Alachua County Public School Grades for 2024-2025
BY LEN CABRERA
ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Alachua County Public Schools has earned a grade of B for the 2024-25 school year and was just two percentage points from an A grade, according to information released today by the Florida Department of Education. It is the district’s third straight B grade since the state resumed the grading of schools and districts after COVID. The number of A and B schools in the district increased during the last school year.
A report explaining the school grading system and the 2024-25 results is available here. Statewide, there was a large improvement, with 213 more schools receiving an A grade. According to the report, 76% of schools graded D or F in 2024 improved their grade in 2025. As a result, there were 48 fewer schools receiving a D grade and one fewer F school.
As a whole, Alachua County retained its B grade from last year, and the overall score improved from 61% of the total possible points to 62% (an A grade requires 64%). The Alachua County district grade is found here, and the 2023-24 result is here. The table below shows the distribution of Alachua County school grades.
Three schools received D grades this year and will be designated as SI (School Improvement) schools for the 2025-26 school year. These schools are Foster, Shell, and Williams Elementary Schools.
None of the district’s traditional schools received a failing grade in 2025. Two schools that had been categorized by the state as SI (School Improvement) schools earned higher grades this year. Alachua Elementary and Rawlings Elementary both raised their grades from a D to a C, removing them from SI status.
Individual school grades are found here. Alachua County Public Schools that received a better grade this year are listed below, with charter schools marked with an asterisk:
- Alachua Elementary (D to C)
- Caring & Sharing Learning * (B to A)
- Eastside High (C to B)
- Fort Clarke Middle (B to A)
- Gainesville High (B to A)
- Howard Bishop Middle (C to B)
- Kanapaha Middle (B to A)
- Littlewood Elementary (B to A)
- Meadowbrook Elementary (B to A)
- Norton Elementary (C to B)
- Rawlings Elementary (D to C)
- Santa Fe High (C to B)
Alachua County Public Schools that received a lower grade this year are listed below, with charter schools marked with an asterisk:
- Boulware Springs * (A to B)
- Lincoln Middle (A to B)
- Micanopy Academy * (B to C)
- Micanopy Area Cooperative * (A to B)
- Newberry Elementary (A to B)
- Santa Fe College Academy * (A to B)
- Shell Elementary (C to D)
- Stephen Foster Elementary (C to D)
- Wiles Elementary (A to B)
- Williams Elementary (B to D)
The tables below show the full list of Alachua County school grades for the last four years.
In a press release, Alachua County Public Schools said it has launched several initiatives to further strengthen achievement across the district. For the upcoming school year, literacy specialists will be embedded in every school to support reading and writing instruction across all curricular areas. The district is also expanding its use of Instructional Empowerment, a system designed to boost student academic outcomes through changes in instructional practice focusing on a rigorous student-centered model of instruction.
Since January, the district has adopted new tools that allow teachers and administrators to quickly access and analyze real-time student performance data. School and district leaders now participate in regular Data Dialogues to review progress, share best practices, and guide instructional decision-making.
“The most successful instructional strategies are driven by data,” said Superintendent Kamela Patton, who implemented the Data Dialogues shortly after joining the district in late November. “By constantly reviewing student progress—from the district level to the classroom and down to the individual student—we can more effectively identify and apply strategies that will help every child succeed.”
You can put lipstick on a pig but it’s still a pig
“School and district leaders now participate in regular Data Dialogues to review progress, share best practices, and guide instructional decision-making.”
““The most successful instructional strategies are driven by data,” said Superintendent Kamela Patton”
does she work for Google/NSA or the local schools?…God forbid utilizing interpersonal skills to educate
Do not let your child become a data set!!! Either speak up or exit the system! Actually I recommend speaking up and exiting…
She works for herself at the expense of Alachua County taxpayers.
Anyone know if she’s made any meaningful changes in the district offices yet? Cut some of the fat from the budget? Apparently she’s spent some funds for new software.
It is good to see improvements and have the ability to support the schools that need help.
I heard no mention of improving student attendance. That data is not good and needs to be “driven.” I heard no mention of behavioral consequences for disruptive students. That data is not good and needs to be “driven.” I heard no mention of rezoning or superintendent searching. The wasted money on the consulting firms could aid in bailing us out of our “financial crisis.” Thank goodness my focus is on helping my students to the best of my ability and not this district’s madness!
They will lose more money if they rezone.
AMEN, RIGHT ON, SO TRUE!!!
With teachers under paid and over worked and dealing with Financial Strain with inflation and rising living costs, stagnant pay means teachers struggle to afford housing, healthcare, transportation, and even basic necessities.
Lack of fair compensation combined with already high workloads leads to stress, exhaustion, and burnout.
Alachua County teachers are fantastic and hardworking and deserve much appreciation for dealing with the lack support from Alachua County School board. Save and support are Alachua County teachers.
I know a number of teachers in Alachua County’s schools and some private.
You are right. The deserve much appreciation. It’s a hard job.
But I honestly think many of them…find it their calling.
That doesn’t make it easier and I am sure there are days that would try a saint.
But at the end of the day I hope they know they make a difference.
True that. No one goes into teaching for the money or the glory.
Way to go Rawlings!
Wait! I thought from previous articles – within the week – that AC public schools were a dumpster fire!
If the regular haters here can only complain about new software selections, that’s definitely progress.
What about Irby Elementary?
School grades are calculated from tests given to students in grades 3 and up. Irby is K-2.
Irby does not have any testing grades therefore does not receive a school grade. Seems like an easy to skirt around SI. Maybe the district should consider changing some more schools to K-2 to avoid shutdowns from the state.
Curious to know how rezoning affected these number, if at all.
Let’s talk about how the district tanked Williams grade from a B to a D and for what?
So, what is with the consistent low ranked schools? They have been identified as a problem, but don’t seem to fixed over a multiyear period. I guess the administrators need higher salaries to fix this problem.