The top reported proficiency rate is 68% in Math. The lowest is 51% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Charles S. Rushe Middle School
Charles S. Rushe Middle School serves grades six through eight in Land O' Lakes, a fast-growing suburban census-designated place in Pasco County, positioned just north of Tampa along the US-41 and State Road 54 corridors. The school is a regular public middle school within the Pasco County School District, not a charter or magnet program.
On the most recent Florida state assessments, Rushe shows strong math performance. Sixth and eighth graders scored well above the majority of Florida students on FAST Math, and seventh graders came in solidly above the midpoint as well. ELA results tell a somewhat different story: sixth graders matched the strong math showing, but seventh and eighth grade ELA proficiency rates trailed behind, with eighth grade in particular sitting closer to the middle of the state distribution. On the eighth-grade statewide science assessment, about half of students reached proficiency, which places the school near the Florida median for that subject. A parent who cares specifically about reading and writing development in the later middle grades may want to ask the school directly about how it supports students who are not yet proficient in ELA. Multi-year trend data was not available in the data provided, so it is not possible to characterize whether performance is improving, holding, or declining.
Enrollment is large for a middle school serving three grade levels, with students spread fairly evenly across sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. The student body is majority white with a substantial Hispanic population, meaningful Asian representation, and smaller shares of Black and multiracial students. The proportion of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch is notably low relative to what is typical for Florida public schools, which reflects the affluent suburban character of the Land O' Lakes community. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not reported in the available data, so those populations cannot be characterized here.
Program details were not available in the data provided, so it is not possible to describe specific electives, athletics, or enrichment offerings beyond what the school's own website would show. Civil rights data was also not included.
The surrounding community is defined by rapid residential growth. Land O' Lakes is publicly reported as one of the fastest-growing areas in Florida, with large master-planned communities actively building out and a major new life sciences presence anchored by Moffitt Cancer Center's Speros campus. The area is car-dependent with no walkable downtown, and civic life clusters around the Land O' Lakes Recreation Complex and nearby library on Collier Parkway. Home values in the zip code run above both the Florida state median and the national median, and they have edged slightly downward over the past year. Rents are also modestly declining year over year. The cost-to-income ratio sits above the national norm, meaning housing here is not cheap relative to income, though mortgage carrying costs remain closer to the rental market than in many comparable suburban Florida locations.
At the district level, Pasco County voters approved a property-tax millage referendum in 2022 to fund non-administrative salaries, and that levy is set to run through mid-2027, with a renewal being placed before voters in November 2026. Publicly reported figures show teacher vacancies have dropped sharply since the levy took effect. Separately, a renewed sales tax supports school construction and renovation, which matters in a district absorbing the kind of enrollment growth Land O' Lakes is generating. Families considering a move should be aware that rezoning is an active part of district planning in high-growth areas, though the most publicized adjustments have centered on Wesley Chapel rather than Land O' Lakes specifically.
Rushe is likely to suit families looking for a large suburban middle school with above-average math performance and a relatively affluent peer environment, in a community that is still actively building out its infrastructure and identity.
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