Summary:
The zip code 32177, encompassing Palatka, Florida, is served by the Putnam County School District and includes 9 schools: 4 elementary schools, 1 middle school, 1 high school, and 3 alternative schools, with the district currently ranked 62nd out of 70 in Florida.
The standout school in the area is The Children's Reading Center, a charter elementary school that earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 81st percentile statewide, dramatically outperforming all other local schools. In contrast, William D. Moseley Elementary School is the lowest-ranked school in the zip code, with a 0-star rating and proficiency rates as low as 26% in 3rd grade ELA. Palatka Junior - Senior High School presents a paradox with a strong 95.1% graduation rate, yet only 23% of students are proficient in Geometry and 35% in Biology, suggesting a "diploma gap" where students graduate without mastering core subjects. The alternative schools vary widely: Mellon Learning Center spends $16,311 per student but has a 71.7% chronic absenteeism rate, while the Putnam Virtual Franchise has a 100% graduation rate and low absenteeism.
The most critical issue across the district is chronic absenteeism, which averages 57.5%—nearly double the state average of 31.4%. This directly correlates with low academic performance, as schools with the highest absenteeism, like Palatka Junior - Senior High School (62.9%) and William D. Moseley Elementary (60.9%), have the lowest test scores. Meanwhile, The Children's Reading Center has the lowest absenteeism rate (26.7%) and the highest scores. Even within struggling schools like James A. Long Elementary School and Kelley Smith Elementary School, there are pockets of excellence, such as James A. Long's 58% proficiency in 5th Grade Science and Kelley Smith's 78% proficiency in 6th Grade Math, indicating potential for targeted improvement.
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