Best Public Schools in Zip Code 32256

Zip code 32256 in Jacksonville, Florida, is home to 12 diverse schools serving approximately 18,671 students, including traditional public, charter, and virtual options spanning elementary through high school grades.

The standout performer in this area is River City Science Academy Southeast, a charter school with a 5-star rating and 100% proficiency in Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology 1, and Civics. It ranks in the 91st percentile statewide for elementary/middle schools. Another top choice is Duval Charter High School At Baymeadows, which boasts a 98.7% graduation rate and strong EOC scores. The most improved school is Duval Charter School At Southside, which jumped from the 30th to the 61st percentile in just one year. In contrast, the only traditional public middle school, Twin Lakes Academy Middle School, struggles with a 1-star rating and ranks in the 16th percentile. Virtual schools like Digital Academy Of Florida and Florida Cyber Charter Academy At Clay report low chronic absenteeism but consistently score below state averages in core subjects.

A key takeaway is the pronounced "charter school effect," where charter schools in the Duval district significantly outperform traditional public schools in K-8 academics. However, high-performing high schools like Atlantic Coast High School (99.5% graduation rate) paradoxically have the highest chronic absenteeism rates (48.9% and 59.4%). Economic disadvantage does not predict performance here—Duval Charter School At Southside has the highest poverty rate (58.93%) yet excels, while Florida Cyber Charter Academy At Clay has the lowest poverty rate (6.13%) but struggles academically. This suggests school model and instructional quality matter more than demographics in this zip code.