Bradford

The Bradford school district in Florida serves approximately 2,845 students across six public schools—four elementary schools (including one charter), one middle school, and one high school—and is ranked 58th out of 70 districts in the state, indicating significant challenges relative to Florida's overall performance.

Several schools stand out for distinct reasons. Lawtey Elementary School is the most volatile performer, earning a 4-star rating (73rd percentile) in 2024-2025 but dropping to a 2-star rating (42nd percentile) in 2025-2026, a dramatic swing that suggests a potential data anomaly or major shift in student cohort. Bradford Middle School is a "math powerhouse," with 79% of its students proficient in Algebra 1—16 points above the state average—despite its low overall ranking (36th percentile). Brooker Community School Inc, the smallest school with 82 students, shows extreme performance swings between grade levels, such as 90% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA one year versus only 25% of 5th graders proficient the next, highlighting the volatility common in very small schools. Bradford High School faces a chronic absenteeism crisis at 57.8%, nearly double the state average, which is likely a primary driver of its low academic performance and graduation rate (87.2% vs. the state's 92.2%).

Key takeaways include a surprising strength in mathematics across elementary and middle schools, with 97% of Lawtey's 6th graders proficient in math in 2025-2026, suggesting effective math strategies that could be scaled. A "6th grade spike" is evident, where 6th graders consistently outperform 5th graders in both ELA and math across multiple elementary schools. However, chronic absenteeism is the district's most critical challenge, with an average of 44.1%—40% higher than the state average—and is strongly linked to lower performance, especially at the high school and middle school levels. Economic disadvantage is high, with free/reduced lunch eligibility ranging from 49.55% to 67.92% across schools, and spending per student ($10,155 to $12,206) shows no clear correlation with performance.