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South Area Alternative Learning Center

Public, Alternative Grades 1-12

2226^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Alternative Schools

Better than 1% of Florida alternative schools

Summary

South Area Alternative Learning Center in Melbourne, FL, is a small alternative public school within the Brevard County School District, serving 68 students in grades 1 through 12 who have struggled in traditional school settings due to behavioral, academic, or personal challenges.

The most critical issue at this school is an extreme chronic absenteeism rate. In the 2023-2024 school year, 76.6% of students were chronically absent—more than 3.6 times higher than the district average of 21.1% and nearly 2.5 times higher than the state average. This rate is the highest among comparable alternative schools in the area, including North/Central Area Alternative Learning Center (37.9%) and Gardendale Separate Day School (59.3%). The attendance crisis has a direct impact on academics: proficiency rates are severely depressed across all subjects, with 0% of 5th graders proficient in math or science in the 2025-2026 school year. The school does show relative strength in civics (31% proficient) and U.S. history (29% proficient), likely due to small class sizes and a student-teacher ratio of 11.3:1.

Despite spending $14,898 per student—significantly more than high-performing alternatives like Odyssey Charter School ($9,353) and Pineapple Cove Classical Academy ($8,919)—the school's outcomes remain the lowest in the comparison group. The contrast with Brevard Virtual Franchise, another alternative school in the district, is stark: Brevard Virtual has a 100% graduation rate and proficiency rates exceeding district averages, while serving a population with only 6.98% economic disadvantage compared to SAALC's 70.59%. This highlights that SAALC serves students with profound socioeconomic and behavioral barriers, and without solving the attendance crisis, academic efforts will continue to struggle.

Students ?

11.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

70.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2175 N Wickham Rd
Melbourne, FL 32935

(321) 242-4770

District: Brevard

Racial breakdown:

African American:

35.3%

White:

33.8%

Two or more races:

19.1%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare South Area Alternative Learning Center to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 13th percentile in 2022 → 7th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 11 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (17% vs 63% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (1st percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (77% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school17%

District avg65%

Florida avg63%

Elementary school

2,226^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 1%

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

1,154^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 5%▼ down 1 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

776^th of 838

Florida public high schools ?

Bottom 7%▼ down 2 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

5^th of 5Alternative Schools in the Brevard

24^th of 70Brevard among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	3.7	1154 of 1216	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	4.5	1147 of 1205	4.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	6.4	1135 of 1196	5.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	7.2	1106 of 1177	6.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	16.8	999 of 1148	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.1	1027 of 1136	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	6.7	1034 of 1099	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	10.3	948 of 1035	8.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	16.0	888 of 1031	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	6.8	935 of 997	6.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	7.0	917 of 999	8.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	13.8	825 of 956	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	30.3	641 of 897	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	28.8	667 of 891	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	26.3	649 of 839	22.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	23.1	617 of 780	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	25.1	583 of 740	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	19.3	606 of 736	17.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	18.6	552 of 675	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	3.1	776 of 838	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	4.5	750 of 844	11.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	6.3	702 of 807	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	3.3	747 of 792	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	6.4	673 of 774	13.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.7	610 of 746	18.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	12.0	607 of 734	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	8.3	601 of 716	16.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	13.3	576 of 714	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	5.0	627 of 693	9.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	16.5	557 of 687	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	27.5	478 of 648	26.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	21.2	467 of 606	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	32.3	456 of 622	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	31.6	451 of 620	27.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	40.9	375 of 587	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2008	38.9	373 of 577	35.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	45.5	320 of 563	43.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	45.8	276 of 477	42.1%	★★☆☆☆
2005	31.2	368 of 487	24.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	26.0	385 of 484	20.5%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Civics31%-46 vs state

US History29%-45 vs state

Biology 125%-49 vs state

English Language Arts18%-43 vs state

Algebra 117%-46 vs state

Math12%-47 vs state

Science11%-45 vs state

Geometry4%-52 vs state

★

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Schools Near South Area Alternative Learning Center

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				FAST English Language Arts (2026)								FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC US History (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Area Alternative Learning Center	Public, Alternative	1-12	2175 N Wickham Rd	Melbourne	32935	Brevard County	Brevard	No	No	No	No	(321) 242-4770	68	6	11.3	70.6%	23 (33.8%)	24 (35.3%)	8 (11.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (19.1%)								(n/a)			13.0	30.0	19.0	18.0	16.0	16.0			0.0		9.0	20.0	0.0	14.0	17.0	4.0	25.0	29.0	31.0
Devereux Hospital	Public, Alternative	K-12	8000 Devereux Dr	Viera	32940	Brevard County	Brevard	No	No	No	No	(321) 242-9100	66	16	4.2	6.1%	28 (42.4%)	32 (48.5%)	2 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.1%)								(n/a)	0.0								0.0													$24,485	$140	$24,345
Pineapple Cove Classical Academy At West Melbourne	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-10	3455 Norfolk Pkwy	West Melbourne	32904	Brevard County	Brevard	Yes	No	No	No	(321) 499-2585	832	56	14.9	30.2%	537 (64.5%)	60 (7.2%)	139 (16.7%)	36 (4.3%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	54 (6.5%)								(n/a)	69.0	52.0	57.0	77.0	77.0	71.0	80.0	62.0	85.0	55.0	57.0	88.0	88.0	63.0	52.0	62.0	82.0	58.0	89.0	82.0	91.0	$8,928	$00	$8,928
Contracted Residential Services	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2700 Judge Fran Jaimeson Way	Viera	32940	Brevard County	Brevard	No	No	No	No	(321) 633-1000	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Pineapple Cove Classical Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	6162 Minton Rd NW	Palm Bay	32907	Brevard County	Brevard	Yes	No	No	No	(321) 802-9500	1,065	70	15.2	24.5%	689 (64.7%)	67 (6.3%)	224 (21.0%)	19 (1.8%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	59 (5.5%)								(n/a)	69.0	69.0	60.0	81.0	67.0	52.0	72.0	74.0	65.0	70.0	55.0	75.0	79.0	44.0	43.0	51.0	69.0	60.0	84.0	84.0	90.0	$8,919	$00	$8,919
Odyssey Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	1755 Eldron Blvd SE	Palm Bay	32909	Brevard County	Brevard	Yes	No	No	Yes	(321) 733-0442	1,917	94	20.5	37.7%	782 (40.8%)	467 (24.4%)	453 (23.6%)	27 (1.4%)	2 (0.1%)	4 (0.2%)	182 (9.5%)								(n/a)	80.0	70.0	74.0	64.0	64.0	65.0	73.0	63.0	76.0	70.0	58.0	49.0	67.0	47.0	73.0	64.0	70.0	64.0	89.0	84.0	82.0	$9,353	$524	$8,829
North/Central Area Alternative Learning Center	Public, Alternative	3-12	301 Grove Blvd	Merritt Island	32953	Brevard County	Brevard	No	No	No	Yes	(321) 633-3489	61	8	7.6	73.8%	20 (32.8%)	27 (44.3%)	10 (16.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.6%)	3 (4.9%)								(n/a)
Gardendale Separate Day School	Public, Alternative	K-12	301 Grove Blvd	Merritt Island	32953	Brevard County	Brevard	No	No	No	Yes	(321) 633-1000	62	19	3.2	77.4%	31 (50.0%)	19 (30.6%)	7 (11.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (8.1%)								(n/a)																						$85,315	$6,414	$78,901
Brevard Virtual Franchise	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	1225 Clearlake Rd	Cocoa	32922	Brevard County	Brevard	No	No	Yes	No	(321) 633-3660	215	47	4.5	7.0%	131 (60.9%)	26 (12.1%)	28 (13.0%)	4 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.5%)	25 (11.6%)								(n/a)					69.0	63.0	93.0	75.0						50.0		50.0	56.0	44.0	88.0	71.0	38.0	$12,912	$420	$12,491

Frequently Asked Questions about South Area Alternative Learning Center

What is the racial makeup of South Area Alternative Learning Center?

Students at South Area Alternative Learning Center are 35% African American, 34% White, 19% Two or more races, 12% Hispanic.

Is South Area Alternative Learning Center a good school?

South Area Alternative Learning Center ranks in the bottom 0.6% of Florida alternative schools.

How many students attend South Area Alternative Learning Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 68 students attended South Area Alternative Learning Center.

What district is South Area Alternative Learning Center in?

Brevard

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.