Summary:
Zip code 32224 in Jacksonville, Florida, is home to four elementary schools serving grades PK through 8, all part of the Duval County school district, and presents a striking example of educational diversity within a small geographic area.
J. Allen Axson Elementary School is the standout performer, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 98th percentile statewide (#47 out of 2,240). It boasts the lowest free/reduced lunch rate (12.58%), the lowest student-teacher ratio (14.5), and the lowest chronic absenteeism (18.9%). In contrast, River City Science Academy Intracoastal, a K-8 school, has the highest poverty rate (45.7%) and highest chronic absenteeism (34.3%), yet still earns a 4-star rating and ranks in the 88th percentile. Chet's Creek Elementary School and Alimacani Elementary School are solid, above-average schools, both earning 4-star ratings and ranking in the 84th and 85th percentiles, respectively. Notably, Alimacani has the highest per-student spending ($11,532) but ranks lowest among the four, while J. Allen Axson achieves top results with the second-highest spending ($11,299), showing that how money is spent matters more than the amount.
A key takeaway is the strong correlation between socioeconomic status and academic performance, with J. Allen Axson's low poverty rate aligning with its exceptional scores. River City Science Academy shows a split performance: its elementary grades are very strong, but middle school scores, especially 8th-grade math (59% proficient), fall below the state average, likely impacted by high chronic absenteeism. Overall, while the Duval district ranks low (23rd percentile), J. Allen Axson proves that high performance is achievable, creating a powerful formula for success that other schools in the zip code cannot replicate.
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