Summary:
In zip code 34432, there is one elementary school, Dunnellon Elementary School, serving grades PK through 5 with 644 students in the Marion district, an area where the district ranks in the bottom 10th percentile statewide.
Dunnellon Elementary School shows a clear split in academic performance: math is a relative strength, while English Language Arts (ELA) is a challenge. In the 2025-2026 school year, the school outperformed its district in every math grade level, with 4th grade math (65%) matching the state average—a standout achievement. However, all ELA scores fell below the state average, ranging from 49% to 52%. The school also saw a notable 14-point jump in 5th grade science proficiency, reaching 59%, just one point below the state average. Despite these bright spots, the school's state ranking has been consistently low, hovering around the 29th to 34th percentile over three years, though it improved from a 1-star to a 2-star rating.
A critical concern is the high chronic absenteeism rate of 31.9%, which is slightly above the state average and a major barrier to learning, especially given that 63.2% of students are economically disadvantaged. The student-teacher ratio is 16.5, and per-student spending is $11,629. While the school shows positive trends in math and science, the persistent gaps in ELA and the high absenteeism indicate that significant work remains to close the achievement gap. For parents, this school offers strong math instruction and recent science gains, but the overall performance and attendance challenges warrant careful consideration.
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