Summary:
The city of Lake City, Florida is home to 14 schools, including 8 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 high schools, and 2 alternative schools. The school district serves a diverse student population and has a mix of high-performing and struggling schools based on metrics like test scores, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism.
The standout schools in the district are Belmont Academy, a public charter school with the highest graduation rate at 97.6% and strong academic performance, as well as Westside Elementary and Eastside Elementary, which are the highest-ranked elementary schools in the district. In contrast, Pathways Academy, an alternative school, struggles with the lowest test scores and highest chronic absenteeism rate.
Overall, the Columbia school district is rated 3 out of 5 stars, indicating room for improvement. The district faces challenges with equity, as schools have widely varying racial demographics and performance levels. Identifying and replicating the best practices of the top-performing schools could help raise the overall quality of education in Lake City.
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