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Fairview Middle School

Q: Is Fairview Middle School a good school?

Fairview Middle School ranks 672 nd of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Magnet Grades 6-8

672^nd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,216 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 45% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Fairview Middle School in Tallahassee, FL, is a public school serving 735 students in grades 6-8 as part of the Leon County School District. This school presents a fascinating paradox: it excels at accelerating its top students to near-perfect scores in advanced high school courses like Algebra 1 (100% proficiency) and Biology (98% proficiency), yet struggles with core academic performance and faces a significant challenge with chronic absenteeism.

The most striking feature of Fairview is its "two schools" dynamic. While its advanced coursework results rival the best schools in the state, its performance on core FAST assessments in English Language Arts and Math consistently falls below district and state averages. For instance, only 52% of 7th graders were proficient in ELA compared to 61% district-wide. This internal achievement gap is compounded by a critically high chronic absenteeism rate of 40.8%, which is the highest among all middle schools in the comparison set except for Griffin Middle School and R. Frank Nims Middle School. This absenteeism crisis is a primary driver of the school's overall low performance in core subjects.

Compared to nearby schools, Fairview sits in a cluster of lower-performing schools in the southern part of Tallahassee, while higher-performing schools like Deerlake Middle School and William J Montford III Middle School are located in the northern part of the city. Despite spending more per student ($10,436) and having smaller class sizes than these top-performing peers, Fairview's core academic outcomes remain low. However, there are bright spots: the school saw a dramatic one-year turnaround in 8th Grade Science, jumping from 17% proficiency to 64%—far exceeding the district average. This volatility suggests that targeted improvements can yield rapid results, and the school's future success hinges on replicating the success of its advanced programs for all students while aggressively tackling absenteeism.

735

Students ?

17.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,436

Per pupil spending ?

50.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3415 Zillah St
Tallahassee, FL 32305

(850) 488-6880

District: Leon

Students who attend Fairview Middle School usually attend:

High:

James Rickards High School

Feeder schools for Fairview Middle School:

Elementary:	Apalachee Elementary School
	J Michael Conley Elementary School At Southwood

Racial breakdown:

African American:

65.9%

White:

10.5%

Asian:

9.7%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Fairview Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 49th percentile in 2016 → 45th in 2026

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (41% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school62%

District avg61%

Florida avg62%

672^nd of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 45%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to bottom 45% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 8Middle Schools in the Leon

39^th of 70Leon among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	46.6	672 of 1216	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2025	27.8	913 of 1205	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.0	795 of 1196	33.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.5	823 of 1177	30.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	38.3	694 of 1148	39.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	34.7	747 of 1136	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2019	43.3	637 of 1099	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2018	43.7	588 of 1035	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2017	48.5	528 of 1031	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2016	48.3	513 of 997	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2014	58.3	411 of 999	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2013	55.1	422 of 956	55.9%	★★★☆☆
2012	54.1	426 of 897	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2011	50.1	483 of 891	45.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	50.5	448 of 839	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	49.8	426 of 780	45.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	58.9	329 of 740	55.5%	★★★☆☆
2007	65.2	262 of 736	64.4%	★★★☆☆
2006	66.6	217 of 675	67.9%	★★★☆☆
2005	65.6	206 of 602	65.8%	★★★☆☆
2004	68.3	184 of 593	69.0%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Algebra 1100%+37 vs state

Biology 198%+24 vs state

Geometry95%+39 vs state

Civics78%~ state avg

Science64%+12 vs state

English Language Arts55%-6 vs state

Math53%-6 vs state

2.8

5 ratings · 3 written reviews

5★2

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★2

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What people are saying

by a teacher
Wednesday, October 14, 2015

If you are considering a job at this school, DON'T! There are some wonderful people who put their heart and soul into the work they do for this school. There are also many disheartened adults at this school who have been beaten and broken by the administration. The administrators will choose favorites, lie to your face, bully you, and continually fail to back you up, to the point where many people who have worked there for years become complacent or chronically negative about their jobs. If you value your integrity as a professional, until there is a full turn over of administration at this school, take your resume elsewhere and don't look back! Close Quote

by a student
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

As a student from Fairview Middle School, I can honestly say it's a tough program if you're in IB. You'll have hours of homework,deal with difficult students, and the teachers are unbending in their strict policies. But if you make it out alive, you'll honestly have learned a lot about the world, yourself, and come out a better person than you came. If you think you can handle it, it's definitely worth it. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Pre-IB program is amazing. The workload is hard, but the teachers make it enjoyable. Most of the students love it. Close Quote

Schools Near Fairview Middle School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)			FAST Math (2026)			Statewide Science Science (2026)	EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Fairview Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	3415 Zillah St	Tallahassee	32305	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	Yes	(850) 488-6880	735	41	17.7	50.6%	77 (10.5%)	484 (65.9%)	64 (8.7%)	71 (9.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.2%)	46.6	672^nd of 1216 public middle schools	44.7%		27.8	913^th of 1205 public middle schools	24.2%	241	57.0	52.0	57.0	59.0	45.0	55.0	64.0	100.0	95.0	98.0	78.0	$10,436	$1,587	$8,850
R. Frank Nims Middle School	Public	6-8	723 W Orange Ave	Tallahassee	32310	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 488-5960	625	35	17.8	71.8%	36 (5.8%)	475 (76.0%)	78 (12.5%)	7 (1.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	27 (4.3%)	7.9	1131^st of 1216 public middle schools	7.0%		17.5	1040^th of 1205 public middle schools	13.7%	91	25.0	31.0	26.0	10.0	24.0	30.0	26.0	42.0	33.0	58.0	45.0	$10,488	$1,740	$8,749
Elizabeth Cobb Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	915 Hillcrest Ave	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	No	(850) 488-3364	675	36	18.8	40.1%	181 (26.8%)	365 (54.1%)	53 (7.9%)	29 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	47 (7.0%)	49.6	628^th of 1216 public middle schools	48.4%		38.7	766^th of 1205 public middle schools	36.4%	138	61.0	65.0	54.0	53.0	60.0	56.0	50.0	100.0	100.0	99.0	78.0	$9,785	$802	$8,983
Griffin Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	800 Alabama St	Tallahassee	32304	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	Yes	(850) 488-8436	457	26	17.5	74.0%	19 (4.2%)	353 (77.2%)	55 (12.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (5.9%)	12.3	1108^th of 1216 public middle schools	8.9%		9.4	1114^th of 1205 public middle schools	7.6%	6	37.0	35.0	33.0	37.0	36.0	20.0	23.0	69.0		85.0	74.0	$12,347	$2,236	$10,110
Raa Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	401 W Tharpe St	Tallahassee	32303	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	No	(850) 488-6287	928	46	20.2	46.8%	231 (24.9%)	535 (57.7%)	70 (7.5%)	17 (1.8%)	1 (0.1%)	4 (0.4%)	70 (7.5%)	32.9	875^th of 1216 public middle schools	28.0%		43.8	688^th of 1205 public middle schools	42.9%	187	53.0	58.0	45.0	48.0	61.0	41.0	27.0	90.0	100.0	99.0	78.0	$9,016	$582	$8,434
Swift Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	2100 Pedrick Rd	Tallahassee	32317	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-4868	793	43	18.4	28.6%	370 (46.7%)	236 (29.8%)	77 (9.7%)	47 (5.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	62 (7.8%)	64.6	402^nd of 1216 public middle schools	66.9%		66.4	365^th of 1205 public middle schools	69.7%	37	74.0	74.0	67.0	67.0	64.0	53.0	49.0	85.0	100.0	99.0	90.0	$9,415	$550	$8,864
William J Montford III Middle School	Public	6-8	5789 Pimlico Dr	Tallahassee	32309	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 922-6011	1,016	50	20.1	19.4%	685 (67.4%)	121 (11.9%)	113 (11.1%)	28 (2.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (6.8%)	74.8	271^st of 1216 public middle schools	77.7%		80	209^th of 1205 public middle schools	82.7%	62	75.0	75.0	69.0	88.0	82.0	59.0	51.0	99.0	100.0	100.0	88.0	$8,981	$571	$8,410
Riversprings Middle School	Public	6-8	800 Spring Creek Hwy	Crawfordville	32327	Wakulla County	Wakulla	No	No	No	No	(850) 926-2300	552	32	17.2	33.0%	425 (77.0%)	77 (13.9%)	23 (4.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	21 (3.8%)	70.6	323^rd of 1216 public middle schools	73.4%		64.8	392^nd of 1205 public middle schools	67.5%	69	76.0	78.0	71.0	67.0	63.0	40.0	69.0	80.0	100.0		82.0	$10,116	$432	$9,684
Deerlake Middle School	Public	6-8	9902 Deer Lk W	Tallahassee	32312	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 922-6545	876	43	20.2	15.0%	565 (64.5%)	89 (10.2%)	86 (9.8%)	90 (10.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (5.1%)	80.6	189^th of 1216 public middle schools	84.5%		81.2	194^th of 1205 public middle schools	83.9%	5	85.0	77.0	70.0	85.0	81.0	65.0	66.0	100.0	100.0	98.0	91.0	$9,672	$561	$9,111
Wakulla Middle School	Public	6-8	22 Jean Dr	Crawfordville	32327	Wakulla County	Wakulla	No	No	No	No	(850) 926-7143	476	26	18.3	37.0%	354 (74.4%)	64 (13.4%)	22 (4.6%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (6.7%)	65.9	379^th of 1216 public middle schools	68.8%		64.7	393^rd of 1205 public middle schools	67.4%	14	70.0	59.0	69.0	76.0	68.0	53.0	61.0	81.0	100.0		84.0	$9,871	$516	$9,355

Frequently Asked Questions about Fairview Middle School

How many students attend Fairview Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 735 students attended Fairview Middle School.

What district is Fairview Middle School in?

Leon

What high school do graduates of Fairview Middle School attend?

Students who attend Fairview Middle School usually go on to attend James Rickards High School

What is the racial makeup of Fairview Middle School?

Students at Fairview Middle School are 66% African American, 10% White, 10% Asian, 9% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races.

Is Fairview Middle School a good school?

Fairview Middle School ranks 672^nd of 1216 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Fairview Middle School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.