Summary:
In zip code 32091 (Starke, FL), five schools serve students from elementary through high school, primarily within the Bradford district, which ranks in the 17th percentile statewide and faces significant challenges with economic disadvantage and chronic absenteeism.
The standout school in the area is the Florida Youth Challenge Academy, a small alternative high school (17 students) that operates under the high-performing Clay district. It boasts a 0% chronic absenteeism rate, a 2.8:1 student-teacher ratio, and per-student spending of $26,459—more than double that of other local schools. In contrast, Bradford High School struggles with a 57.8% chronic absenteeism rate and an 87.2% graduation rate, well below the state average. Bradford Middle School shows a "two-tier" math system: while 79% of its Algebra 1 students are proficient (exceeding the state average), only 39% of 8th graders meet grade-level math standards. Starke Elementary School emerges as a bright spot, with the lowest chronic absenteeism in the district (30.5%) and strong proficiency in 3rd Grade ELA (70%) and 6th Grade Math (83%), often outperforming state averages.
Key metrics reveal a district in need of systemic improvement. The three main Bradford schools—Bradford Elementary, Starke Elementary, and Bradford Middle—all have free/reduced lunch rates between 60% and 68%, indicating high economic need. Chronic absenteeism is a crisis at Bradford High (57.8%) and Bradford Middle (49.1%), far exceeding the state average of 31.4%. Per-student spending in the Bradford district ranges from $10,228 to $12,206, modest compared to the Florida Youth Challenge Academy's $26,459. Overall, state percentile rankings for these schools have remained stagnant over the past three years, suggesting deep-seated challenges that require more than incremental changes.
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