Summary:
In zip code 32310, there is one middle school, R. Frank Nims Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 625 students in Tallahassee, part of the Leon County school district.
R. Frank Nims Middle School faces significant challenges, with academic performance well below district and state averages across nearly all subjects. For the 2025-2026 school year, only 10% of 6th graders were proficient in math, compared to 60% statewide, and just 25% were proficient in 6th-grade English Language Arts versus 62% statewide. The school’s state ranking has declined sharply over three years, dropping from the 19th percentile to the 7th percentile. A critical factor is an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 62.1% for the 2023-2024 school year, nearly double the district rate of 36.8% and more than double the state rate of 31.4%. The school serves a high-poverty population, with 71.84% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch, and spends $10,488 per student.
An unusual finding is the dramatic volatility in advanced course scores. In the 2024-2025 school year, scores in Algebra 1, Geometry, Biology 1, and Civics were exceptionally high, often exceeding district and state averages. However, the following year, these same scores plummeted—for example, Algebra 1 dropped from 76% to 42% proficiency. This extreme swing suggests possible changes in student placement, teaching staff, or data reporting. Overall, the school’s low math proficiency, particularly the 50-percentage-point gap in 6th-grade math, indicates foundational deficits that will likely hinder future academic progress. Addressing the absenteeism crisis appears essential before meaningful academic improvement can occur.
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