The top reported proficiency rate is 36% in Math. The lowest is 25% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Stewart Street Elementary School
Stewart Street Elementary sits on the south side of Quincy, the county seat of Gadsden County and the largest city in Florida's only majority-Black county. The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade and draws from a community whose character is shaped by deep agricultural roots, a walkable historic downtown around the courthouse square, and an economy that leans heavily on public-sector employment. Quincy is part of the Tallahassee metro area but functions on its own quiet cadence, with vintage storefronts alongside civic anchors like the Gadsden Arts Center, Tanyard Creek Park, and the county public library system. The area is experiencing a modest wave of new residential and retail development after years of flat growth, though publicly reported accounts note that aging infrastructure and housing stock remain real pressures.
The school's student population is predominantly Black, reflecting the county's demographic makeup. A large share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places the school among the higher-need elementary settings in Florida by that measure. Prekindergarten through kindergarten cohorts are among the larger grade groups, which means the school carries a meaningful early childhood role for families in the area.
On state assessments, the picture is one that parents will want to look into carefully. Florida's FAST assessment results from the most recent school year show that in third grade, reading and math proficiency rates sit below half of students tested, and in fourth grade the rates are comparable. By fifth grade, proficiency in both reading and math falls to roughly a quarter or less of students tested, and the science assessment at that grade follows a similar pattern. These are the reported figures from Florida's statewide testing program, and they reflect results that are below typical state averages. Multi-year trend data was not available in the data provided, so it is not possible to characterize whether these results have been improving, holding steady, or declining. A parent would want to ask the school directly about what instructional supports are in place, what the trajectory looks like year over year, and how the school is working to close these gaps.
Data on chronic absenteeism and detailed staffing ratios were not available in what was provided, so those dimensions of the school environment cannot be characterized here. Special-populations counts for students receiving IEP services or English learner services were also not reported in the data, which limits the picture of how the school supports students with specific learning needs. This is worth asking about directly.
The housing market in Quincy is among the most affordable in Florida. Home values in the area are well below both the state and national medians, and they have edged slightly lower over the past year. For families weighing a move, this affordability stands in clear contrast to most of Florida's urban and suburban markets. There is no rental index data available for this specific zip code.
Because Gadsden County has only one district, a comparison against county peers is not meaningful, and that comparison was set aside. The district brief search returned no confirmed parent-relevant changes before the research budget was reached, so district-level strategic priorities or operational changes are not characterized here rather than guessed at.
Program offerings beyond the core curriculum were not included in the data provided. A parent interested in enrichment, arts, or extended learning should reach out to the school or the Gadsden district directly.
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