Pine View School ranks No. 2 in Florida

Pine View School in Osprey earned the No. 2 spot among Florida's best public elementary schools in U.S. News & World Report's 2027 rankings, released Oct. 20.

Southside Elementary School in Sarasota also made the list at No. 20. The two placements give Sarasota County a pair of schools in the state's top 20.

U.S. News evaluated nearly 47,000 public elementary schools nationwide. Researchers based the 2027 edition on data from state education agencies, collected by RTI International, and U.S. Department of Education figures. The ranking weighs math proficiency, math performance, reading proficiency and reading performance at 25% each. Half the formula assessed raw scores; the other half factored in socioeconomic demographics.

Schools offering pre-K through fifth or sixth grade qualified. For schools with wider grade spans, only tests through fifth grade counted. Charter schools were ranked in a separate category.

Southside's strong showing aligns with broader gains across Sarasota County Schools. The district earned an overall "A" grade from the Florida Department of Education for the 23rd consecutive year, according to a July 1 district announcement. Every district-managed school earned an "A" or "B." Over three years, the number of "A" schools rose from 24 to 35, while "C" schools dropped from six to zero.

"These results reflect an extraordinary level of commitment across our district, and we are incredibly proud of the hard work behind them," Superintendent Terry Connor said in the announcement. "Reaching milestones like 100% of our schools earning an 'A' or 'B' … speaks to what is possible when our teachers, leaders, staff, students, and families work together with a shared focus on success."

The Argus Foundation wrote on X on July 22 that Southside Elementary led the county's K-5 schools with 96% math proficiency.

Florida's top 10 public elementary schools (U.S. News 2027):