Best Public Schools in Zip Code 32113

The two public schools serving zip code 32113 in Citra, Florida—North Marion High School (grades 9-12) and North Marion Middle School (grades 6-8)—are part of the Marion County School District, which ranks in the bottom 10% of Florida districts. Both schools carry a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, indicating they perform in the bottom third of their respective school categories statewide. The community faces significant socioeconomic challenges, with over 57% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and chronic absenteeism is a severe issue, particularly at the middle school where the rate reaches 40.8%—well above the state average of 31.4%.

Despite these challenges, North Marion Middle School stands out as a remarkable anomaly in advanced mathematics. In the 2024-2025 school year, 97% of its students taking the Geometry EOC were proficient, and 94% were proficient in Algebra 1—dramatically higher than district and state averages. However, this success is concentrated in a select group of advanced students, as only 23% of 7th graders were proficient in the standard FAST Math exam. This creates a "two schools" dynamic where top-tier students receive exceptional instruction while the majority struggles with grade-level material. The middle school also spends $843 more per student than the high school and has a lower student-teacher ratio (16.7 vs. 21.5), suggesting a strategic investment that may be fueling these pockets of excellence.

North Marion High School shows a positive trend in its state ranking, moving from the 40th percentile in 2023-24 to the 27th percentile in 2025-26, but its performance is inconsistent. For example, only 12% of students were proficient in Algebra 1 in 2025-26, while 61% were proficient in Biology 1. The high school's graduation rate of 83.0% is below the district (84.7%) and well below the state average (92.2%), indicating that nearly one in five students does not complete high school. Chronic absenteeism remains the core challenge for both schools, and until this issue is addressed, overall improvement will be difficult regardless of the quality of instruction for students who attend regularly.