Best Public Schools in Tallahassee, FL

The Tallahassee, Florida school district includes 53 schools serving students from elementary through high school, with a mix of traditional public schools, public charter schools, and alternative schools. The district is home to some of the highest-performing schools in the state, such as Florida State University School, a public charter school that ranks 2nd out of 68 districts in Florida. However, the district also struggles with significant performance gaps, with many schools posting low test scores, high chronic absenteeism, and poor graduation rates, particularly among disadvantaged student populations.

At the top of the district are schools like Florida State University School, which has exceptional 87% proficiency in Algebra 1, 76% in Geometry, and 85% in Biology 1, as well as a 99.4% 4-year graduation rate. Lawton Chiles High School and several highly-ranked elementary schools like Gilchrist Elementary and Hawks Rise Elementary also stand out for their strong academic performance. In contrast, alternative schools like Success Academy and Second Chance struggle with extremely low test scores, graduation rates under 25%, and chronic absenteeism over 90%.

Overall, the Leon school district in Tallahassee exhibits a stark divide, with pockets of excellence alongside many underperforming schools. Addressing systemic inequities, chronic absenteeism, and the challenges at alternative schools will be critical to improving outcomes across the district and ensuring all students have access to a high-quality education.