Summary:
The two public schools serving zip code 32180 in Pierson, Florida, are T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School (grades 6-12) and Pierson Elementary School (grades PK-5), both part of the Volusia County School District. These schools serve a community where over 60% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, presenting significant economic challenges.
Pierson Elementary School stands out for its strong attendance culture and academic improvement. Its chronic absenteeism rate of 22% is dramatically lower than the district average of 34.1% and the state average of 31.4%. The school has also shown a clear upward trend in its state ranking, improving from a 1-star rating to a 2-star rating over recent years. In the most recent school year, Pierson Elementary's 5th graders outperformed the state average in Science and matched or exceeded district averages in Math and English Language Arts. In contrast, T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School faces a crisis-level chronic absenteeism rate of 44.3%, yet it boasts an exceptional 99.2% graduation rate—far exceeding the district (95.6%) and state (92.2%) averages. This paradox suggests the high school may be highly effective at credit recovery and guiding students to a diploma, even as younger students struggle with engagement.
Academic performance at both schools is uneven. T. Dewitt Taylor Middle-High School shows strong results in Biology 1 (72% proficient) and Civics (76%), but weak performance in 7th Grade Math (30%) and 9th Grade ELA (39%). Pierson Elementary excels in 5th-grade Science but struggles in 3rd-grade Math. Spending per student is similar at both schools (around $12,000), and student-teacher ratios are comparable (about 18:1). The key takeaway for parents is that Pierson Elementary provides a stable, improving foundation for younger children, while the middle-high school offers a strong path to graduation despite significant attendance and academic challenges in the middle grades.
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