Summary:
The 11 schools in zip code 32073 (Orange Park, FL) serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the highly-rated Clay County School District, which holds a 4-star rating and ranks in the 76th percentile statewide.
The most striking finding is the dramatic performance gap between schools just miles apart. Orange Park Elementary School is a standout 5-star school ranking in the 99th percentile, with exceptional test scores (87-100% proficiency) and a low 7.9% chronic absenteeism rate. In stark contrast, Grove Park Elementary School is a 1-star school in the 20th percentile, with many subjects scoring below 50% proficiency and a 37.2% chronic absenteeism rate. This pattern continues at the middle school level: Lakeside Junior High School is a high-performing 4-star school, while Orange Park Junior High School is a struggling 2-star school. The area's only high school, Orange Park High School, maintains a 3-star rating and a solid 93.7% graduation rate, but faces a significant challenge with a 41.3% chronic absenteeism rate—the highest in the zip code and well above state averages.
Key takeaways for parents include that per-student spending does not predict success; W E Cherry Elementary School spends the most ($14,600 per student) yet is a mid-tier 3-star school, while Orange Park Elementary achieves far better results with less spending ($9,608 per student). The Clay Virtual Franchise offers a unique alternative with only 107 students, a 4.2:1 student-teacher ratio, a 100% graduation rate, and 0% chronic absenteeism. Overall, the data reveals that socioeconomic factors are strongly linked to performance, with schools serving higher percentages of students eligible for free/reduced lunch generally showing lower test scores and higher absenteeism rates.
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