The top reported proficiency rate is 85% in Science. The lowest is 76% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Bauder Elementary School
Bauder Elementary sits in Seminole, a mid-sized Pinellas County city in the Tampa Bay area. The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade and is part of Pinellas County Schools, a district that publicly reported earning an "A" grade from the Florida Department of Education in 2024 for the first time in its history. That district context matters here, because Bauder's own academic results look quite strong by Florida state standards.
On the most recent FAST assessments, Bauder's third through fifth graders posted proficiency rates in reading and math that sit well above what most Florida elementary schools achieve. ELA results were consistently solid across all three tested grades, and math results were even stronger, with fourth graders in particular posting a standout result. Fifth grade science scores were among the highest the school reported across any subject or grade. For a Florida elementary, these are genuinely competitive numbers, not just passable ones.
The district's approach to early literacy has been an active one. Pinellas developed its own custom core ELA curriculum aligned to Florida's B.E.S.T. standards, built around a structured "science of reading" framework that starts in kindergarten and extends through fifth grade with explicit word study. This isn't an off-the-shelf adoption; it was reported as a ground-up curriculum build that the district links directly to the gains it saw districtwide. Bauder's ELA results are consistent with that investment paying off at the school level.
The school's enrollment is moderate for an elementary serving this grade span, spread fairly evenly across grade levels including a prekindergarten program. The student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic students making up the next largest share and smaller representations of other groups. About three in ten students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which is a relatively modest economic need share for a Florida public school. Data on IEP rates and English learner populations were not available in the data provided.
Seminole itself reads as a well-established suburban community, primarily residential with a commercial overlay centered on the Seminole City Center. The Gulf beaches are nearby, and the Pinellas Trail runs through the city connecting cyclists and pedestrians countywide. The Bay Pines VA Medical Center is the city's most prominent institutional employer. The housing market around the school reflects the desirability of the area: home values here run noticeably above Florida's statewide median and the national median, with only a modest year-over-year dip. Monthly mortgage costs for a typical home in the zip code are substantial, and rents are high as well, though rent-to-income ratios here are not dramatically out of line with national norms. Families considering a move to the area specifically for this school should factor in what are genuinely above-median housing costs for Florida.
One budget item worth knowing: in November 2024, Pinellas County voters renewed and expanded the local-option school property tax, doubling the millage rate for a multi-year period. The funds support teacher and support-staff bonuses as well as reading, music, art, and technology programs. For a prospective homebuyer, that tax is a real ongoing cost; for a family weighing program depth and teacher retention, it represents a direct funding commitment to classroom resources.
A few gaps in what was available: no trend data across multiple years was present, so it isn't possible to say whether Bauder's strong scores represent an improvement, a plateau, or a long-standing baseline. Chronic absenteeism data and discipline data were not in the available records. No formal program listings were provided, so specifics on arts, enrichment, or special services beyond the district's ELA framework can't be described here. A parent interested in gifted programming, student support services, or extracurricular offerings would want to ask the school directly.
For a family looking for a public elementary with strong tested academic outcomes, a structured reading program backed by district investment, and a stable suburban community, Bauder fits that picture. The housing market is the main friction point for families new to the area.
See more original research from School Decision →