Best Public Schools in St Augustine, FL

The city of St. Augustine, Florida, is home to 33 public schools serving students from Pre-K through 12th grade, primarily within the highly-ranked St. Johns County School District, which is rated 4th in the state. The educational landscape is dominated by top-tier elementary schools like R. B. Hunt Elementary School, which boasts a 95th percentile state ranking and exceptional test scores, and Palencia Elementary School, which has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the city at just 9.7%. Other standout performers include Timberlin Creek Elementary School and the K-8 Pine Island Academy, both consistently earning 5-star and 4-star ratings respectively with very high proficiency rates in math and English Language Arts.

However, the data reveals a stark contrast between these high-achieving schools and those facing significant challenges. St. Johns Technical High School is the lowest-performing school in the district, with a 1-star rating, a 57.4% chronic absenteeism rate, and critically low test scores, despite spending over $22,000 per student. The Deaf/Blind district schools, such as Blind High School (Fsdb), operate as a unique ecosystem with very high per-student spending and low student-teacher ratios, yet their test scores are low compared to the St. Johns district average. Meanwhile, St. Augustine Public Montessori School presents a paradox: despite having the lowest poverty rate in the city, its test scores are among the lowest, suggesting its educational model prioritizes different outcomes than standardized testing.

Key metrics show that chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of performance, with the three highest-absenteeism schools also being the lowest-performing. Spending is not a silver bullet, as high-poverty schools like James A. Webster Elementary School spend more per student but still struggle academically. The district average test scores far outpace state averages, but the wide range of outcomes—from the elite R. B. Hunt Elementary to the struggling St. Johns Technical High School—means that a student's experience is heavily influenced by their specific school and address.