Leon High School

Q: Is Leon High School a good school?

Leon High School ranks 321 st of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Leon High School is a public high school located in Tallahassee, Florida, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 1,935. The school is part of the Leon District, which is ranked 48 out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

One of the key differentiators of Leon High School is its racial diversity. The student body is 42.64% White, 38.81% African American, 9.46% Hispanic, and 3.2% Asian, which is more diverse than the nearby schools. Additionally, Leon High School has maintained a relatively high four-year graduation rate, ranging from 84.9% to 95.6% over the past few years, higher than the state average and the nearby schools, such as Lincoln High School (93.1%) and Amos P. Godby High School (79.2%). However, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 30.8% in 2018-2019 to 58.9% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the nearby schools, such as Lawton Chiles High School (34.9%) and Sail (42.0%).

While Leon High School's test scores are generally on par with or slightly above the state averages in most subject areas, the school's performance lags behind the higher-performing nearby schools, such as Lawton Chiles High School and Sail, in areas like Algebra 1, Geometry, and English Language Arts. Additionally, the school's statewide ranking has steadily declined over the past several years, from 122 out of 687 Florida high schools in 2013-2014 to 321 out of 807 in 2023-2024, suggesting that the school's performance may be declining relative to other high schools in the state. These factors, along with the high chronic absenteeism rate, indicate that Leon High School may benefit from focusing on improving student attendance and overall academic performance to better serve its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public 9-12

550 E Tennessee St
Tallahassee, FL 32308

(850) 488-1971

District: Leon

SchoolDigger Rank:
321^st of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,844

Feeder schools for Leon High School:

Elementary:	Canopy Oaks Elementary School
	Gilchrist Elementary School
	Kate Sullivan Elementary School
	Ruediger Elementary School
	More...
	Sealey Elementary School
Middle:	Elizabeth Cobb Middle School
	Raa Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 23.1

Number of students: 1,935

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.6%

African American:

38.8%

Hispanic:

9.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 37.2%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Leon High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Leon High School ranks better than 60.2% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 3^rd among 7 ranked high schools in the Leon School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.42. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Leon High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Leon High School has the largest high school student body size in the Leon School District. Racial makeup is: White (42.6%), African American (38.8%), Hispanic (9.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 37.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Leon High School is 23.1, which is the 4^th best among 7 high schools in the Leon School District. (See more...)

Compare Leon High School employs 83.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Leon High School is $7,844, which is the 5^th highest among 7 high schools in the Leon School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Leon High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Leon High School 321^st of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Leon High School in the ranking list.)

Leon:

SchoolDigger ranks Leon 48^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Leon High School.

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Rank History for Leon High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	93.91	21^st	484	95.7%
2005	92.44	25^th	487	94.9%
2006	88.65	38^th	477	92.0%
2007	87.00	50^th	563	91.1%
2008	84.04	71^st	577	87.7%
2009	82.62	76^th	587	87.1%
2010	79.28	112^th	620	81.9%
2011	78.41	122^nd	622	80.4%
2012	72.45	80^th	606	86.8%
2013	69.45	133^rd	648	79.5%
2014	73.96	122^nd	687	82.2%
2016	67.96	123^rd	693	82.3%
2017	68.37	122^nd	714	82.9%
2018	66.64	141^st	716	80.3%
2019	66.93	140^th	734	80.9%
2021	63.77	163^rd	746	78.2%
2022	62.49	171^st	774	77.9%
2023	55.92	232^nd	792	70.7%
2024	48.42	321^st	807	60.2%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, July 2, 2024

My son, who graduated in 2023, had a wonderful experience at Leon! The teachers are excellent and the school offers many AP courses and award-winning extracurricular activities. My son played football for 4 years (on the new turf field with new weightlifting equipment), was in Culinary for 4 years (he cooks dinner for us now!) and took many AP and Honors classes. My husband attended Leon, is in the Leon Lions Football Hall of Fame and has a strong and expansive community network thanks to Leon. Leon also has an active alumni community that offers scholarships for students. Leon is less than a mile from the State Capitol of Florida and proud of its traditions and history as Florida’s oldest continually accredited high school, founded in 1871 just 26 years after Florida became a state! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, June 8, 2011

We are from the Netherlands and our son has started in the 10th grade. From day one he loved the school and so do we. The Leon High School offers different levels of the courses and for my son getting a 5 on the FCAT the choice for AP courses is the best one. The teachers here are very dedicated and we love the management Good job Mr. Hanna and team!! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Leon High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1314	413	26	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	1753
1989	1338	389	28	3	0	n/a	n/a	0	1758
1990	1271	326	21	10	3	n/a	n/a	0	1631
1991	1325	388	17	14	2	n/a	n/a	0	1746
1992	1380	396	23	12	1	n/a	n/a	0	1812
1993	1429	373	28	11	2	n/a	n/a	0	1843
1994	1485	409	39	13	0	n/a	n/a	0	1946
1995	1553	385	43	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	2002
1996	1553	385	43	21	0	n/a	n/a	0	2002
1997	1597	364	42	23	0	n/a	n/a	0	2026
1998	1608	392	38	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	2063
1999	1682	363	34	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	2107
2000	1486	360	29	20	2	n/a	n/a	0	1897
2001	1343	362	27	20	2	n/a	n/a	0	1754
2002	1323	377	32	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	1768
2003	1323	377	32	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	1768
2004	1342	377	37	46	0	n/a	n/a	0	1802
2005	1354	384	35	66	1	n/a	n/a	0	1840
2006	1307	445	37	62	2	n/a	n/a	0	1853
2007	1237	448	46	57	1	n/a	n/a	27	1816
2008	1194	495	44	60	1	n/a	n/a	27	1821
2009	1181	505	43	68	1	n/a	n/a	39	1837
2010	1169	543	41	68	0	n/a	n/a	27	1848
2011	1177	535	37	72	1	2	31	0	1855
2012	1157	577	37	84	2	4	43	0	1904
2013	1160	593	37	80	4	3	53	0	1930
2014	1181	630	36	83	3	4	56	0	1993
2015	1157	684	42	103	1	3	61	0	2051
2016	1180	714	42	109	2	2	64	0	2113
2017	1135	701	59	129	1	1	55	0	2081
2018	1132	687	60	139	3	1	63	0	2085
2019	1105	662	54	148	7	1	70	0	2047
2020	1017	709	62	175	3	2	89	0	2057
2021	953	713	51	169	3	2	101	0	1992
2022	892	722	44	181	1	1	103	0	1944
2023	825	751	62	183	2	0	112	0	1935

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Leon High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1753	83.0	21.1	16.2
1989	1758	89.0	19.7	6.3
1990	1631	88.0	18.5	6.1
1991	1746	86.0	20.3	6.8
1992	1812	93.0	19.4	5.7
1993	1843	94.0	19.6	4.3
1994	1946	93.0	20.9	7.7
1995	2002	95.0	21.1	5.8
1996	2002	95.0	21.1	5.8
1997	2026	94.0	21.6	5.3
1998	2063	95.0	21.7	5.5
1999	2107	93.0	22.7	4.3
2000	1897	84.0	22.6	3.9
2001	1754	82.0	21.4	3.9
2002	1768	80.0	22.1	5.8
2003	1768	80.0	22.1	5.8
2004	1802	83.0	21.7	11.2
2005	1840	89.0	20.7	11.5
2006	1853	94.0	19.7	15.4
2007	1816	96.0	18.9	15.4
2008	1821	107.0	17.0	19.1
2009	1837	115.6	18.3	20
2010	1848	89.0	20.7	21.6
2011	1855	90.2	20.5	22.6
2012	1904	86.4	22.0	23.4
2013	1930	100.0	19.3	18.4
2014	1993	101.0	19.7	26
2015	2051	93.0	22.0	29.5
2016	2113	91.0	23.2	26.4
2017	2081	92.0	22.6	27.3
2018	2085	95.0	21.9	26.5
2019	2047	89.3	22.9	25.5
2020	2057	89.2	23.0	27.7
2021	1992	84.8	23.4	n/a
2022	1944	82.9	23.4	46.1
2023	1935	83.7	23.1	37.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Leon High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1753	83.0	21.1	16.2
1989	1758	89.0	19.7	6.3
1990	1631	88.0	18.5	6.1
1991	1746	86.0	20.3	6.8
1992	1812	93.0	19.4	5.7
1993	1843	94.0	19.6	4.3
1994	1946	93.0	20.9	7.7
1995	2002	95.0	21.1	5.8
1996	2002	95.0	21.1	5.8
1997	2026	94.0	21.6	5.3
1998	2063	95.0	21.7	5.5
1999	2107	93.0	22.7	4.3
2000	1897	84.0	22.6	3.9
2001	1754	82.0	21.4	3.9
2002	1768	80.0	22.1	5.8
2003	1768	80.0	22.1	5.8
2004	1802	83.0	21.7	11.2
2005	1840	89.0	20.7	11.5
2006	1853	94.0	19.7	15.4
2007	1816	96.0	18.9	15.4
2008	1821	107.0	17.0	19.1
2009	1837	115.6	18.3	20
2010	1848	89.0	20.7	21.6
2011	1855	90.2	20.5	22.6
2012	1904	86.4	22.0	23.4
2013	1930	100.0	19.3	18.4
2014	1993	101.0	19.7	26
2015	2051	93.0	22.0	29.5
2016	2113	91.0	23.2	26.4
2017	2081	92.0	22.6	27.3
2018	2085	95.0	21.9	26.5
2019	2047	89.3	22.9	25.5
2020	2057	89.2	23.0	27.7
2021	1992	84.8	23.4	n/a
2022	1944	82.9	23.4	46.1
2023	1935	83.7	23.1	37.2

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Leon High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$213 (3.6%)	$5,640 (96.4%)	$5,853
2019	$137 (2.1%)	$6,507 (97.9%)	$6,644
2020	$442 (6.7%)	$6,124 (93.3%)	$6,566
2021	$382 (5.7%)	$6,273 (94.2%)	$6,656
2022	$780 (10.9%)	$6,407 (89.1%)	$7,187
2023	$797 (10.2%)	$7,048 (89.9%)	$7,844

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Leon High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 140^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 232^nd of 792 High schools	10.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Leon High School)	70	60	10%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Leon)	58	55	3%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Leon High School)	68	61	7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Leon)	57	52	5%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Leon High School)	59	53	6%
End of Course Biology 1 (Leon)	70	65	5%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Leon High School)	82	75	7%
End of Course US History (Leon)	81	75	6%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Leon High School)	60	51	9%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Leon)	69	65	4%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Leon High School)	78	72	6%
End of Course Geometry (Leon)	67	55	12%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2047	1935	5.5%
African American	662	751	13.4%
American Indian	7	2	71.4%
Asian	54	62	14.8%
Hispanic	148	183	23.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	1105	825	25.3%
Two or More Races	70	112	60%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	25.5%	37.2%	11.8%

Schools Near Leon High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Leon High School	Public	9-12	550 E Tennessee St	Tallahassee	32308	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-1971	1,935	84	23.1	37.2%	825 (42.6%)	751 (38.8%)	183 (9.5%)	62 (3.2%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	112 (5.8%)	48.4	321^st of 807 public high schools	60.2%		55.9	232^nd of 792 public high schools	70.7%	89	54.0	61.0	33.0	49.0	52.0	68.0	$7,844	$797	$7,048
Pace Center For Girls	Public	6-12	1344 Cross Creek Cir	Tallahassee	32301	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 921-9280	64	1	64.0	100.0%	10 (15.6%)	38 (59.4%)	8 (12.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (12.5%)								(n/a)
Sail	Public	9-12	2006 Jackson Bluff Rd	Tallahassee	32304	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 488-2468	384	20	19.0	32.6%	256 (66.7%)	58 (15.1%)	30 (7.8%)	8 (2.1%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (7.8%)	66.5	159^th of 807 public high schools	80.3%		69.2	137^th of 792 public high schools	82.7%	22	65.0	70.0	49.0	49.0	84.0	91.0	$10,535	$1,058	$9,476
Amos P. Godby High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1717 W Tharpe St	Tallahassee	32303	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	Yes	(850) 488-1325	1,444	65	22.3	63.3%	169 (11.7%)	1,010 (69.9%)	187 (13.0%)	10 (0.7%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	65 (4.5%)	23.1	614^th of 807 public high schools	23.9%		29	513^th of 792 public high schools	35.2%	101	24.0	35.0	20.0	23.0	47.0	66.0	$8,678	$1,466	$7,213
James Rickards High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	3013 Jim Lee Rd	Tallahassee	32301	Leon County	Leon	No	Yes	No	Yes	(850) 414-5500	1,581	65	24.4	57.4%	98 (6.2%)	1,132 (71.6%)	151 (9.6%)	117 (7.4%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	81 (5.1%)	32.6	510^th of 807 public high schools	36.8%		32.2	477^th of 792 public high schools	39.8%	33	35.0	44.0	31.0	34.0	78.0	76.0	$8,148	$1,410	$6,739
Leon County Jail	Public	6-12	860 Blountstown St	Tallahassee	32304	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 410-1249	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lively Technical College	Public	9-12	500 Appleyard Dr	Tallahassee	32304	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-7555	0	2	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Tallahassee Collegiate Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	444 Appleyard Drive	Tallahassee	32304	Leon County	Tcc	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(850) 504-6300	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Lincoln High School	Public	9-12	3838 Trojan Trl	Tallahassee	32311	Leon County	Leon	No	No	No	No	(850) 487-2110	1,861	75	24.9	28.5%	853 (45.8%)	613 (32.9%)	190 (10.2%)	83 (4.5%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	118 (6.3%)	46.9	338^th of 807 public high schools	58.1%		50.8	279^th of 792 public high schools	64.8%	59	58.0	52.0	37.0	45.0	52.0	71.0	$7,175	$708	$6,466
Leon Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual	6-12	860 Blountstown St	Tallahassee	32304	Leon County	Leon	No	No	Yes	No	(850) 487-7804	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Leon High School

What schools feed into Leon High School?

Leon High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Canopy Oaks Elementary School
Elementary : Gilchrist Elementary School
Elementary : Kate Sullivan Elementary School
Elementary : Ruediger Elementary School
Elementary : Sealey Elementary School
Middle : Elizabeth Cobb Middle School
Middle : Raa Middle School

Leon High School

Leon:

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Rank History for Leon High School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Leon High School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Leon High School

Student/Teacher Ratio Leon High School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Leon High School

Impact of COVID-19 on Leon High School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Leon High School

Leon High School

Pace Center For Girls

Sail

Amos P. Godby High School

James Rickards High School

Leon County Jail

Lively Technical College

Tallahassee Collegiate Academy

Lincoln High School

Leon Virtual Academy

Frequently Asked Questions about Leon High School

What schools feed into Leon High School?

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