Summary:
This analysis examines four elementary schools in Jacksonville, Florida's 32244 zip code—Chimney Lakes Elementary School, Sadie T. Tillis Elementary School, Timucuan Elementary School, and Jacksonville Heights Elementary School—all part of the Duval school district, which serves grades PK through 5 and faces significant challenges with high poverty and chronic absenteeism.
Chimney Lakes Elementary School is the clear standout, earning a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for three consecutive years while the other three schools received 1-star or 0-star ratings. Chimney Lakes ranks in the 58th percentile statewide, far ahead of Timucuan Elementary School (16th percentile), Sadie T. Tillis Elementary School (13th percentile), and Jacksonville Heights Elementary School (6th percentile). Chimney Lakes also has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (39.8%) and the lowest percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch (46.15%), compared to rates exceeding 64% at the other three schools. Notably, Jacksonville Heights Elementary School has the highest per-student spending ($10,843) but the lowest test scores, while Chimney Lakes spends the least ($9,631) and achieves the best results.
Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue across the area, with all schools exceeding the state average of 31.4%. Timucuan Elementary School has an alarming 65.6% chronic absenteeism rate, meaning nearly two-thirds of students miss significant school. Despite these challenges, there are bright spots in math: Timucuan Elementary School's 4th graders achieved 71% proficiency in math, exceeding both the district (60%) and state (62%) averages, and Sadie T. Tillis Elementary School's 4th graders scored 63% in math, also above district and state benchmarks. These successes show that targeted instruction can yield positive results even in challenging environments.
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