Following a disappointing “C” grade for the Marion County school district, newly released school-level data shows that the vast majority of local public schools performed below the state average this year, despite district officials pointing to internal improvements and a 46% increase in “A” and “B” grades compared to last year.
The Florida Department of Education data reveals that out of the 53 Marion County schools measured, the district recorded 10 “A” grades, 15 “B” grades, 26 “C” grades, one “D” grade, and one “F” grade.
On Wednesday, Ocala-News.com reported that Marion County was one of only 10 districts in Florida to receive a “C” grade for the 2025-26 academic year. That grade dropped the district to 58th out of Florida’s 67 counties, representing a decline after the district managed to earn a “B” grade in 2025.
In a statement issued by the Marion County School Board just minutes after Ocala-News.com published its story on the grades, officials emphasized that the district’s overall grade decreased primarily because the state raised its grading thresholds.
“The MCPS district grade decreased primarily because new state requirements raised the grading threshold. Previously, a district needed 57 points for a “B” grade; now 60 points are needed. MCPS scored 59,” reads the statement from the district. Although the term “points” was used, the district was referring to the percentage of total points possible.
When looking at the percent of total points possible, the state’s median and average both hovered around 63%. Out of the 53 measured schools in the county, 42 scored below the state’s average and median in that percentage metric.
According to the data, the average total points scored by Florida’s schools was around 551, while the median score was 546. Approximately 41 of the 53 schools in Marion County earned point totals that were lower than the state average and median.
| School Name | Total Points Earned | Percent of Total Possible Points | Grade 2026 | Grade 2025 | Grade 2024 |
| ANTHONY ELEMENTARY | 421 | 53% | C | C | C |
| BELLEVIEW ELEMENTARY | 396 | 50% | C | C | C |
| BELLEVIEW HIGH | 582 | 58% | C | B | C |
| BELLEVIEW MIDDLE | 605 | 67% | A | A | B |
| BELLEVIEW-SANTOS ELEMENTARY | 329 | 41% | C | C | C |
| COLLEGE PARK ELEMENTARY | 333 | 42% | C | C | C |
| DR N H JONES ELEMENTARY | 558 | 70% | A | A | A |
| DUNNELLON ELEMENTARY | 469 | 59% | B | C | C |
| DUNNELLON HIGH | 516 | 52% | C | C | C |
| DUNNELLON MIDDLE | 479 | 53% | C | C | C |
| EAST MARION ELEMENTARY | 371 | 46% | C | C | C |
| EIGHTH STREET ELEMENTARY | 583 | 73% | A | A | A |
| EMERALD SHORES ELEMENTARY | 393 | 49% | C | C | C |
| FESSENDEN ELEMENTARY | 398 | 50% | C | D | C |
| FOREST HIGH | 632 | 63% | B | B | B |
| FORT KING MIDDLE | 478 | 53% | C | C | C |
| FORT MCCOY | 576 | 58% | C | C | C |
| GREENWAY ELEMENTARY | 395 | 49% | C | C | B |
| HAMMETT BOWEN JR. ELEMENTARY | 459 | 57% | B | C | A |
| HARBOUR VIEW ELEMENTARY | 371 | 46% | C | C | C |
| HORIZON ACADEMY AT MARION OAKS | 468 | 52% | C | C | C |
| HOWARD MIDDLE | 490 | 54% | C | C | B |
| INA A.COLEN ACADEMY | 715 | 72% | A | A | A |
| LAKE WEIR HIGH SCHOOL | 472 | 47% | C | C | C |
| LAKE WEIR MIDDLE | 467 | 52% | C | C | C |
| LEGACY ELEMENTARY | 346 | 43% | C | D | C |
| LIBERTY MIDDLE | 562 | 62% | B | B | C |
| MADISON STREET ACADEMY OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS | 626 | 78% | A | A | A |
| MAPLEWOOD ELEMENTARY | 501 | 63% | A | B | B |
| MARION CHARTER | 506 | 63% | A | B | B |
| MARION OAKS ELEMENTARY | 433 | 54% | B | C | C |
| MCINTOSH AREA | 57 | 14% | F | C | F |
| NORTH MARION HIGH | 506 | 51% | C | C | C |
| NORTH MARION MIDDLE | 518 | 58% | B | C | C |
| OAKCREST ELEMENTARY | 440 | 55% | B | D | D |
| OCALA SPRINGS ELEMENTARY | 437 | 55% | B | B | C |
| OCALI CHARTER HIGH | 268 | 38% | D | C | D |
| OCALI CHARTER MIDDLE | 519 | 58% | B | A | C |
| OSCEOLA MIDDLE | 629 | 70% | A | A | B |
| REDDICK-COLLIER ELEMENTARY | 478 | 60% | B | C | C |
| ROMEO ELEMENTARY | 449 | 56% | B | C | C |
| ROSS PRAIRIE ELEMENTARY | 389 | 49% | C | N/A | N/A |
| SADDLEWOOD ELEMENTARY | 509 | 64% | A | B | B |
| SHADY HILL ELEMENTARY | 461 | 58% | B | B | C |
| SOUTH OCALA ELEMENTARY | 388 | 49% | C | C | C |
| SPARR ELEMENTARY | 389 | 49% | C | C | B |
| STANTON-WEIRSDALE ELEMENTARY | 361 | 45% | C | D | C |
| SUNRISE ELEMENTARY | 446 | 56% | B | C | C |
| VANGUARD HIGH | 609 | 61% | B | B | C |
| WARD-HIGHLANDS ELEMENTARY | 530 | 66% | A | A | A |
| WEST PORT HIGH | 614 | 61% | B | B | B |
| WINDING OAKS ELEMENTARY | 360 | 45% | C | N/A | N/A |
| WYOMINA PARK ELEMENTARY | 364 | 46% | C | D | C |
The county’s five charter schools, which accounted for the “D” and “F” grades and three overall grade drops, were also disregarded in favor of highlighting all the traditional public schools that earned a “C” grade or better.
Among those traditional schools, the district noted that 31 increased their overall points, 14 improved their letter grades, and only one dropped.
Despite these internal gains, the local schools’ relative rank among all schools in the state reveals a continuing struggle to keep pace with the rest of Florida.
The district maintains that the hard work of students and teachers is paying off, citing the 5,698 students who earned a Level 5 during standardized tests and the 52% of all students who are on or above grade level in English Language Arts and Mathematics, which is a 4% increase over last year.
Furthermore, the district highlighted that its students surpassed the state average growth in math for the 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 8th grades, as well as in science for the 3rd and 5th grades.
The local school district’s 2026 results fall in line with previous years, when the county has consistently ranked among the worst in the state for test scores and school grades.
At the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year, local school officials formalized a longstanding grading practice that gives all middle and high school students who failed their first semester a bump to at least 55%, affording any students who score poorly a chance to redeem their academic standing in yearlong classes.
What are your thoughts on the performance of the various schools in Marion County? Share them in a comment or a letter to the editor.