Summary:
Labelle, Florida, is home to a single middle school, Labelle Middle School, which serves grades 6 through 8 with an enrollment of 830 students and is part of the Hendry County school district, a district ranked in the 16th percentile statewide.
Labelle Middle School presents a mixed academic profile. It consistently outperforms its district in nearly every subject, making it a relative bright spot in a low-performing area. However, it still falls short of state averages in core subjects like ELA and math. A striking "advanced math paradox" exists: while only 41-48% of students are proficient in standard grade-level math (FAST), an exceptional 95% of students taking the Geometry EOC and 66-70% taking Algebra 1 are proficient, far exceeding state and district rates. This suggests a highly effective advanced track for a select group, while the majority of students in standard math classes struggle. The school also shows strength in 8th-grade science (51% proficient, nearly matching the state) and civics (75% proficient).
A major concern is the school's chronic absenteeism rate of 33.9%, which is significantly higher than the district average of 20.1% and slightly above the state average. This is unusual because the school's test scores are better than the district's, implying that attending students perform well, but a large disengaged segment likely drags down overall rankings. With a stable state ranking in the 30th-31st percentile over three years, 60.6% of students economically disadvantaged, and per-student spending of $10,608, the school's challenges appear systemic. Targeted investment in standard math instruction and programs to reduce absenteeism, rather than general funding increases, would likely yield the most improvement.
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