Palm Harbor University High Ranked #17 in State

Palm Harbor University High (PHUH) is one of the top 20 high schools in the state, according to newly-released rankings from the Florida Dept. of Education. 

The state ranked PHUH 17 out of more than 400 Florida high schools. 

Palm Harbor University High Principal is proud of the accomplishment, "We're very proud of the students, it also takes a strong faculty and staff to make it possible," she said.

Tonry says the rankings consisted of a lot more than just FCAT scores, "A multitude of things came together," she said.  

The state ranked Joseph L. Carwise Middle School 90 out of 583 middle schools in the state putting it in the top 20% of middle schools.

The rankings are based on points derived from FCAT scores and other factors. Here's a look at how all Palm Harbor schools fared.

Elementary schools

• , 221st in the state, A
• Cypress Woods Elementary, 409th in the state, A
• , 444th in the state, A
• , 475th in the state, A
• , 765th in the state, B
• , 1,152nd in the state, B

Middle schools

• , 90th in the state, A
• , 190th in the state, A

High schools

• , 17th in the state, A

How would you rate your local schools? Follow the links above to leave a review in the Palm Harbor Patch directory and see whether your neighbors feel the same way.

Overall, Pinellas County Schools earned a "B" in school rankings from the Florida Department of Education.

Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Manatee counties in the Tampa Bay area were all graded "B" school districts. Sarasota County received an "A."

Since the 1998-99 school year, Floridians have used school grades to help assess the quality of their local schools. The school rankings, based on the points used to determine school grades, are part of the Department of Education’s ongoing effort to increase transparency by providing clear measures and metrics to help parents of school-age children, educators and taxpayers in Florida evaluate their local schools, according to the department website.

Schools are ranked according to the number of school grade points they received for the 2010-11 school year:

• For elementary and middle schools, these points are derived from FCAT scores. Schools are awarded one point for each percent of students in the school who were enrolled for the full year who score on grade level or higher on the FCAT and make annual learning gains (800 possible points).
• Florida’s high schools are graded using the FCAT and learning gains components described in the grading criteria for elementary and middle schools (800 points), plus several non-FCAT based components — including graduation rates, accelerated coursework participation and performance, and postsecondary readiness — that account for 50 percent of the high school grade (another 800 points). The total possible points for high schools is 1,600.