James Madison Preparatory High School

James Madison Preparatory High School is a small public high school in Madison, FL, serving 180 students in grades 9 through 12 within the Madison district.

This school stands out as a high-performing option compared to its nearby counterpart, Madison County High School, located just 0.3 miles away. James Madison Prep boasts a remarkable 97.7% graduation rate, far exceeding the district (86.7%) and state (92.2%) averages, while Madison County High School’s rate is only 82.7%. The school also has a much lower chronic absenteeism rate (26.7%) compared to Madison County High School’s 52.5%, indicating a more engaged student body. Additionally, James Madison Prep achieves these results with lower spending per student ($9,827) than its neighbor ($11,335), suggesting efficient use of resources. However, the school has experienced a concerning downward trend in its academic ranking, dropping from the 75th percentile in 2022-2023 to the 38th percentile in just two years.

A key academic weakness is in Algebra 1, where only 17% of students were proficient in 2024-2025, far below the district (52%) and state (60%) averages. This contrasts sharply with strong performance in subjects like U.S. History (74%) and Biology (65%). The school’s near-perfect graduation rate alongside declining test scores raises questions about whether graduation requirements align with state assessments. The student body has an extremely low poverty rate (1.67% receiving free or reduced-price lunch), which historically supports strong outcomes, making the recent test score decline particularly puzzling. Parents should investigate the root causes of this decline and the Algebra 1 proficiency gap while recognizing the school’s overall strengths in graduation rates and student engagement.