Jacksonville Classical Academy East

Jacksonville Classical Academy East is a small elementary school (K-7) in the Arlington area of Jacksonville, FL, serving 215 students within the Duval County Public School district.

This school has experienced a dramatic performance swing over the past three years, jumping from the 3rd percentile statewide in 2023-2024 to the 57th percentile in 2025-2026. This recent surge is almost entirely driven by exceptional 3rd-grade test scores: 91% of 3rd graders were proficient in English Language Arts in the most recent year, which is 30 points above the district average and 31 points above the state average. However, this success does not carry over to other grades. In the same year, only 41% of 4th graders were proficient in ELA, creating a 50-point gap between the two grade levels. This pattern suggests the school may have a particularly effective 3rd-grade teacher or program, but has not yet replicated that success across all grades. Science is also a notable weakness, with only 28% of 5th graders proficient in 2024-2025, compared to 52% district-wide.

Compared to its closest neighbor, Fort Caroline Elementary School (just 0.56 miles away), the contrast is stark. Jacksonville Classical Academy East ranks in the 57th percentile while Fort Caroline sits in the 5th percentile. The school also has a lower poverty rate (54.88% free/reduced lunch vs. 71.61% at Fort Caroline) and spends more per student ($14,153 vs. $10,408). Chronic absenteeism has been a challenge, though it improved from 46% to 39.3% in recent years. While the school's "classical" model appears to build strong foundational skills in early reading, the inconsistent performance across grade levels and weak science scores suggest the overall turnaround may be fragile and cohort-dependent.