Summary:
In zip code 32606, there is one middle school, Fort Clarke Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 in Gainesville, Florida, with 840 students and a moderate level of economic diversity.
Fort Clarke Middle School is a standout within the Alachua district, consistently outperforming the district average in most subjects. The school excels particularly in advanced mathematics, with 100% of students proficient in Geometry and 88% proficient in Algebra 1 on end-of-course exams, far exceeding state averages. It also shows strength in 7th-grade math (67% proficiency vs. 53% state) and 8th-grade science (59% proficiency vs. 52% state). However, performance is mixed compared to the state overall, with 6th-grade English Language Arts (55% vs. 62% state) and 6th-grade math (48% vs. 60% state) lagging behind. The school has maintained a 3-star rating and a state ranking around the 50th-57th percentile over the last three years.
A key concern is the high chronic absenteeism rate of 37.7%, which is above both district and state averages. This creates a "two-tiered" environment where advanced course students achieve near-perfect scores, while general math proficiency in 6th and 8th grades falls below state averages. The school is a bright spot in a low-ranked district (29th percentile statewide), but its overall performance remains average compared to Florida as a whole. Parents should note the strong advanced math and science programs, but also the need for improvement in English Language Arts and standard math for younger grades.
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