Summary:
The four schools in zip code 32628 (Cross City, FL) serve approximately 1,482 students across the Dixie County School District, including a high school, two elementary schools, and a virtual program, in an area facing significant socioeconomic challenges.
James M. Anderson Elementary School is the clear academic standout, consistently outperforming state averages in key areas despite a high poverty rate of 71.94%. For example, 3rd Grade Math proficiency reaches 87% compared to the state average of 63%, and 3rd Grade ELA (65%) also exceeds the state (57%). In contrast, Dixie County High School faces a severe chronic absenteeism crisis at 53.5%—far above the state average of 31.4%—which correlates with declining state rankings and low proficiency in Algebra 1 (29-43%) and 10th Grade ELA (47-54%), though its graduation rate (92.2%) remains on par with the state. Kinder Cub School Inc, a small PK-2 school, has the highest poverty rate (78.51%) and a very high absenteeism rate (52.3%), with a large student-teacher ratio of 24.2:1, while Dixie Virtual Franchise is a tiny program with only 7 students and no reported test scores or attendance data.
The most critical takeaway is the systemic absenteeism crisis, averaging 48% across schools, which directly undermines academic achievement, especially at the high school level. While James M. Anderson Elementary proves success is possible despite poverty, this success does not carry through to high school, suggesting a need for better support during the transition to higher grades. The district's primary challenge is to replicate elementary successes and urgently address the attendance crisis that is hindering student outcomes across the area.
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