Summary:
In zip code 34434, located in Citrus Springs, Florida, there is a single elementary school, Central Ridge Elementary School, serving grades PK through 5 with a substantial enrollment of 801 students.
Central Ridge Elementary School is currently in a period of significant academic distress, as its state ranking has dropped dramatically from the 39th percentile (2-star rating) in 2023-2024 to the 15th percentile (1-star rating) in 2025-2026. This decline is reflected in its most recent test scores, which are all below the averages for the Citrus County School District and the state of Florida. A particularly concerning trend is the "5th Grade Math cliff," where proficiency plummets to just 23%, compared to 48-49% in 3rd and 4th grades. The school also struggles with 5th Grade Science, where only 36% of students are proficient. While the school spends a notable $9,673 per student, this investment is not translating into strong academic outcomes, and the high student-teacher ratio of 18.1:1 may be a contributing factor.
Beyond academics, the school faces significant challenges related to its community. Over half of the student body (52.93%) qualifies for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high level of economic need. Chronic absenteeism, at 29.2%, is a major hurdle, though it is better than the district average of 37.7%. The combination of economic disadvantage and high absenteeism creates a difficult environment for learning. It is also worth noting that the dataset contains an anomalous 100% proficiency rate for 6th Grade Math, which is likely a reporting error since the school only serves up to 5th grade. This data point should be disregarded for any performance analysis.
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