Summary:
This analysis examines seven elementary schools in Jacksonville, Florida (zip code 32257), serving grades Pre-K through 8, and reveals a landscape of stark contrasts where a top-tier charter school and a high-need primary school define the extremes.
The standout school is River City Science Academy At Mandarin, a high-performing charter that ranks in the top 10% of all Florida elementary schools (94th percentile) with a 5-star rating. It boasts the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (22.3%) and the lowest per-student spending ($9,355), yet achieves the highest test scores, often exceeding district averages by 20-30 points. In stark contrast, San Jose Primary School ranks in the bottom 1% (0-star rating) with the highest chronic absenteeism (65.8%) and the highest economic need (95.08% free/reduced lunch). Despite spending the most per student ($13,195), its academic proficiency rates are critically low, often in the single digits. This spending paradox highlights that financial resources alone cannot overcome severe socioeconomic challenges. The Duval district also shows a strong absenteeism-achievement connection: the two schools with the highest absenteeism—San Jose and Beauclerc Elementary School (53.8%)—are the lowest-performing, while the school with the lowest absenteeism (River City Science Academy) is the highest-performing.
Charter school performance is highly variable. While River City Science Academy excels, Duval Charter School At Mandarin (25th percentile) and Seaside Community Charter School (35th percentile) perform below the state average. Notably, River City Science Academy and Seaside are located on the same street (Old St Augustine Rd) less than a mile apart, yet have vastly different outcomes—a 5-star vs. a 2-star school. Economic segregation is also stark, with free/reduced lunch rates ranging from 27.14% at Mandarin Oaks Elementary School to 95.08% at San Jose Primary School, a factor that likely drives the performance gaps across the area.
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