Putnam Academy Of Arts And Sciences

Putnam Academy Of Arts And Sciences is a small public middle school in Palatka, FL, serving 192 students in grades 6-8 within the Putnam district, an area where two-thirds of students come from economically disadvantaged households.

The school presents a striking contrast in academic performance. On one hand, its Algebra 1 results are exceptional—90% of students scored proficient in 2025-2026, far outpacing the district (47%) and state (63%) averages. This suggests a highly effective math acceleration program for a select group of students. On the other hand, the school struggles significantly in other areas. Only 40% of 8th graders met proficiency in English Language Arts in 2025-2026, and 8th-grade science scores have been catastrophically low, with just 11% proficient in 2024-2025. The most critical challenge is chronic absenteeism, which reached nearly 70% in 2023-2024—more than double the state average of 31.4%. This means over two-thirds of students miss 10% or more of the school year, directly undermining learning in core subjects.

Despite these challenges, the school's overall state ranking has shown a clear upward trend, rising from the 23rd percentile in 2021-2022 to the 44th percentile in 2025-2026—its highest point in at least a decade. The school spends a relatively high $11,277 per student, likely necessary to support its small size and high-needs population. For parents, the key takeaway is that Putnam Academy offers a standout math program for motivated students, but families should be aware of the attendance crisis and inconsistent performance in reading and science that affect the broader student body. The school's future success depends on whether it can replicate its math achievements across other subjects and solve its absenteeism problem.