Summary:
The four public schools serving zip code 33471 in Moore Haven, FL, are part of the Glades County School District, a highly-rated district that serves a community facing significant economic challenges, with over 72% of students at the two traditional schools qualifying for free or reduced lunch.
The standout school for improvement is Moore Haven Middle High School, which jumped from the 36th to the 53rd percentile in state rankings over two years and boasts a strong 94.7% graduation rate, exceeding both district and state averages. In contrast, Moore Haven Elementary School shows pockets of excellence, particularly with 3rd graders achieving 82% proficiency in English Language Arts, far above the state average of 60%. However, this elementary school also reveals a dramatic "middle school slump," with 4th grade proficiency dropping 47 points to just 35%. The Glades Virtual Instruction Program offers a unique, cost-efficient model with a 0% chronic absenteeism rate and serves a less economically disadvantaged population, but its academic proficiency and graduation rate (72.7%) lag significantly behind state averages.
A critical issue for the area is chronic absenteeism, with both Moore Haven Middle High School (43.7%) and Moore Haven Elementary School (43.0%) reporting rates far above the state average of 31.4%. This likely contributes to inconsistent test scores, despite the district's overall high ranking. While the traditional schools spend significantly more per student (over $13,900) than the virtual program ($2,757), the high student-to-teacher ratio of 29.2 at the middle-high school suggests a need for more individualized attention. Overall, families should weigh the strong graduation support at the middle-high school against the academic challenges highlighted by high absenteeism and fluctuating proficiency rates.
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