Summary:
There are two middle schools in Jacksonville, FL zip code 32209, The Bridge To Success Academy Middle School (serving grades 4-8) and Young Mens/Womens Leadership Academy At Eugene J Butler (serving grades 6-8), both part of the Duval school district, which ranks in the bottom quarter of Florida districts. These schools serve a high-poverty community, with 71-80% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, and both face significant academic challenges compared to state averages.
The standout school in this area is Young Mens/Womens Leadership Academy At Eugene J Butler, which shows a remarkable strength in advanced math. In the 2025-2026 school year, 94% of its students scored proficient on the Algebra 1 End-of-Course exam, far exceeding the district (61%) and state (63%) averages. Butler also shows improvement in other areas, such as 8th-grade English Language Arts proficiency jumping from 27% to 39% year-over-year. In contrast, The Bridge To Success Academy Middle School is defined by a critical challenge: a chronic absenteeism rate of 81.6%, meaning over four out of five students miss significant school. This rate is nearly double the district average and over 2.5 times the state average, and it correlates with lower proficiency scores across nearly every subject compared to Butler.
Key metrics highlight the differences between these two schools. Butler spends $1,618 more per student ($13,962 vs. $12,344) and has a slightly lower student-to-teacher ratio (18.7:1 vs. 19.4:1). While both schools rank in the bottom 11th percentile statewide, Butler’s exceptional Algebra 1 program suggests a pocket of excellence that could be replicated. The data strongly indicates that absenteeism is the primary driver of performance at Bridge To Success, and its academic struggles cannot be solved without first addressing the attendance crisis. For parents, Butler offers a clearer path to improvement and a standout math program, while Bridge To Success faces systemic challenges that require urgent intervention.
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