Summary:
In zip code 32405 in Panama City, Florida, there are six elementary schools serving grades PK through 8, including both traditional public schools and charter schools within the Bay County school district, which ranks in the 60th percentile statewide.
The standout performer is University Academy Sabl Inc, a K-8 charter school ranking in the 97th percentile with exceptional test scores—such as 93% of 3rd graders proficient in math—and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 7.1%. Bay Haven Charter Academy is the second-best option, showing improvement to the 71st percentile with strong 3rd-grade math proficiency (87%). In contrast, Cedar Grove Elementary School and Lucille Moore Elementary School face significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 5% and 3rd percentile respectively, with high chronic absenteeism (60.1% at Cedar Grove) and high poverty rates. Hiland Park Elementary School and Northside Elementary School fall in the middle, with rankings around the 30th to 40th percentiles.
Key takeaways include that higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes—Cedar Grove spends the most per student ($16,425) but performs poorly, while Bay Haven spends the least ($9,065) and performs well. Chronic absenteeism is a powerful predictor of performance, with a near-linear relationship to school rankings. The two charter schools outperform all traditional public schools in the area, though they vary widely in achievement. Lucille Moore experienced a dramatic decline from the 42nd to 3rd percentile in two years, warranting further investigation. Overall, parents should consider the stark performance gaps and the strong influence of attendance and socioeconomic factors when evaluating schools in this zip code.
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