
2023	630	46.0	13.6	37

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 Plato Academy Clearwater

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	62	5.0	12.4	22.6
2006	89	6.0	14.8	14.6
2007	143	8.0	17.9	26.1
2008	186	10.5	17.7	24.6
2009	232	15.3	17.2	22
2010	274	16.5	16.6	22.5
2011	320	16.0	20.0	15.3
2012	342	27.0	12.6	21.1
2013	364	27.0	13.4	22.3
2014	362	21.0	17.2	22.1
2015	364	21.0	17.3	22.5
2016	416	26.0	16.0	24.3
2017	435	21.0	20.7	23.7
2018	455	27.0	16.8	27.3
2019	479	32.0	14.9	25.3
2020	500	29.0	17.2	28
2021	524	39.0	13.4	28.2
2022	539	41.0	13.1	28
2023	630	46.0	13.6	37

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 Plato Academy Clearwater

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$00 (0.0%)	$8,246 (100.0%)	$8,246
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$8,414 (100.0%)	$8,414
2020	$14 (0.2%)	$7,827 (99.8%)	$7,841
2021	$610 (8.2%)	$6,784 (91.7%)	$7,395
2022	$116 (1.7%)	$6,594 (98.3%)	$6,710
2023	$548 (7.0%)	$7,296 (93.0%)	$7,843

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Plato Academy Clearwater

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 213^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 723^rd of 2240 Elementary schools	22.5%
Ranks 76^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 308^th of 1177 Middle schools	19.3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Plato Academy Clearwater)	79	67	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)	56	52	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	90	77	13%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)	62	60	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Plato Academy Clearwater)	73	64	9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)	56	57	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	84	66	18%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)	64	65	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Plato Academy Clearwater)	72	75	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)	54	58	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	77	67	10%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)	60	58	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Plato Academy Clearwater)	77	57	20%
5th Grade Science (Pinellas)	54	60	6%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Plato Academy Clearwater)	79	70	9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)	51	48	3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	81	54	27%
6th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)	44	47	3%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Plato Academy Clearwater)	73	53	20%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)	51	46	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	91	71	20%
7th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)	60	52	8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Plato Academy Clearwater)	83	51	32%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pinellas)	55	45	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	76	28	48%
8th Grade Mathematics (Pinellas)	31	25	6%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Plato Academy Clearwater)	76	58	18%
8th Grade Science (Pinellas)	51	47	4%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Plato Academy Clearwater)	93	74	19%
End of Course Civics (Pinellas)	68	68
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Plato Academy Clearwater)	100	95	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Pinellas)	56	52	4%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	479	630	31.5%
African American	28	54	92.9%
American Indian	1	4	300%
Asian	26	41	57.7%
Hispanic	82	126	53.7%
Pacific Islander	1	4	300%
White	322	377	17.1%
Two or More Races	19	24	26.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	25.3%	37%	11.7%

Schools Near Plato Academy Clearwater

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 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 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 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Plato Academy Clearwater	Public, Charter	K-8	2045 Palmetto St	Clearwater	33765	Pinellas County	Pinellas	Yes	No	No	No	(727) 228-9517	630	46	13.6	37.0%	377 (59.8%)	54 (8.6%)	126 (20.0%)	41 (6.5%)	4 (0.6%)	4 (0.6%)	24 (3.8%)	73.6	557^th of 2256 public elementary schools	75.3%		65.6	723^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	67.7%	166	66.0	76.0	59.0	58.0	59.0	60.0	77.0	66.0	66.0	67.0	77.0	80.0	64.0	54.0	100.0	95.0	77.0	$7,843	$548	$7,296
Skycrest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10 N Corona Ave	Clearwater	33765	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	Yes	(727) 469-5987	565	48	11.7	79.5%	117 (20.7%)	77 (13.6%)	341 (60.4%)	5 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	23 (4.1%)	55.3	963^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	57.3%		36.8	1421^st of 2240 public elementary schools	36.6%	458	49.0	61.0	57.0				46.0	63.0	64.0				57.0					$15,544	$2,399	$13,146
Kings Highway Elementary Magnet School	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	1715 Kings Highway	Clearwater	33755	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	Yes	No	Yes	(727) 223-8949	278	27	10.2	80.9%	34 (12.2%)	149 (53.6%)	70 (25.2%)	4 (1.4%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (6.8%)	74.3	538^th of 2256 public elementary schools	76.2%		67.9	664^th of 2240 public elementary schools	70.4%	126	76.0	61.0	62.0				80.0	68.0	50.0				72.0					$20,917	$3,130	$17,787
Plumb Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1920 Lakeview Rd	Clearwater	33764	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	No	(727) 469-5976	622	44	14.1	55.6%	346 (55.6%)	36 (5.8%)	164 (26.4%)	22 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	53 (8.5%)	62.6	806^th of 2256 public elementary schools	64.3%		70.3	623^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	72.2%	183	58.0	44.0	54.0				74.0	68.0	62.0				63.0					$12,936	$1,495	$11,442
Sandy Lane Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1360 Sandy Ln	Clearwater	33755	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	Yes	(727) 469-5974	304	27	11.2	84.9%	41 (13.5%)	184 (60.5%)	53 (17.4%)	3 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (7.2%)	47.3	1166^th of 2256 public elementary schools	48.3%		33.1	1518^th of 2240 public elementary schools	32.2%	352	65.0	44.0	47.0				68.0	41.0	32.0				59.0					$22,227	$5,299	$16,930
Eisenhower Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2800 Drew St	Clearwater	33759	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	Yes	(727) 725-7978	661	49	13.4	73.8%	166 (25.1%)	140 (21.2%)	326 (49.3%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	21 (3.2%)	36.6	1444^th of 2256 public elementary schools	36.0%		39.2	1355^th of 2240 public elementary schools	39.5%	89	40.0	37.0	49.0				53.0	55.0	49.0				49.0					$13,558	$2,246	$11,312
Athenian Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	2289 N. Hercules Ave	Clearwater	33763	Pinellas County	Pinellas	Yes	No	No	No	(727) 298-2718	413	33	12.5	54.5%	223 (54.0%)	33 (8.0%)	127 (30.8%)	6 (1.5%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	20 (4.8%)	28	1682^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	25.4%		39.5	1349^th of 2240 public elementary schools	39.8%	333	37.0	46.0	32.0	67.0	69.0	61.0	31.0	48.0	38.0	47.0	64.0	21.0	38.0	35.0	42.0		78.0	$9,777	$1,641	$8,136
Dunedin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	900 Union St	Dunedin	34698	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	Yes	(727) 738-2990	476	39	12.2	73.7%	149 (31.3%)	93 (19.5%)	181 (38.0%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.1%)	38 (8.0%)	36	1458^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.4%		18.4	1951^st of 2240 public elementary schools	12.9%	493	59.0	32.0	44.0				51.0	45.0	45.0				50.0					$17,035	$3,402	$13,632
Belleair Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1156 Lakeview Rd	Clearwater	33756	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	No	No	Yes	(727) 469-5983	472	41	11.5	81.4%	99 (21.0%)	117 (24.8%)	232 (49.2%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.4%)	34.8	1494^th of 2256 public elementary schools	33.8%		41.5	1293^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	42.3%	201	52.0	33.0	38.0				46.0	47.0	57.0				54.0					$15,471	$2,477	$12,994
Curtis Fundamental Elementary	Public, Magnet	K-5	531 Beltrees St	Dunedin	34698	Pinellas County	Pinellas	No	Yes	No	No	(727) 738-6438	536	34	15.7	21.1%	395 (73.7%)	24 (4.5%)	64 (11.9%)	12 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	40 (7.5%)	95.8	36^th of 2256 public elementary schools	98.4%		94.1	61^st of 2240 public elementary schools	97.3%	25	88.0	80.0	81.0				96.0	84.0	91.0				81.0					$10,311	$736	$9,575

Plato Academy Clearwater

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Rank History for Plato Academy Clearwater

Rank History for Plato Academy Clearwater

Review counts

Enrollment information for Plato Academy Clearwater

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Plato Academy Clearwater

Student/Teacher Ratio Plato Academy Clearwater

Per Pupil Expenditures for Plato Academy Clearwater

Impact of COVID-19 on Plato Academy Clearwater

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Plato Academy Clearwater