Here are 75 Jacksonville-area ‘schools of excellence’ the state just recognized for success

Steve Patterson, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union
·3 min read
While a crossing guard stops traffic, a couple lead their sons, ages 6 and 8, into Hendricks Avenue Elementary School in this photo from 2015. Hendricks Avenue is among 15 school district- or charter-run elementaries in Duval County recently labeled "schools of excellence" by Florida's Board of Education.
While a crossing guard stops traffic, a couple lead their sons, ages 6 and 8, into Hendricks Avenue Elementary School in this photo from 2015. Hendricks Avenue is among 15 school district- or charter-run elementaries in Duval County recently labeled "schools of excellence" by Florida's Board of Education.

There are some really great schools in Northeast Florida.

Thanks to Florida’s Board of Education, there’s also a list identifying the 75 First Coast schools the state considers “schools of excellence,” a standard of distinction spelled out in state law.

“This is just another example of the great work that’s happening across our state, the hard work of our teachers and students,” Florida Department of Education Senior Chancellor Adam Miller said at the board’s last meeting where the “excellence” tag was accorded to 783 schools statewide for the 2022-23, including 30 in Duval County.

The label — designed for schools placing in the 80th percentile or higher in state school-grade calculations at least twice in the past three years — has real-life meaning for conventional and public charter schools because it waives some requirements that just don’t apply to private and religious schools.

River City Science Academy students Joshua Negron and Deshaun Hadley manuever DASH the robot by using a computer tablet in this 2020 photo of a STEM and halth expo at the main Jacksonville campus of River City Science, which had three facilities in Duval County the state labeled as "schools of excellence."
River City Science Academy students Joshua Negron and Deshaun Hadley manuever DASH the robot by using a computer tablet in this 2020 photo of a STEM and halth expo at the main Jacksonville campus of River City Science, which had three facilities in Duval County the state labeled as "schools of excellence."

It also carries bragging rights that just feel good to hold.

“We are thrilled to extend congratulations … for this remarkable achievement,” River City Science Academy's management tweeted Tuesday about the designation at three of its Jacksonville campuses.

Bragging rights: Charter vs. public schools: A debate over accolades

Accolades have their limits, of course. Three of Duval County’s honored schools — Atlantic Beach, Seabreeze and John Stockton elementaries — were also on hypothetical lists of potential school closings offered last month to School Board members for consideration that’s scheduled to continue with a workshop April 16.

This is the full list of Duval County’s 30 schools of excellence:

Jacksonville Beach Elementary, a magnet school which U.S. News & World Report last year ranked as the best elementary n Florida, was among 75 First Coast schools the state labeled "schools of excellence" through the 2022-23 school year.
Jacksonville Beach Elementary, a magnet school which U.S. News & World Report last year ranked as the best elementary n Florida, was among 75 First Coast schools the state labeled "schools of excellence" through the 2022-23 school year.

Elementaries (14)

Ruth N. Upson Elementary

Dinsmore Elementary

Atlantic Beach Elementary

Hendricks Avenue Elementary

San Pablo Elementary

John Stockton Elementary

Jacksonville Beach Elementary

New Berlin Elementary

Bertram Springs Elementary

Seabreeze Elementary

Neptune Beach Elementary

Alimacani Elementary

Mandarin Oaks Elementary

Chet’s Creek Elementary

Who's on top: Which 10 Northeast Florida elementary schools lead U.S. News rankings? Jax Beach and ...

Middle schools (4)

Landon College Preparatory and Leadership Development School

Fletcher Middle

James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle

LaVilla School of the Arts

Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts sophomore Mark Palompo drills into a cow's scapula during a two-day neuroanatomy training event at the Jacksonville campus of Medtronic in this 2016 picture.
Darnell-Cookman School of the Medical Arts sophomore Mark Palompo drills into a cow's scapula during a two-day neuroanatomy training event at the Jacksonville campus of Medtronic in this 2016 picture.

Combination (1)

Darnell Cookman Middle/High School

High schools (5)

Paxon School of Advanced Studies

Douglas Anderson School of the Arts

Stanton College Preparatory

Wolfson High

Sandalwood High

Charters (6)

River City Science Elementary Academy (grades K-5)

River City Science Academy (6-12)

River City Science Academy at Mandarin (K-8)

Duval Charter School at Flagler Center (K-8)

Duval Charter High School at Baymeadows (9-12)

Seaside Community Charter School (K-7)

What about the rest of the First Coast?

There are dozens more schools of excellence in the counties touching Jacksonville, too. County by county, here they are:

Baker County

Westside Elementary

Clay County

Orange Park Elementary School's entrance sign carries a birthday message in this photo from 2016. It was among a dozen Clay County schools the state designated "schools of excellence" based on schoool-grade data through the 2022-23 school year.
Orange Park Elementary School's entrance sign carries a birthday message in this photo from 2016. It was among a dozen Clay County schools the state designated "schools of excellence" based on schoool-grade data through the 2022-23 school year.

Orange Park Elementary

Keystone Heights Elementary

Lakeside Elementary

Lake Asbury Elementary

Robert M. Paterson Elementary

Fleming Island Elementary

Thunderbolt Elementary

Shadowlawn Elementary

Discovery Oaks Elementary

Green Cove Springs Junior High

Lakeside Junior High

Fleming Island High

Public role: Clay County schools recognized for exemplary programs promoting parent and community involvement

Nassau County

The Mighty Marching Pirate Band marches up Fernandina Beach's Centre Street in this 2006 photo from Fernandina Beach High School's homecoming parade. FBHS was among facilties that state recently honored as "schools of excellence."
The Mighty Marching Pirate Band marches up Fernandina Beach's Centre Street in this 2006 photo from Fernandina Beach High School's homecoming parade. FBHS was among facilties that state recently honored as "schools of excellence."

Emma Love Hardee Elementary

Bryceville Elementary

Hilliard Elementary

Wildlight Elementary

Callahan Intermediate

Callahan Middle

Fernandina Beach High

St. Johns County

Parents and teacherswalk into Valley Ridge Academy in this 2014 photo from the first day of school at the kindergarten-through-eighth grade school in Ponte Vedra in St. Johns County.
Parents and teacherswalk into Valley Ridge Academy in this 2014 photo from the first day of school at the kindergarten-through-eighth grade school in Ponte Vedra in St. Johns County.

Elementaries (11)

R.B. Hunt Elementary

Julington Creek Elementary

W. Douglas Hartley Elementary

Ponte Vedra Palm Valley-Rawlings Elementary

Cunningham Creek Elementary

Ocean Palms Elementary

Durbin Creek Elementary

Timberlin Creek Elementary

Wards Creek Elementary

Hickory Creek Elementary

Palencia Elementary

Middle Schools (4)

Alice B. Landrum Middle

Switzerland Point Middle

Pacetti Bay Middle

Fruit Cove Middle

Combination (6)

Patriot Oaks Academy (PK-8)

Liberty Pines Academy (PK-8)

Valley Ridge Academy (PK-8)

Freedom Crossing Academy (PK-8)

Palm Valley Academy (PK-8)

St. Johns Virtual Franchise (K-12)

High Schools (4)

Nease High

Bartram Trail High

Ponte Vedra High

Creekside High

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Looking for 'schools of excellence' around Jacksonville? Here's a list