Summary:
The city of Anthony, Florida, is served by two public elementary schools, Sparr Elementary School and Anthony Elementary School, both part of the Marion school district, which ranks in the bottom 10th percentile of Florida districts. These schools serve grades PK-5, meaning students must leave the city for middle and high school. While both schools face challenges, they are on notably different trajectories, with Anthony Elementary emerging as the stronger performer, particularly in recent years.
Anthony Elementary consistently outperforms Sparr Elementary in state rankings and academic testing. In the most recent data, Anthony Elementary ranks in the 26th percentile statewide, while Sparr Elementary ranks in the 14th percentile—a significant gap. The most dramatic difference is in math proficiency: Anthony Elementary scores 63% proficient in 5th Grade Math (above the state average), compared to just 42% at Sparr Elementary. Anthony Elementary also spends more per student ($17,140 vs. $14,368) and achieves better results despite serving a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students (70.09% vs. 64.37%). Both schools have similar student-teacher ratios (around 15:1) and high chronic absenteeism rates near 30%, which is a city-wide concern.
A key takeaway is that Sparr Elementary has experienced a steep decline, dropping from the 38th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 14th percentile in 2025-2026, signaling a need for urgent intervention. Meanwhile, Anthony Elementary shows improvement in math, with 5th Grade Math jumping from 58% to 63% proficiency year-over-year. The "math gap" between the two schools is the most striking differentiator, suggesting that school-level leadership and resource allocation are making a tangible difference. For parents, Anthony Elementary appears to be the stronger choice, but both schools face systemic challenges tied to the district's low performance and high absenteeism.
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