Best Public Schools in Zip Code 32003

The six schools in zip code 32003 (Orange Park / Fleming Island, FL) are part of the highly-rated Clay County School District, which ranks in the 76th percentile statewide, and include three elementary schools, one high school, and two alternative schools with no traditional middle school present.

Robert M. Paterson Elementary stands out as the academic powerhouse, ranking in the 97th percentile statewide with over 90% proficiency in Math and ELA. In contrast, Fleming Island Elementary School spends the most per student at $13,128 but does not achieve the highest test scores, while St Johns Classical Academy spends the least ($7,764) yet boasts a 100% graduation rate and the lowest chronic absenteeism (12.5%). Fleming Island High School is a consistent performer with a 97.9% graduation rate and strong Biology and US History scores, but it has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (32.8%) in the area—above the state average. The two St. Johns Classical Academy campuses differ sharply: the main campus excels, while the St. Johns Classical Academy Orange Park campus struggles with proficiency rates below district and state averages.

Key metrics show elementary schools have favorable student-teacher ratios (all below 13:1), while the high school ratio is 18.8:1. Socioeconomic status varies widely, with Thunderbolt Elementary School having the highest free/reduced lunch rate (40.34%) and St. Johns Classical Academy the lowest (11.55%). The absence of a traditional middle school creates a unique pathway where elementary students (through 6th grade) feed into either Fleming Island High School or the St. Johns Classical Academy system. Chronic absenteeism is a clear warning sign for the high school, contrasting sharply with the excellent attendance at all elementary schools and St. Johns Classical Academy, which all have rates well below the state average.