The top reported proficiency rate is 72% in Math. The lowest is 58% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ballast Point Elementary School
Ballast Point Elementary sits on the southern end of Tampa, a regular public school serving prekindergarten through fifth grade within Hillsborough County Schools. The school draws from a part of the city that falls within South Tampa's broader residential corridor, not far from Bayshore Boulevard and the Jan K. Platt Regional Library, in a section of Tampa that carries the quieter, tree-lined character of established neighborhood living rather than the downtown bustle a few miles north.
The school's student body is moderately sized for its grade band, with most grades running in the mid-to-upper double digits. White students make up the largest share of enrollment, with Hispanic, multiracial, and Black students also represented. A relatively small portion of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places this school among the lower economic-need end of the district's elementary schools. Data on English learner rates and special education enrollment were not available in the records reviewed.
On Florida's FAST assessments, Ballast Point posts results that generally sit above what many elementary schools across the state produce. In math, fourth grade is the clear high point, with most students reaching proficiency; third and fifth grade results are also solid, though somewhat below that peak. In reading and language arts, scores are respectable across all three tested grades, with fourth and fifth grade performing comparably and third grade trailing slightly. Fifth-grade science proficiency, measured by the Florida Statewide Science Assessment, came in somewhat below the math and ELA figures, which is worth a parent noting. A trend comparison is not available because the assessment structure does not yet allow year-over-year comparisons, so it is not possible from this data to say whether performance has been rising, flat, or slipping.
No programs data was available for Ballast Point, so information about enrichment offerings, specialty courses, or extracurricular options was not in the records reviewed. Parents curious about what instruction looks like beyond the core subjects, or whether any particular academic focus exists, would want to ask the school directly. Because this is a prekindergarten through fifth grade school, there is no graduation rate, Advanced Placement, or dual-enrollment data; those measures simply do not apply here.
The housing market around the school's zip code reflects South Tampa's position as one of the city's more expensive residential pockets. Home values are well above both the Florida state median and the national median, and they have edged down modestly over the past year. Rents are also elevated relative to the state, though they have ticked up slightly. The rent-to-income ratio suggests that renting in this zip code consumes a meaningful share of a typical household's budget. Families relocating to this area should go in clear-eyed about the premium South Tampa commands compared to other parts of Hillsborough County.
Two district-level changes are directly relevant to any family thinking about Hillsborough County Schools. First, voters approved a property tax referendum in late 2024 that took effect in July 2025 and runs through 2029, raising additional revenue to fund teacher and support staff pay. Homeowners in the district carry this added cost, and it is publicly reported to be tied to addressing chronic staffing shortages. Second, the district completed a major boundary rezoning for the 2024-2025 school year that reassigned a large number of students across the county. Families should confirm directly with the district that Ballast Point's attendance zone applies to their specific address, since boundary lines in Hillsborough have shifted.
Tampa itself is a city in active development, with downtown growth projects and a transit network that makes neighborhood-level character matter more than any single city-wide description. The blocks around Ballast Point are residential and relatively stable, and the school's southern Tampa location keeps families connected to the parks and commercial areas of South Tampa without sitting in the middle of the city's construction activity.
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