Summary:
The two middle schools in zip code 32043 (Green Cove Springs, FL) serve grades 7-8 and are part of the Clay County School District, offering families a choice between two well-performing institutions with distinct academic strengths.
Green Cove Springs Junior High School stands out for its exceptional advanced coursework results, achieving a perfect 100% proficiency rate in both Algebra 1 and Geometry EOCs for the 2025-2026 school year—far exceeding district and state averages. It also leads in 8th Grade Science (70%) and 8th Grade ELA (67%), while maintaining a consistent 4-star rating and a 76th percentile state rank. Notably, it achieves these results while spending $1,297 less per student ($9,681) than its counterpart, suggesting efficient resource use. In contrast, Lake Asbury Junior High School excels in 8th Grade Math (82%) and Civics (90%), and holds a slightly higher overall star rating (4 stars) and percentile rank (77th) for the 2024-2025 school year. Both schools outperform state averages in nearly every subject, with chronic absenteeism rates (25.2% and 25.7%) better than the state average of 31.4% but still affecting roughly one in four students.
A key shared challenge is a significant drop in 7th grade math proficiency—Lake Asbury falls to 42% and Green Cove Springs to 54%—though both schools see strong recovery in 8th grade math, likely due to advanced students taking Algebra 1. Socioeconomic factors align with performance, as Green Cove Springs has a lower free/reduced lunch rate (46.53%) compared to Lake Asbury (50.11%). Overall, families in this zip code have access to two strong middle schools, with Green Cove Springs excelling in advanced coursework and efficiency, while Lake Asbury shows particular strength in standard math and civics.
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