Chattahoochee Elementary School

Chattahoochee Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Chattahoochee, Florida, with 161 students. The school is part of the Gadsden school district, which is ranked 64th out of 67 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Chattahoochee Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom 10% of Florida elementary schools over the past several years.

The school faces significant challenges, including extremely high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 30.9% to 56.0% in recent years, which is much higher than the state average and the rates at nearby schools like Gadsden Elementary Magnet (31.4%) and Stewart Street Elementary (31.4%). Chattahoochee Elementary students also perform well below state and district averages on standardized tests, with only 5% of 5th graders proficient in science compared to 25% in the district and 55% statewide. Additionally, the school has an extremely high percentage of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 85.09% to 92.81% in recent years.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($11,058 to $19,312 in recent years) compared to nearby schools, which spend $12,142 to $17,628 per student, Chattahoochee Elementary is not seeing commensurate improvements in student achievement. This raises questions about the efficient and effective use of resources at the school. Comparing the school to the higher-performing Gadsden Elementary Magnet, which serves a similarly disadvantaged student population, highlights the opportunity gap that exists and the need for targeted interventions to improve outcomes for Chattahoochee's students.