Eastside High School

Eastside High School in Gainesville, FL, is a mid-sized school serving 1,291 students in grades 7-12 within the Alachua County Public School District, where over half of its students come from low-income households. This school stands out for its strong graduation rate, which consistently meets the state average at 92.2%, even as it faces challenges like high chronic absenteeism and below-average test scores in core subjects. Compared to nearby schools, Eastside has a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students than F. W. Buchholz High School (34.52%) or Gainesville High School (45.04%), and it spends more per student ($10,140) than both, suggesting it invests extra resources to support its student body.

Academically, Eastside shows a mixed performance. While its proficiency in US History reached 81% in 2023-2024, outperforming district and state averages, math scores have been a persistent weakness—Algebra 1 proficiency was just 17% in 2022-2023, though it improved to 45% in 2025-2026. In geometry, Eastside (45%) lags behind Buchholz (60%) and Gainesville High (57%). The school’s state ranking has been volatile, dropping from a 3-star rating to a 2-star rating in recent years, and it currently sits in the 45th percentile. A key issue is chronic absenteeism, which affects nearly one in three students (32.9%), higher than the district and state averages, and likely a major factor in lower test scores.

An interesting comparison is the nearby Professional Academy Magnet at Loften High School, a selective magnet school just 1.54 miles away that boasts a 4-star rating, a 96.7% graduation rate, and much higher test scores (e.g., 82% in geometry). This contrast highlights how Eastside, as a comprehensive neighborhood school, serves a broader range of students. Despite its challenges, Eastside’s strong graduation rate shows a commitment to helping students complete their coursework, making it a school that prioritizes student support even as it works to improve academic outcomes.