Fort McCoy School

Fort McCoy School is an elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Fort McCoy, Florida, with 940 students. It is part of the Marion School District, which is ranked 62 out of 67 districts in the state and has a 0-star rating from SchoolDigger. Unfortunately, Fort McCoy School has consistently been ranked in the bottom 20% of Florida elementary schools over the past several years, receiving a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

One of the key issues facing Fort McCoy School is its very high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 30.9% to 44.3% over the past few years. This is significantly higher than the state average and indicates a potential issue with student engagement and attendance. Additionally, the school's test scores are consistently below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 44% of 3rd graders were proficient in ELA, compared to 57% statewide, and the school's math proficiency rates ranged from 32% to 48%, while the state average was 50-63%. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 68.83% to 72.61% over the past few years, suggesting a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing Fort McCoy School to the nearby schools in the Marion School District, such as Ward-Highlands Elementary, Ocala Springs Elementary, and Anthony Elementary, it becomes clear that Fort McCoy is an outlier in terms of performance, with significantly lower test scores, higher chronic absenteeism rates, and a higher percentage of economically disadvantaged students. Despite being a low-performing school, Fort McCoy has not shown any meaningful improvement in its rankings or test scores over the past several years, suggesting the need for a comprehensive, data-driven approach to address the root causes of the school's struggles and implement effective strategies to improve student outcomes.