Summary:
Zip code 34480 in Ocala, Florida, is home to a single high school, Forest High School, a large public school serving grades 9-12 with an enrollment of 2,387 students. This school stands out as a high-performing outlier within the Marion County School District, which is ranked near the bottom in Florida. Forest High School consistently earns a 3-star rating from the state, placing it in the upper-middle tier of Florida high schools, a stark contrast to its district's 1-star rating.
Forest High School boasts an exceptionally high graduation rate of 96.1%, significantly above both the district (84.7%) and state (92.2%) averages. However, its test scores present a mixed picture. While the school outperforms its district in nearly every subject, its proficiency rates in core areas like Algebra 1 (52%) and Biology 1 (69%) fall below state averages. The school's strongest subject is US History, with 78% of students proficient. A notable finding is a dramatic 16-percentage-point increase in Algebra 1 proficiency from the previous year, which warrants further investigation. The school also has a relatively high student-teacher ratio of 24.1:1 and spends $9,573 per student.
Chronic absenteeism at Forest High School is a relative strength, with a rate of 23.2% that is substantially lower than both the district (35.2%) and state (31.4%) averages. This likely contributes to its high graduation rate. The school serves a student body where 37.29% are eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating a moderate level of economic disadvantage. Overall, Forest High School appears to be a bright spot in a low-ranked district, offering strong graduation outcomes and better attendance than its peers, though its math and science proficiency rates suggest areas for continued focus.
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