| Children throughout Tampa wake up each Monday | | | | the tenth grade test to qualify for a regular |
| through Friday and head out to school, lunch | | | | high school diploma upon graduation. Students |
| and books in hand. While they may bemoan | | | | scoring less than a passing grade on any of |
| another day filled with reading, writing and | | | | the subjects tested are offered subsequent |
| arithmetic, they are receiving their | | | | testing opportunities during their eleventh |
| education from one of the highest ranked | | | | and twelfth grade years. |
| school districts in the state. | | | | |
| | | | According to 2005 testing scores, Florida |
| Hillsborough County School District has a | | | | students scored at or above the national |
| policy of offering a dynamic cross-section of | | | | average in fourth grade reading, fourth and |
| schooling options because they understand | | | | eighth grade writing, fourth grade science |
| that a "one size fits all" education doesn't | | | | and fourth grade mathematics. All other grade |
| coalesce with their community. These include | | | | levels and areas of study that were compared |
| Walton Academy of the Performing Arts and two | | | | showed Floridian students were close to |
| teen parent schools. Among the public | | | | national averages and gaining ground. |
| schooling options are magnet and charter | | | | |
| schools. | | | | Gorrie Elementary, located just a mile from |
| | | | the University of Tampa in West Tampa, scored |
| Magnet Schools | | | | highest of all elementary schools in fourth |
| | | | grade reading and mathematics among all |
| Magnet schools offer students a more | | | | Hillsborough schools tested in 2006. |
| exploratory education. Students must show a | | | | Roosevelt Elementary, located in the Palma |
| strong interest in the field of study of | | | | Ceia area, scored highest for fourth grade |
| their chosen magnet school in order to be | | | | writing skills of all Hillsborough County |
| considered for enrollment. Even though magnet | | | | schools during 2006. |
| schools educate studies concentrated in a | | | | |
| specific field, they are funded by the state | | | | Terrace Community Middle School, a charter |
| and school district and must adhere to the | | | | school located just south of New Tampa, |
| performance standards just like traditional | | | | scored highest among all eight graders tested |
| public schools. Most students of magnet | | | | in 2006 in Hillsborough County middle schools |
| schools go on to complete post-secondary | | | | for math and science. Wilson Middle, located |
| education in their field of study. Magnet | | | | in the Davis Island community, scored highest |
| schools, listed with their field of study, in | | | | among eighth graders in reading and writing. |
| the New Tampa area include: | | | | |
| | | | Palma Ceia area's Plant High School scored |
| Cahoon Elementary, Animal Science | | | | highest among all Hillsborough County tenth |
| | | | graders for math, reading and writing in |
| Dunbar Elementary, Math/Science/Technology | | | | 2006. |
| | | | |
| Lee Elementary, World Studies | | | | New Tampa schools showed remarkable staying |
| | | | power and above average scores for each of |
| Lincoln Elementary, International Studies | | | | their six elementary, two middle and two high |
| International Baccalaureate | | | | schools. Each school scored 300 or more in |
| | | | all subjects tested in 2006, for grades four, |
| Lockhart Elementary, Foreign Language & | | | | eight and ten. |
| Global Studies; Visual/Performing | | | | |
| Communication Arts | | | | Private Schools in Tampa |
| | | | |
| Lomax Elementary, Math/Science/Technology | | | | Some families in the New Tampa area prefer a |
| | | | religious or college preparatory private |
| MacFarlane International Studies | | | | school for their children to receive their |
| International Baccalaureate | | | | education. While the list of private |
| | | | education options is copious, below is a list |
| Muller Elementary, Environmental Studies; | | | | of a few of the most prominent private |
| Visual/Performing/Communication Arts | | | | schools in the area, as well as their |
| | | | particular specialty. |
| Philip Shore Elementary, Visual/Performing | | | | |
| Communication Arts | | | | Berkeley Preparatory School operates to |
| | | | create well-rounded, college bound students. |
| Rampello Kindergarten through 8, Cultural | | | | They provide education from pre-kindergarten |
| Arts & Humanities | | | | through twelfth grade. The teachers and staff |
| | | | strive to educate students beyond reading, |
| Charter Schools | | | | writing and arithmetic; they offer |
| | | | competitive sports and arts as well as |
| While magnet schools offer highly | | | | numerous clubs and community service |
| concentrated curriculums, charter schools | | | | projects. |
| offer highly specialized teaching styles. | | | | |
| Charter schools are owned and operated | | | | The Academy of Holy Names is one of the |
| privately with subsidization through | | | | oldest private schools in the Tampa area, |
| Hillsborough County School District and the | | | | having been founded in 1881. Their |
| State of Florida. They are just as | | | | pre-kindergarten through eighth grade offers |
| accountable as traditional and magnet public | | | | excellence in education to both boys and |
| schools through FCAT testing (more on this | | | | girls. Ninth through twelfth grade classes |
| under "Standards", below.) | | | | are restricted to an all-female student body. |
| | | | The school's teaching are based on the |
| Charter schools often require parents to | | | | Catholic faith. Students are not required to |
| commit to a number of hours of volunteer work | | | | be of the Catholic faith to attend, though |
| throughout the school year. They also require | | | | nearly three-quarters are. |
| that parents understand their particular | | | | |
| charter, or contract. Examples of charter | | | | The Jesuit School is an all-boy school with a |
| school options include those that teach in | | | | reputation for turning out high-achieving |
| Montessori style, Core Curriculum or | | | | graduates. This school was founded 18 years |
| Independent Study (distance learning.) | | | | after the Academy of Holy Names. Jesuit |
| | | | School education includes numerous missionary |
| Any student that qualifies for public | | | | and community service opportunities for its |
| education in Hillsborough County may apply to | | | | students. Students are not required to be |
| attend a charter school, regardless of how | | | | members of the Jesuit Church. |
| far or close the student lives from the | | | | |
| school. | | | | In 2002, a three-decade old school began |
| | | | unpacking boxes in their new, state of the |
| Standards | | | | art facility across from its former home at |
| | | | the University of Tampa. Tampa Preparatory |
| The Sunshine State Standards, or SSS, are the | | | | School serves students and their family from |
| uniform educational criteria for each grade | | | | sixth grade through twelfth. Tampa Prep |
| level from Kindergarten through graduation. | | | | doesn't offer remedial classes, their program |
| All public and most private schools in | | | | was designed to offer challenging coursework |
| Florida have adopted these standards and | | | | in core subjects as well as a wide diversity |
| teach material so that students will meet or | | | | of other subjects - fine art, computer |
| exceed them. | | | | technology, music, dance, theater, golf, |
| | | | track, swimming, volleyball, soccer, |
| In 1998, the State of Florida began testing | | | | baseball, basketball and wrestling. |
| students based on the criteria to gauge the | | | | |
| effectiveness of the SSS. A consortium of | | | | Co-ed students at Tampa Catholic High School |
| educators and instructional professionals | | | | receive their education in the three R's as |
| from around the United States came up with | | | | well as the three purposes set forth by the |
| the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or | | | | Catholic faith - teaching the Message of God |
| FCAT. | | | | as revealed in Christ and through His Church; |
| | | | building Community through fellowship in the |
| Students are tested annually from third grade | | | | life of the Holy Spirit; and providing |
| through eleventh. Reading and math tests are | | | | opportunities for Service to the community. |
| given each year. Writing is assessed in all | | | | After school, students continue their |
| grades except fifth and eleventh grades. | | | | education by taking part in some of the |
| Science knowledge is tested in fifth, eighth | | | | nearly two dozen clubs and extra-curricular |
| and tenth. | | | | activities. Tampa Catholic's philosophy is to |
| | | | educate the entire student- mind, body, and |
| Beginning in the 2005-2006 school year, | | | | spirit. |
| students are required to successfully pass | | | | |