Charger Academy

Charger Academy is a public middle school in Jacksonville, Florida, serving 961 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Duval District, which is ranked 54 out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Charger Academy stands out in several key areas. It has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (56.09%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 25.76% to 84.98% African American. The school also has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 43.9% to 55.0% over the past few years, much higher than the surrounding schools, which range from 16.7% to 60.8%. Charger Academy's test scores are consistently lower than the Duval District and Florida state averages across various subjects and grade levels, with proficiency rates around 26-33% in English Language Arts and Math, compared to 45-54% for the district and state. Additionally, Charger Academy has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 70.36% to 73.76%, higher than the surrounding schools, which range from 29.11% to 83.11%.

When comparing Charger Academy to nearby schools, such as James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School, which ranks in the top 10% of Florida middle schools, it becomes evident that Charger Academy is performing significantly worse in terms of test scores, chronic absenteeism, and overall school ranking. The high rates of poverty and the racial demographics of Charger Academy may be contributing factors to the school's lower performance, presenting an opportunity for the school and district to implement targeted interventions and strategies to address the underlying issues and ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.