Summary:
Zip code 32312 in Tallahassee, Florida, is home to a single high school, Lawton Chiles High School, which serves grades 9 through 12 with a substantial enrollment of 1,881 students and is part of the Leon County school district.
Lawton Chiles High School is a standout institution, consistently ranking in the top 15-20% of all high schools in Florida with a 4-star rating over the last three years. The school significantly outperforms its home district in nearly every academic metric. Key metrics include an exceptionally high graduation rate of 98.3%, far exceeding both the district (87.9%) and state (92.2%) averages. Academic performance is strong, with Biology 1 proficiency at 87%, US History at 86%, and 9th and 10th grade English Language Arts proficiency at 76% and 79% respectively—all well above district and state averages. However, there is a notable disparity in math: Algebra 1 proficiency (51%) falls below the district (58%) and state (63%), while Geometry proficiency (74%) is significantly higher than both. Only 10.69% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating low poverty levels, and per-student spending is $8,243 with a student-teacher ratio of 26:1.
Interesting findings include a paradox of high performance with relatively low spending, suggesting efficient resource use. The chronic absenteeism rate of 32.6% is higher than the state average (31.4%), which is unusual for a high-performing, low-poverty school and may be driven by factors other than socioeconomic hardship. The school’s consistent excellence over three years, with stable state rankings and year-over-year test score improvements, demonstrates a sustainable culture of high achievement, making it a top choice for families in the area.
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