Best Public Schools in Zip Code 32340

The zip code 32340 in Madison, Florida, is served by four schools within the Madison district, which ranks in the bottom 10% of Florida districts, and includes a combined PK-8 school, two high schools, and a small virtual franchise, totaling about 1,481 students.

The standout school in the area is James Madison Preparatory High School, which achieves a 97.7% graduation rate and a 26.7% chronic absenteeism rate—both far better than the district averages of 86.7% and 42.3%, respectively. In stark contrast, Madison County High School struggles with a 52.5% chronic absenteeism rate and an 82.7% graduation rate, creating a 15-point gap between the two high schools. Madison County Central School, the largest school serving PK-8, faces severe challenges with a 46.7% chronic absenteeism rate and volatile test scores, such as 3rd grade ELA proficiency dropping from 57% to 18% in recent years. The Madison Virtual Franchise is a tiny alternative school with only 9 students and no reported test scores, making it a statistical outlier.

A key takeaway is that socioeconomic factors strongly correlate with performance: James Madison Prep has only 1.67% of students on free/reduced lunch, while Madison County Central (76.81%) and Madison County High School (54.74%) serve much higher-poverty populations. Interestingly, James Madison Prep spends about $1,500 less per student than Madison County High School yet achieves superior results, suggesting that school culture and demographics matter more than funding alone. The chronic absenteeism crisis at Madison County Central and Madison County High School—where over half of high school students are chronically absent—is likely the root cause of low test scores and graduation rates, creating a cycle of disengagement that is difficult to break.