The top reported proficiency rate is 49% in Math. The lowest is 11% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences
Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences is a charter middle school serving sixth through eighth grade in Palatka, Florida, operating under the Putnam County School District. It sits on South Palm Avenue, near the historic downtown core of a small river city on the St. Johns River. The school enrolls a modest number of students for a middle school of its type, with roughly even distribution across the three grade levels.
The student body is racially diverse. Black students make up a majority, with white students forming the next largest group and Hispanic students a smaller share. A substantial majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which places this school in a high-poverty context by most measures. Data on English learners and students with IEPs were not reported in what was available, so parents with students in those categories will want to ask the school directly.
State assessment results from Florida's FAST and Statewide Science Assessment are available for the most recent year. In math, sixth and seventh graders scored roughly around or slightly above half proficient, a middle-of-the-road showing; eighth-grade math proficiency was noticeably lower. ELA followed a similar pattern, with sixth and seventh grade sitting near the halfway mark and eighth grade dropping below that. The eighth-grade science result is the figure that stands out most: it was quite low, well below what most parents would hope to see. A parent with a child entering or in eighth grade would be well-served to ask the school how it is addressing science instruction and what supports are available. Multi-year trend data were not available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, stability, or decline.
Because the comparison set for Putnam County contains only one district, a formal peer comparison on proficiency was not applicable. The graduation rate metric does not apply here because this school serves only middle school grades.
The school's name signals an arts and sciences focus, which is part of what distinguishes it as a charter within the district. Specific program offerings, course access data, and staffing information were not available in what was provided, so the depth of that arts and sciences identity in day-to-day programming is something families would need to explore with the school itself.
The surrounding community is Palatka, a county seat with a recognizable historic fabric, a riverfront park system, and an economy anchored by industrial employers like a major paper mill, healthcare, and St. Johns River State College. Housing in the area is meaningfully below both state and national median values, and publicly reported data suggest rents have risen modestly in the past year while home values remain well below statewide norms. Affordability is a genuine characteristic of this market. The district as a whole is in the middle of a large capital program following a voter-approved bond measure, which is rebuilding and consolidating aging facilities across Putnam County. That program carries associated property tax increases that residents have publicly raised concerns about, so families considering purchasing a home here should factor the district's debt service millage into their cost calculations.
For a family weighing this school, the case rests on its charter identity and relatively small enrollment, which can mean closer relationships between staff and students than a large traditional middle school might offer. The academic results, particularly at eighth grade, are an area worth probing, and parents should ask what the school can show about student growth over time, not just proficiency snapshots.
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