Enrollment
579
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Jacksonville, FL
River City Science Elementary Academy
Federal NCES profile for River City Science Elementary Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120048007826Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 50
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
River City Science Elementary Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Florida schools.
- #16 of 56
- elementary schools in Jacksonville · Resource Index
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17:1
- students per teacher
- 41.9%
- free-lunch eligible
River City Science Elementary Academy has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, River City Science Elementary Academy ranks #16 of 56 elementary schools in Jacksonville, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
34.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
41.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How River City Science Elementary Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at River City Science Elementary Academy
River City Science Elementary Academy is a mid-sized charter elementary school in Jacksonville, Florida, enrolling 579 students.
At 17:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 41.9% of students eligible for free meals.
With 579 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 654 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #305.
Its student body is led by White (41%) and African American (22%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 73/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 579 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 20.2% 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 Elementary Academy.
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 Elementary Academy compares
River City Science Elementary Academy on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17:1 | ▼ 4% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 41.9% | ▼ 19% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 579 | top 51% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
579
Bigger than 71% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
41.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 55% in Florida - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
20.2%
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 579 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.3 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 41.1%
African American 21.6%
Hispanic or Latino 20.6%
Two or More 8.6%
Asian 7.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: White at 41.1% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 72.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 72.8, River City Science Elementary Academy 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 Elementary Academy.
$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 Elementary Academy 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mandarin High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Duncan U. Fletcher High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| First Coast High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to River City Science Elementary Academy'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 (~579 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on River City Science Elementary Academy's federal record.
- Compare River City Science Elementary Academy 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 Elementary Academy
How many students attend River City Science Elementary Academy?
River City Science Elementary Academy has 579 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Jacksonville, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at River City Science Elementary Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at River City Science Elementary Academy is 17:1, which is 4% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 8% higher 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 Elementary Academy?
41.9% of students at River City Science Elementary Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of River City Science Elementary Academy?
The largest demographic group at River City Science Elementary Academy is White at 41.1% of enrollment, in Jacksonville, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 72.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for River City Science Elementary Academy?
River City Science Elementary Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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 Elementary Academy rank among elementary schools in Jacksonville?
By Resource Investment Index, River City Science Elementary Academy ranks #16 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 Elementary Academy a good school?
River City Science Elementary Academy earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most 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 Elementary Academy, 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.