James Rickards High School

Summary:

James Rickards High School is a public high school in Tallahassee, Florida, serving 1,581 students in grades 9-12 as part of the Leon District, which is ranked 48 out of 68 districts in the state and rated 2 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

While James Rickards High School has a significantly higher percentage of African American students (71.6%) compared to surrounding schools like Lawton Chiles High School and Lincoln High School, the school has seen a decline in its four-year graduation rate, dropping from 96.5% in 2019-2020 to 82.3% in 2022-2023. This is lower than the surrounding schools, which range from 79.2% to 99.3% four-year graduation rates. Additionally, James Rickards High School has experienced a steady increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 34.4% in 2018-2019 to 62.8% in 2022-2023, significantly higher than the surrounding schools.

Academically, James Rickards High School consistently underperforms compared to the Leon District and the state of Florida in various standardized tests, with proficiency rates often 10-20 percentage points lower. The school also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 54.34% to 57.43% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the surrounding schools. These factors suggest that James Rickards High School may be facing significant challenges in providing a high-quality education to its predominantly low-income, African American student population.


Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

 3013 Jim Lee Rd
       Tallahassee, FL  32301


(850) 414-5500

District: Leon

SchoolDigger Rank:
510th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,148 Help


Feeder schools for James Rickards High School:

Elementary:    Bond Elementary School
    Frank Hartsfield Elementary School
    J Michael Conley Elementary School At Southwood
    Oak Ridge Elementary School
    More...
Middle:    Fairview Middle School
    R. Frank Nims Middle School

Student/teacher ratio:  24.4 Help
Number of students:  1,581

Racial breakdown:

African American:
71.6%
Hispanic:
9.6%
Asian:
7.4%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  57.4% Help


 See top rated Florida high schools

 Compare James Rickards High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details James Rickards High School ranks worse than 63.2% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 5th among 7 ranked high schools in the Leon School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.6. (See more...)
Help
The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of James Rickards High School freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (71.6%), Hispanic (9.6%), Asian (7.4%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 57.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at James Rickards High School is 24.4. 5 high schools in the Leon School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare James Rickards High School employs 64.6 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at James Rickards High School is $8,148, which is the 4th highest among 7 high schools in the Leon School District.
Schooldigger Rankings:

James Rickards High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks James Rickards High School 510th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See James Rickards High School in the ranking list.)

Leon:

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


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Your rating for James Rickards High School?

Rank History for James Rickards High School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 56.94 224th 484 53.7%
2005 73.50 119th 487 75.6%
2006 56.87 214th 477 55.1%
2007 57.23 243rd 563 56.8%
2008 52.45 291st 577 49.6%
2009 47.20 345th 587 41.2%
2010 45.61 382nd 620 38.4%
2011 47.15 362nd 622 41.8%
2012 28.27 418th 606 31.0%
2013 25.60 488th 648 24.7%
2014 16.99 555th 687 19.2%
2016 23.83 505th 693 27.1%
2017 41.06 359th 714 49.7%
2018 30.03 474th 716 33.8%
2019 38.54 409th 734 44.3%
2021 25.99 509th 746 31.8%
2022 28.72 508th 774 34.4%
2023 32.24 477th 792 39.8%
2024 32.60 510th 807 36.8%
See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

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

James Rickards High School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)
100%

0%

0%

0%

0%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Open Quote James S. Rickards High School is a GREAT school under the present leadership (Gayle, Wright, Edwards and Whitfield). Close Quote



Enrollment information for James Rickards High School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 642 727 10 11 1 n/a n/a 0 1391
1989 629 784 11 5 0 n/a n/a 0 1429
1990 519 748 11 6 1 n/a n/a 0 1285
1991 511 796 8 6 1 n/a n/a 0 1322
1992 451 788 2 6 1 n/a n/a 0 1248
1993 366 765 4 12 0 n/a n/a 0 1147
1994 318 837 1 15 1 n/a n/a 0 1172
1995 373 1078 11 23 1 n/a n/a 0 1486
1996 373 1078 11 23 1 n/a n/a 0 1486
1997 422 1136 12 18 0 n/a n/a 0 1588
1998 421 1083 27 19 1 n/a n/a 0 1551
1999 452 1089 23 19 0 n/a n/a 0 1583
2000 439 1045 25 20 1 n/a n/a 0 1530
2001 402 1010 29 20 4 n/a n/a 0 1465
2002 299 1031 37 19 3 n/a n/a 0 1389
2003 299 1031 37 19 3 n/a n/a 0 1389
2004 266 996 40 18 2 n/a n/a 0 1322
2005 251 942 34 17 1 n/a n/a 0 1245
2006 221 913 43 13 1 n/a n/a 0 1191
2007 201 943 51 15 3 n/a n/a 19 1232
2008 189 985 56 22 2 n/a n/a 26 1280
2009 188 974 47 19 2 n/a n/a 28 1258
2010 168 914 61 28 2 n/a n/a 15 1188
2011 151 969 65 28 1 0 13 0 1227
2012 172 969 71 35 2 0 24 0 1273
2013 150 1000 78 36 2 0 29 0 1295
2014 136 978 65 34 2 0 28 0 1243
2015 113 991 70 49 2 0 28 0 1253
2016 99 1030 71 58 1 0 25 0 1284
2017 96 1028 74 61 1 0 28 0 1288
2018 111 1049 87 68 1 0 36 0 1352
2019 120 1152 97 84 2 2 38 0 1495
2020 114 1229 102 104 0 2 45 0 1596
2021 114 1245 113 125 0 2 61 0 1660
2022 89 1195 113 122 1 1 66 0 1587
2023 98 1132 117 151 1 1 81 0 1581

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 James Rickards High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1391 72.0 19.3 21.9
1989 1429 80.0 17.8 19.3
1990 1285 82.0 15.6 19.6
1991 1322 77.0 17.1 20.7
1992 1248 69.0 18.0 14.3
1993 1147 65.0 17.6 19.3
1994 1172 69.0 17.0 27.3
1995 1486 80.0 18.6 23.8
1996 1486 80.0 18.6 23.8
1997 1588 88.0 18.0 20
1998 1551 86.0 18.0 17.1
1999 1583 86.0 18.4 17.1
2000 1530 89.0 17.2 25
2001 1465 86.0 17.0 21.6
2002 1389 68.0 20.4 28.4
2003 1389 68.0 20.4 28.4
2004 1322 75.0 17.6 41.3
2005 1245 73.0 17.1 41.7
2006 1191 67.0 17.8 43.6
2007 1232 69.0 17.9 43.5
2008 1280 72.0 17.8 49.2
2009 1258 85.6 16.9 57
2010 1188 66.0 18.0 50
2011 1227 65.0 18.8 56
2012 1273 68.0 18.7 57.9
2013 1295 69.0 18.7 48.9
2014 1243 73.0 17.0 45.2
2015 1253 62.0 20.2 34.7
2016 1284 61.0 21.0 57.1
2017 1288 61.0 21.1 54.4
2018 1352 62.0 21.8 55.6
2019 1495 62.1 24.0 51.2
2020 1596 65.6 24.3 53.4
2021 1660 62.2 26.6 54.3
2022 1587 67.6 23.4 56.1
2023 1581 64.6 24.4 57.4

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 James Rickards High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 1391 72.0 19.3 21.9
1989 1429 80.0 17.8 19.3
1990 1285 82.0 15.6 19.6
1991 1322 77.0 17.1 20.7
1992 1248 69.0 18.0 14.3
1993 1147 65.0 17.6 19.3
1994 1172 69.0 17.0 27.3
1995 1486 80.0 18.6 23.8
1996 1486 80.0 18.6 23.8
1997 1588 88.0 18.0 20
1998 1551 86.0 18.0 17.1
1999 1583 86.0 18.4 17.1
2000 1530 89.0 17.2 25
2001 1465 86.0 17.0 21.6
2002 1389 68.0 20.4 28.4
2003 1389 68.0 20.4 28.4
2004 1322 75.0 17.6 41.3
2005 1245 73.0 17.1 41.7
2006 1191 67.0 17.8 43.6
2007 1232 69.0 17.9 43.5
2008 1280 72.0 17.8 49.2
2009 1258 85.6 16.9 57
2010 1188 66.0 18.0 50
2011 1227 65.0 18.8 56
2012 1273 68.0 18.7 57.9
2013 1295 69.0 18.7 48.9
2014 1243 73.0 17.0 45.2
2015 1253 62.0 20.2 34.7
2016 1284 61.0 21.0 57.1
2017 1288 61.0 21.1 54.4
2018 1352 62.0 21.8 55.6
2019 1495 62.1 24.0 51.2
2020 1596 65.6 24.3 53.4
2021 1660 62.2 26.6 54.3
2022 1587 67.6 23.4 56.1
2023 1581 64.6 24.4 57.4

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 James Rickards High School

Help

YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $745 (9.9%) $6,816 (90.1%) $7,561
2019 $689 (9.4%) $6,656 (90.6%) $7,346
2020 $1,004 (13.3%) $6,528 (86.7%) $7,531
2021 $1,064 (14.4%) $6,303 (85.5%) $7,368
2022 $1,191 (15.5%) $6,480 (84.5%) $7,672
2023 $1,410 (17.3%) $6,739 (82.7%) $8,148

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on James Rickards 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 409th of 734 High schoolsRanks 477th of 792 High schools
 4.5%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (James Rickards High School)4236
 6%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Leon)5855
 3%
   9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5551
 4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (James Rickards High School)3836
 2%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Leon)5752
 5%
   10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5349
 4%
End of Course Biology 1 (James Rickards High School)9283
 9%
   End of Course Biology 1 (Leon)7065
 5%
   End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)6763
 4%
End of Course US History (James Rickards High School)9374
 19%
   End of Course US History (Leon)8175
 6%
   End of Course US History (Florida)7063
 7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (James Rickards High School)5030
 20%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Leon)6965
 4%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)6254
 8%
End of Course Geometry (James Rickards High School)4022
 18%
   End of Course Geometry (Leon)6755
 12%
   End of Course Geometry (Florida)5750
 7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students14951581
 5.8%
African American11521132
 1.7%
American Indian21
 50%
Asian97117
 20.6%
Hispanic84151
 79.8%
Pacific Islander21
 50%
White12098
 18.3%
Two or More Races3881
 113.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients51.2%57.4%
 6.2%


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Frequently Asked Questions about James Rickards High School

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,581 students attended James Rickards High School.

Students at James Rickards High School are 72% African American, 10% Hispanic, 7% Asian, 6% White, 5% Two or more races.

James Rickards High School ranks 510th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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