Enrollment
870
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jacksonville, FL
River City Science Academy at Mandarin
Federal NCES profile for River City Science Academy at Mandarin, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 40/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120048008497Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 49
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River City Science Academy at Mandarin earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Florida schools.
- #12 of 56
- elementary schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 40
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.7:1
- small classes for Florida
- 25.9%
- free-lunch eligible
River City Science Academy at Mandarin has class sizes smaller than 70% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River City Science Academy at Mandarin ranks #12 of 56 elementary schools in Jacksonville, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
59.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.7:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
25.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-50% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River City Science Academy at Mandarin compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at River City Science Academy at Mandarin
River City Science Academy at Mandarin is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Jacksonville, Florida, enrolling 870 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.7:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 25.9% free-meal eligibility runs 50% below the Florida average.
Enrollment of 870 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 535 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #264.
Its student body is led by White (57%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 62/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 870 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
Its district draws 19.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Duval also operates Atlantic Coast High School (2,887 students) and Sandalwood High School (2,627 students) alongside River City Science Academy at Mandarin.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How River City Science Academy at Mandarin compares
River City Science Academy at Mandarin on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.7:1 | ▼ 17% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 25.9% | ▼ 50% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 870 | top 26% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.7:1
Leaner classes than 50% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
870
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
25.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 50% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.7:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 30% in Florida - lower ratio than 70% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
20.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$10,696
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 870 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
8
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.9 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 56.6%
Hispanic or Latino 19.0%
African American 10.2%
Asian 7.1%
Two or More 6.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: White at 56.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.4, River City Science Academy at Mandarin is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Duval, which includes River City Science Academy at Mandarin.
$10,696
Per student
-4%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 40.9%
State 39.3%
Federal 19.8%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How River City Science Academy at Mandarin Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Coast High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandalwood High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mandarin High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Duncan U. Fletcher High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Coast High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River City Science Academy at Mandarin's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,887
- Students per teacher
- 24.5:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,627
- Students per teacher
- 22.1:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 20.6:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 2,184
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 2,098
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~870 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River City Science Academy at Mandarin's federal record.
- Compare River City Science Academy at Mandarin against another school. Compare schools
- Duval's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about River City Science Academy at Mandarin
How many students attend River City Science Academy at Mandarin?
River City Science Academy at Mandarin has 870 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jacksonville, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River City Science Academy at Mandarin?
The student-teacher ratio at River City Science Academy at Mandarin is 14.7:1, which is 17% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at River City Science Academy at Mandarin?
25.9% of students at River City Science Academy at Mandarin are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River City Science Academy at Mandarin?
The largest demographic group at River City Science Academy at Mandarin is White at 56.6% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River City Science Academy at Mandarin?
River City Science Academy at Mandarin has a Resource Investment Index of 40/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does River City Science Academy at Mandarin rank among elementary schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, River City Science Academy at Mandarin ranks #12 of 56 elementary schools in Jacksonville, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Jacksonville on the city page.
Is River City Science Academy at Mandarin a good school?
River City Science Academy at Mandarin earns 40/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 70% of Florida schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Duval?
Besides River City Science Academy at Mandarin, Duval also operates Atlantic Coast High School (2,887 students), Sandalwood High School (2,627 students), and Mandarin High School (2,343 students). See the Duval district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.