MARION operates 61 public schools serving 44,493 students, placing it among the larger districts in Florida. The school portfolio breaks down into 41 other, 9 middle, 7 high, 4 elementary schools, giving families a clear picture of grade-band coverage before they move, rent, or enrol. Aggregated across those campuses, enrollment totals 46,366 pupils using the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 release, and the district is geographically located in Marion County County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $11,790 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, which aggregates every revenue and spending line reported under federal accounting standards. The funding mix is 35.3% local, 43.3% state, and 21.4% federal — a breakdown that matters because districts leaning heavily on local revenue are more exposed to property-tax swings, while higher federal shares typically track Title I concentration. Average teacher compensation clocks in at $56,729 per NCES F-33, a signal of the district's ability to recruit and retain staff against neighbouring districts. The district's equity score — 43/100, ranked #46 of 67 in Florida against a state average of 51 — measures how evenly funding reaches schools within its boundaries.
Academic infrastructure includes 5 of 61 schools offering Advanced Placement (63 AP courses district-wide), a 508.1:1 student-counselor ratio, above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 41.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 41.9% White, 29.5% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% African American across the district's schools.
MARION school enrollment varies 302× across entities
MARION school enrollment ranges from 10 students (lowest) to 3,022 students (highest), a spread of 3,012 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme enrollment heterogeneity — the district operates both small specialty programs and large comprehensive campuses inside a single budgeting unit. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.
MARION has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 60.5% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch
free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.
MARION student-counselor ratio is 508:1 — high (typically associated with staffing constraints that limit per-student counselor time; CRDC data shows higher ratios cluster in larger urban systems)
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment — districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
MARION chronic absenteeism rate is 41.9% — high (typically associated with higher-than-average disruption; recent CRDC data showed elevated rates persisting after pandemic-era schooling changes)
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason — illness, family obligations, or disengagement Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.
MARION has 61 schools, including 7 high, 9 middle, 41 other, 4 elementary. Total enrollment is 44,493 students.
How much does MARION spend per student?
MARION spends $11,790 per student. The district has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #46 in Florida.
What is the average teacher salary in MARION?
The average teacher salary in MARION is $56,729 per year, according to the NCES CCD F-33 Finance Survey.
What is the average rent near MARION?
The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Marion County County is $N/A/month (2026). This affects housing affordability for families in the district.
What is the demographic composition of MARION?
MARION students are 41.9% White, 29.5% Hispanic or Latino, 21.1% African American, 1.4% Asian, averaged across 61 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for MARION?
MARION has an equity score of 43/100, ranking #46 out of 67 districts in Florida. This score measures resource distribution fairness across schools in the district.