Ascend Career Academy

Ascend Career Academy in Margate, FL, is a small high school serving 215 students in grades 9-12 within the Broward district, but it faces severe challenges that set it apart from nearby schools. The most critical issue is a chronic absenteeism crisis, with 80.6% of students missing significant school time—more than double the district average of 33.6% and over four times the rate at the high-performing Atlantic Technical College (18.8%), located less than half a mile away on the same street. This attendance problem directly contributes to a low graduation rate of 56.6%, far below the district average of 91.4% and the 100% rate at Atlantic Technical College.

Academic performance at Ascend Career Academy is inconsistent and generally low, with test scores fluctuating wildly from year to year. For example, Algebra 1 proficiency jumped from 10% to 50% over four years, while Biology 1 swung from 22% to 58% in the same period. The only bright spot is 9th Grade English Language Arts, where 65% of students scored proficient in 2025-2026, slightly above the district average of 63%. However, this volatility makes it hard to predict future outcomes, especially when compared to stable, high-performing schools like Coral Springs Charter School (99.6% graduation rate) and Monarch High School (96.2% graduation rate).

The contrast between Ascend Career Academy and Atlantic Technical College is particularly striking, as both are public schools in the same district on the same street. While Atlantic Technical College earns a 5-star rating with near-perfect outcomes, Ascend Career Academy is a 1-star school ranked in the bottom 20% of Florida high schools. This suggests the school's struggles are tied to its own culture and student engagement, not the neighborhood. Without a radical intervention to address attendance, the school's low ranking and poor outcomes are likely to persist.