Summary:
This analysis examines four elementary schools in zip code 32233 (Atlantic Beach, FL), all part of the Duval school district, serving grades Pre-K through 5th (with one extending to 8th grade) and ranging in size from 289 to 484 students.
Atlantic Beach Elementary School is the clear standout, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 8% of all Florida elementary schools. Its math and English proficiency rates are 20-30 percentage points higher than district and state averages, and it has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (18.4%) in the area. In contrast, Seaside Charter K-8 School has the lowest poverty rate (4.55% free/reduced lunch) but the lowest state ranking (2-star, 32nd percentile), largely due to a staggering 48.7% chronic absenteeism rate—more than 2.5 times the state average. Anchor Academy shows a positive trend, improving its state ranking to the 67th percentile with strong 3rd-grade ELA scores (78% proficient). Mayport Elementary School is the only school with a consistent downward trend, dropping from the 67th to the 53rd percentile, despite having the highest per-student spending ($13,502) and the highest poverty rate (31.93%).
Key takeaways include that socioeconomic status is not the sole predictor of success, as Seaside Charter's affluent student body underperforms due to attendance issues. Spending does not equal results, as Mayport spends the most but achieves the least, while Atlantic Beach spends the least and excels. Atlantic Beach Elementary is an outlier in the struggling Duval district (ranked 54th out of 70 Florida districts), proving that strong leadership and community support can drive exceptional outcomes even in a low-performing district. The data reveals a clear divergence: Atlantic Beach and Anchor Academy are stable or improving, while Mayport is declining, suggesting its challenges are not being effectively addressed.
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