Best Public Schools in Zip Code 32038

The two schools in zip code 32038, Fort White High School and Fort White Elementary School, serve approximately 1,745 students in the Columbia County School District, a mid-ranked district in Florida. While neither school is a top performer, Fort White High School stands out as the stronger option, boasting a 93% graduation rate and notable strength in science, with 77% proficiency in Biology 1 and 74% in 8th Grade Science—both exceeding district and state averages. In contrast, Fort White Elementary School holds a 1-star rating and consistently underperforms in core subjects, with 3rd-grade ELA at 52% and 5th-grade math at 47%, indicating foundational challenges that feed into the high school.

Key metrics reveal a stark contrast between the schools. Fort White High School spends $11,082 per student and has a 46.32% free/reduced lunch rate, while the elementary school spends $9,796 per student with a higher 63.04% rate, reflecting greater economic need. Both schools face a critical issue with chronic absenteeism: 46.8% at the high school and 36.6% at the elementary school, both well above the state average of 31.4%. The high school’s student-teacher ratio of 16.9:1 is slightly better than the elementary school’s 17.4:1, but both are above the state norm.

Interesting findings include a "broken math pipeline" at the high school, where 8th-grade math proficiency is just 24% compared to the state’s 61%, yet the school excels in science—a dichotomy suggesting effective science instruction but severe math deficits. A "Geometry paradox" shows Geometry proficiency at 60% versus Algebra 1 at 42%, possibly due to a select student group or an exceptional teacher. Year-over-year volatility in test scores, such as 5th-grade science jumping from 31% to 42%, indicates that single-year data should be interpreted cautiously, as it may reflect cohort effects rather than systemic changes. Overall, the elementary school’s poor performance appears to be a feeder problem, while the high school’s ability to maintain a high graduation rate despite these challenges is noteworthy.