Summary:
Zip code 32301 in Tallahassee, FL, is home to two high schools within the Leon school district: the large, traditional James Rickards High School (serving grades 9-12 with 1,718 students) and the very small, alternative Pace Center For Girls (serving grades 6-12 with just 44 students). These schools are vastly different in size and mission, making direct comparisons challenging but revealing.
James Rickards High School presents a mixed academic profile. While it struggles in core math subjects—with only 35% proficient in Geometry and 40% in Algebra 1—it dramatically outperforms state averages in Biology (81% proficient) and US History (92% proficient). Its graduation rate of 91.9% is above the district average of 87.9%. However, the school faces a severe chronic absenteeism crisis, with 65.7% of students chronically absent, nearly double the state average of 31.4%. In contrast, Pace Center For Girls serves an extremely high-needs population, with 93.18% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch and a staggering 89.3% chronic absenteeism rate. The school does not report test scores or a recent graduation rate, which is likely due to its focus on stabilization and re-engagement rather than traditional benchmarks. Pace Center spends $10,867 per student—24% more than James Rickards—and has a much lower student-teacher ratio of 14.6:1, reflecting its specialized, small-group model.
The most critical takeaway for parents is the widespread chronic absenteeism crisis affecting both schools, which far exceeds state and district averages. For James Rickards High School, the data reveals a "split personality" in academics, with exceptional performance in history and biology but significant challenges in math. For Pace Center For Girls, the missing data itself tells a story of a school focused on addressing profound economic and attendance barriers before academic outcomes can be measured. Parents should consider these factors carefully when evaluating schools in this area.
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