Summary:
The city of Quincy, Florida, is home to 11 schools serving grades PK-12, all part of the Gadsden County School District, which faces significant systemic challenges as one of the lowest-ranked districts in the state.
For parents, the standout school is Gadsden Elementary Magnet School, which is the only school in the district to earn a 3-star or 4-star rating, with test scores often exceeding state averages in subjects like Algebra 1 and Civics. In contrast, Crossroad Academy is a consistent performer across all grades (PK-12) and boasts a 100% graduation rate, far above the district's 80.9%. James A. Shanks Middle School shows a fascinating split: its students excel in advanced courses like Algebra 1 (91% proficient) and Biology 1 (86% proficient), but struggle in standard grade-level assessments. On the other end, Carter Parramore Academy and Gadsden Central Academy serve the most at-risk students, with chronic absenteeism rates above 96% and very low academic proficiency.
Key takeaways for parents include that chronic absenteeism is the strongest predictor of a school's struggles—the top-performing schools have the lowest absenteeism rates. Also, higher per-student spending does not guarantee better outcomes; Carter Parramore Academy spends over $42,000 per student but has the worst results, while Crossroad Academy spends only $8,588 per student and achieves strong performance. Overall, the district's performance is heavily influenced by its alternative schools, which serve a disproportionate number of vulnerable students, and any improvement strategy must first address the root causes of chronic absenteeism.
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