Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center

Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center is a public magnet school in Miami, Florida, serving 327 students from prekindergarten through 8th grade. While part of the Miami-Dade school district, which is ranked 22 out of 67 districts in the state, Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center faces some significant challenges.

One of the school's most pressing issues is its consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 23.7% to 31.4% over the past few years. This is significantly higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, the school's test scores generally underperform compared to the Miami-Dade district and Florida state averages across various subjects and grade levels, with proficiency rates in 3rd-8th grade English Language Arts and Math that are 10-50 percentage points lower. The school also serves a predominantly low-income population, with 63.61% to 89.47% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch over the past few years.

When comparing Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center to nearby schools, some interesting differences emerge. For example, nearby charter schools like Somerset Academy Elementary School (South Miami Campus) and Mater Grove Academy consistently outperform Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center on test scores, even though they serve similar student populations. Public schools like Coconut Grove Elementary School and George W. Carver Elementary School, also in the Miami-Dade district, have significantly higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates than Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center. These comparisons suggest that factors beyond just student demographics and funding may be contributing to the underperformance of Francis S.Tucker K-8 Center relative to its neighbors.