Pinellas County students headed into the 2026-27 school year with district-wide test scores that topped Florida's averages in every tested subject. The results cover all district schools, including Palm Harbor University High and Dunedin High, though individual school scores have not been released.
The district posted 64% proficiency in English language arts for grades 3-10, three percentage points above the state's 61%, according to a district news release published Monday, July 7. In math, Pinellas hit 64% proficiency across grades 3-12, also three points clear of the statewide mark.
The widest gap showed up in fifth-grade science: Pinellas students scored 70% proficient on the statewide science assessment, 10 points above Florida's 60%. Eighth-graders posted 59% versus 57% statewide, and Biology end-of-course exam takers hit 75% against 74%.
Third- through fifth-graders beat the state by six points in ELA, a five-point jump from the previous year's margin. Geometry students finished four points above the state, up six points from a year earlier.
In social studies, Pinellas posted 79% proficiency on the Civics end-of-course exam and 75% on U.S. History, compared with 76% and 73% statewide.
The results cover the third progress-monitoring administration of the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking, or FAST, in ELA and math for grades 3-10, plus statewide science assessments and end-of-course exams in Algebra 1, Geometry, Civics, and U.S. History.
Scores feed into third straight 'A' district grade
FAST results factor into the state's school grading formula, which also delivered good news for Pinellas. The district earned an "A" grade for the third consecutive year from the Florida Department of Education. Seventy percent of schools earned an A in 2025-26, up from 65% the previous year, and 92% earned an A or B. Third-grade reading proficiency reached 70% for the first time in district history, ranking ninth statewide.
Superintendent Kevin Hendrick credited students, teachers, and families in the district's assessment release. School Board Chairperson Caprice Edmond called the consecutive A grades "a wonderful accomplishment" in a separate statement tied to the district grade announcement.
Enrollment decline looms over next steps
The strong scores arrive as the district faces a projected enrollment drop of about 3,800 students in fall 2026, which Hendrick said would mean millions less in revenue. The district had 45,000 vacant seats across its buildings as of early July, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
"We have fewer kids and we know it, and it's not going to change," Hendrick told the Tampa Bay Times.
Hendrick said the district will not release school closure or consolidation recommendations until late August or early September, after gathering community input. The goal is to finalize plans before families apply for school choice in January 2027.
What families need to know
The first day of school for 2026-27 is Tuesday, August 11. Families new to Pinellas County Schools must reserve a seat at a zoned school through the Student Assignment office, open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Contact: [email protected] or 727-588-6210.
