Summary:
In zip code 32068, there is one middle school, Wilkinson Junior High School, serving grades 7 and 8 in Middleburg, Florida, within the highly-rated Clay district (ranked 17th out of 70 in Florida).
Wilkinson Junior High School presents a dual identity that parents should understand. On one hand, it is an academic powerhouse in advanced coursework: 100% of students taking the Geometry End-of-Course (EOC) exam were proficient, and 95% were proficient in Algebra 1, dramatically outperforming both district and state averages. Civics proficiency is also strong at 88%. However, the school's performance in standard grade-level FAST assessments for English Language Arts and Math is much more modest, often hovering near or slightly below district and state averages. This suggests the school excels at preparing its top-tier students but may struggle to bring the majority to proficiency in core subjects.
The most critical concern is a chronic absenteeism rate of 44.3%, which is nearly double the district average of 26.7% and significantly higher than the state average of 31.4%. With 58.37% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, this absenteeism is likely linked to socioeconomic challenges and is a powerful predictor of lower academic performance. The school's state ranking has also shown a slight decline over three years, dropping from the 74th percentile to the 69th percentile. Parents should note that the school's overall "average" ranking masks a deep divide between its high-achieving students in advanced tracks and its struggling student population facing attendance challenges.
Thank you for your feedback!