High Schools in Union

Union County, Florida, is served by a single high school, Union County High School in Lake Butler, which educates 606 students in grades 9 through 12 as part of the Union district, rated 3 out of 5 stars and ranking in the 61st percentile statewide.

Union County High School shows notable strengths and areas for improvement. The school stands out in US History, with 85% of students proficient in 2025-2026—11 points above the state average—and demonstrates consistent, above-average performance in Biology 1 (74% proficiency, matching the state). A remarkable turnaround occurred in 9th Grade English Language Arts, where proficiency jumped from 46% to 70% in one year. However, Algebra 1 is a clear weakness, with only 50% proficiency in 2025-2026, which is 13 points below the state average and 22 points below the district average—a puzzling gap since the school is the only high school in the district. The school’s state ranking has been stable, improving slightly to the 68th percentile in 2025-2026.

Key metrics reveal a disconnect between test scores and graduation outcomes. While the school’s test scores are generally competitive or above state averages in most subjects, the graduation rate is just 84.7%, significantly below the state average of 92.2%. Chronic absenteeism is a concern at 32.5%, slightly above the state rate, and 38.78% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The student-teacher ratio is 15.2:1, with spending of $13,018 per student. An interesting dynamic is the contrast between 9th and 10th-grade ELA trends: 9th grade surged 24 points, while 10th grade only improved 2 points, suggesting targeted efforts for incoming students. The low graduation rate despite solid test scores is a major red flag, possibly linked to absenteeism or other graduation requirements.