Best Elementary Schools in Jacksonville, FL

The city of Jacksonville, Florida is home to 119 elementary schools that are part of the Duval School District, which is ranked 54th out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The data reveals a mix of high-performing and struggling schools, with significant disparities in academic achievement and resources often along racial and socioeconomic lines.

Several schools stand out as top performers, including River City Science Academy at Mandarin, a charter school that ranked 231st out of 2,256 Florida elementary schools and received a 4-star rating. Other high-achieving public schools are J. Allen Axson Elementary and Hendricks Avenue Elementary, both of which received 5-star and 4-star ratings respectively. In contrast, many schools struggle, especially in English Language Arts, with some like Woodland Acres Elementary having only 19% of 3rd graders proficient or better, far below the state average of 55%.

The data also reveals high chronic absenteeism rates at several schools, particularly those serving disadvantaged populations, suggesting a need to address underlying issues that keep students from attending regularly. Additionally, there appears to be no clear correlation between per-student spending and academic performance, underscoring the complex challenges facing the Duval School District as it works to provide equitable, high-quality education for all students.