Summary:
Zip code 32187, located in San Mateo, Florida, is served by a single school, Browning-Pearce Elementary School, a K-6 institution with 679 students that is part of the Putnam County school district.
Browning-Pearce Elementary School presents a story of stark contrasts. On one hand, the school demonstrates a remarkable "6th Grade Effect," where students achieve a 69% proficiency rate in English Language Arts and 54% in Math, exceeding the state average in ELA and nearly matching it in Math. This suggests strong academic growth for students who remain through the upper grades. However, the school faces a severe crisis with a 51.9% chronic absenteeism rate, nearly double the state average of 31.4%, which likely drives its low overall state ranking in the 12th percentile and a 1-star rating. Additionally, a pronounced "4th Grade Slump" sees only 30% proficiency in ELA and 28% in Math, the lowest performance across all grades. The school spends $11,119 per student with a student-teacher ratio of 17.9, and 59.94% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating high economic need.
The most critical takeaway for parents is that while Browning-Pearce Elementary School has the potential for high achievement, particularly in 6th grade, its overall effectiveness is undermined by a fundamental attendance problem. The school's declining state rank over the past three years, from the 20th to the 12th percentile, suggests it is not keeping pace with improvements elsewhere. Addressing the chronic absenteeism crisis is the single most important step needed to unlock the school's potential and improve outcomes for all students, especially in the lower grades where performance lags significantly behind district and state averages.
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