Summary:
In zip code 34471, there is one middle school, Osceola Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 in Ocala, Florida, within the Marion County school district.
Osceola Middle School stands out as a high-performing school in a district ranked near the bottom in Florida. While Marion County is ranked 63rd out of 70 districts (10th percentile), Osceola Middle School consistently performs well above district averages in nearly every academic metric. The school has shown consistent improvement in its state ranking over the last three years, moving from the 61st percentile to the 72nd percentile, and currently sits at the 69th percentile statewide. This makes it a clear "bright spot" within a struggling district, suggesting strong leadership and effective teaching.
The school's most exceptional performance is in advanced math. In the 2025-2026 school year, 100% of tested students were proficient in Algebra 1 and 97% in Geometry—elite-level scores far exceeding both district and state averages. However, performance in standard grade-level subjects is more moderate, with 8th-grade math proficiency at 60% and 6th-grade ELA at 60%, though still above district averages. A positive trend is visible in English Language Arts, with proficiency increasing in 7th and 8th grades from the previous year. The school has a chronic absenteeism rate of 30.3%, which is better than the district average but remains a concern. With 866 students, a student-teacher ratio of 19.2:1, and per-student spending of $10,357, Osceola Middle School offers a strong academic environment, particularly for students ready for advanced coursework.
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