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Very Good

#1299 of 3,778 schools in FL

Top 34% in state

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School

Elementary School · Duval · Jacksonville, FL

A Duval elementary school where students score 15 points above what's typical for similar communities.

6725 HEMA RD, Jacksonville, FL 32209

  • Math 53% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 49% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 16:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.0Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.36 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics7.6Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency53% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency48.7% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-7.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-6.5 pts
Overall Proficiency51% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)36% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+14.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile64th
Resources & Environment4.3Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16:1
District spending per student$11,578
Chronic Absenteeism66.1%

Students at Rufus E. Payne Elementary School score 51% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 36%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency53%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency49%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 19 points since 2020, reaching 51% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
57%
ELA
52%
2010
Math
67%
ELA
47%
2011
Math
42%
ELA
37%
2012
Math
47%
ELA
42%
2013
Math
57%
ELA
32%
2014
Math
32%
ELA
27%
2015
Math
47%
ELA
27%
2016
Math
52%
ELA
37%
2017
Math
42%
ELA
32%
2018
Math
57%
ELA
42%
2019
Math
57%
ELA
42%
2020*
Math
42%
ELA
22%
2021*
Math
42%
ELA
22%
2022
Math
51%
ELA
30%
2024
Math
53%
ELA
49%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 50% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 38% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 34 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

86.2%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Rufus E. Payne Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Jacksonville map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 20Car-Dependent
  • Transit 31Some Transit
  • Bike 34Somewhat Bikeable

Powered byWalk Score

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$29,468

Median home value

$92,300

Median rent

$1,042/mo

College educated

11.9%

Homeownership

47.7%

Poverty rate

37.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 32209; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Tiger AcademyCharter · enrollment unverified5.3K–50.6 mi204Compare →
S. A. Hull Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.1PK–50.8 mi168Compare →
Ephesus Sda Junior AcademyPrivate · tuition4.1privateK–101.1 mi92Compare →
George Washington Carver ElementaryEnrollment path unverified5.5PK–51.3 mi281Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Duval

Schools in district
208
Rank in district
#40 of 194
District spending per student
$11,578NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
13.1%Census SAIPE · 2024

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School is listed in DUVAL; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Rufus E. Payne Elementary School

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School is a public elementary school in Jacksonville, FL, part of Duval, serving approximately 224 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10 and ranks #1,299 of 3,778 schools in FL.

State assessment records show 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Rufus E. Payne Elementary School

What grades does Rufus E. Payne Elementary School serve?

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Rufus E. Payne Elementary School?

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 224 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Rufus E. Payne Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Rufus E. Payne Elementary School is 16:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Rufus E. Payne Elementary School rank in FL?

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School ranks #1,299 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Rufus E. Payne Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Rufus E. Payne Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.1 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Rufus E. Payne Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Rufus E. Payne Elementary School has 50% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 38% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Rufus E. Payne Elementary School a charter school?

No, Rufus E. Payne Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Rufus E. Payne Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Rufus E. Payne Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Rufus E. Payne Elementary School?

86.2% of students at Rufus E. Payne Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
224
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
Teachers (FTE)
14
Type
regular
Setting
Large City
County
Duval County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
66.1%
Area population (ZIP 32209)
35,490
Area average commute
25.2 min
Area median age
37.3
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 32209; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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