Middle Schools in Duval

The Duval County school district in Florida is home to 27 middle schools serving students in grades 6-8. These schools vary greatly in size, student demographics, academic performance, and other key metrics, revealing stark disparities in educational opportunities across the district.

At the top end, James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School and Lavilla School of the Arts consistently rank among the best middle schools in Florida, with high test scores, low chronic absenteeism, and diverse student populations. Meanwhile, Mandarin Middle School and Duncan U. Fletcher Middle School are the highest-performing schools in the Duval district, earning 3 out of 5 stars from SchoolDigger.

At the other end of the spectrum, schools like Mattie V. Rutherford Alt Educational Center struggle with extremely low test scores and chronic absenteeism rates near 80%, highlighting the significant challenges facing alternative and turnaround schools in the district. However, some lower-performing schools like Springfield Middle School demonstrate that progress is possible, with test scores above the district and state averages in certain subjects.