How do the public high schools in Ocala stack up?
We analyzed newly released data from Niche.com, which incorporates comprehensive report cards, rankings and reviews to help you choose the right school, to find out how schools in your area are performing and which have made the biggest leaps over the past year.
Vanguard High School's overall rating improved the most among its peers in Ocala, rising from a B+ to an A-, according to data from Niche.
For the 2019-2020 school year, the school, located at 7 N.W. 28th St., enrolls 1,664 students. Vanguard High School serves a diverse population: 43% of students identify as white, 31% identify as black and 16% identify as Hispanic. Niche gave the school mixed grades: B+ on an A-D scale for academics, B for administration and B for clubs and activities.
The overall ranking comes from Niche's proprietary algorithms. A school's ranking might change due to many factors, including the relative rankings of similar schools and whether a school gained or lost peers due to openings or closings. Other numbers come from current public data from the U.S. government.
Academically, 46% of Vanguard High School's students scored as proficient or above in math, and 48% did so in reading. That's compared to city averages of 31% in math and 34% in reading.
It's not the only school that's climbed Niche's rankings this year. Lake Weir High School saw its overall rating go from a C+ to a B-. The school is located at 10351 S.E. Maricamp Road and is a bit smaller, currently serving 1,544 students, of whom 58% identify as white, 20% identify as black and 16% identify as Hispanic.
Niche gave Lake Weir mixed grades: C+ on an A-D scale for academics, C for administration and C- for clubs and activities. Lake Weir's latest math proficiency was at 48%, and reading proficiency was 33%. The school's upswing is notable since it serves a less affluent population, with 75% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, 12% more than the city average.
While some public high schools are moving up the ranks, others are consistently top-rated overall, including:
- West Port High School, with an overall rating of A-.
- Forest High School, with an A- rating overall.
- Marion Technical Institute, rated B- overall.
This story was created automatically using data from Niche.com, then reviewed by an editor before publication. Click here for more about how and why Hoodline is automating local news. Got thoughts about what we're doing? Go here to share your feedback.
