Summary
Verde K-8 in Boca Raton, FL, is a large, well-established public school serving 1,360 students from Pre-K through 8th grade in a community where only 22.7% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, and it has earned a consistent 4-star rating from Schooldigger over the past decade. The school’s standout feature is its exceptional middle school performance, with proficiency rates in 6th grade math (92%) and ELA (94%), 7th grade ELA (91%), and 8th grade math (88%) far exceeding district and state averages, and it achieves this with a lower per-student spending of $12,283 compared to high-performing neighbors like Calusa Elementary ($14,771) and Blue Lake Elementary ($12,947). This cost-effective excellence makes Verde K-8 a strong alternative to the top-ranked Addison Mizner School, especially for families seeking a seamless K-8 experience, as Verde’s middle school scores are highly competitive and even surpass Addison Mizner in some recent metrics like 8th grade math (88% vs. 93%).
However, the data reveals a notable dip in 4th grade math proficiency, which has ranged from 54% to 60% over the last three years—significantly lower than 3rd grade (66-75%) and 5th grade (60-71%) scores—suggesting a potential curriculum challenge at that level. Additionally, 5th grade science proficiency at 54% lags behind the district and state averages of 60%, though the school excels in 8th grade science (78%), indicating strong later instruction. Verde K-8 also boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 15.8%, well below the district average of 23.4% and state average of 31.4%, reflecting strong student engagement.
In the competitive Boca Raton school landscape, Verde K-8 sits in the upper-middle tier, surrounded by top performers like Morikami Park Elementary (100th percentile) and Del Prado Elementary (87th percentile), as well as struggling schools like Orchard View Elementary (21st percentile). For parents in the Palm Beach district, Verde K-8 offers a robust, consistent education with a clear K-8 advantage, maintaining or increasing proficiency from 5th to 6th grade—a powerful argument for continuity—while providing a more affordable option than many of its high-performing peers.
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