Forest High School

Q: Is Forest High School a good school?

Forest High School ranks 306 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Forest High School is a public high school located in Ocala, Florida, serving grades 9-12 with a student population of 2,325. The school is part of the Marion School District, which is ranked 61 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Forest High School appears to be a relatively strong-performing school within the Marion School District, with higher graduation rates, test scores, and lower chronic absenteeism compared to many of the nearby schools. The school has a higher percentage of White students (57.08%) compared to the more diverse student populations at schools like Vanguard High School, which has a more even split between White (34.02%) and African American (34.44%) students. Forest High School has maintained graduation rates ranging from 85.6% to 95.4% over the past five years, significantly higher than the nearby Lake Weir High School (69.8%) and Belleview High School (similar to Forest High).

However, the school's increasing chronic absenteeism rate, rising from 13.7% in 2019-2020 to 22.5% in 2022-2023, may be an area of concern. Additionally, the Marion School District as a whole is ranked low, suggesting that there may be room for improvement in certain areas. Overall, Forest High School appears to be providing a more supportive and effective educational environment for its students compared to some of the nearby schools, but the district's overall performance indicates that there is still work to be done.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

5000 SE Maricamp Rd
Ocala, FL 34480

(352) 671-4700

District: Marion

SchoolDigger Rank:
306^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,320

Feeder schools for Forest High School:

Elementary:	Dr N H Jones Elementary School
	Eighth Street Elementary School
	Maplewood Elementary School
	South Ocala Elementary School
Middle:	Osceola Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 23.5

Number of students: 2,383

Racial breakdown:

White:

55.3%

Hispanic:

21.2%

African American:

16.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 41.5%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Forest High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Forest High School ranks better than 62.1% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks first among 8 ranked high schools in the Marion School District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.73. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Forest High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Forest High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (55.3%), Hispanic (21.2%), African American (16.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 41.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Forest High School is 23.5, which is the 7^th best among 8 high schools in the Marion School District. (See more...)

Compare Forest High School employs 101 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Forest High School is $8,320. 7 high schools in the Marion School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Forest High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Forest High School 306^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Forest High School in the ranking list.)

Marion:

SchoolDigger ranks Marion 61^st of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Forest High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	74.21	111^th	484	77.1%
2005	70.78	133^rd	487	72.7%
2006	70.50	126^th	477	73.6%
2007	74.64	121^st	563	78.5%
2008	70.10	147^th	577	74.5%
2009	70.78	152^nd	587	74.1%
2010	71.71	164^th	620	73.5%
2011	72.80	162^nd	622	74.0%
2012	58.72	169^th	606	72.1%
2013	59.30	202^nd	648	68.8%
2014	59.95	228^th	687	66.8%
2016	56.69	207^th	693	70.1%
2017	57.17	209^th	714	70.7%
2018	54.70	232^nd	716	67.6%
2019	51.95	269^th	734	63.4%
2021	48.88	277^th	746	62.9%
2022	49.49	290^th	774	62.5%
2023	49.05	300^th	792	62.1%
2024	49.73	306^th	807	62.1%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Forest High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1487	428	28	25	1	n/a	n/a	0	1969
1989	1397	382	27	27	0	n/a	n/a	0	1833
1990	1335	340	23	34	2	n/a	n/a	0	1734
1991	1323	343	26	41	4	n/a	n/a	0	1737
1992	1380	336	32	48	1	n/a	n/a	0	1797
1993	1425	327	26	63	5	n/a	n/a	0	1846
1994	1453	326	32	64	2	n/a	n/a	0	1877
1995	1359	355	24	77	4	n/a	n/a	0	1819
1996	1359	355	24	77	4	n/a	n/a	0	1819
1997	1303	388	21	69	1	n/a	n/a	0	1782
1998	1330	379	20	76	0	n/a	n/a	0	1805
1999	1378	373	21	99	2	n/a	n/a	0	1873
2000	1435	383	17	116	5	n/a	n/a	0	1956
2001	1393	338	28	106	7	n/a	n/a	0	1872
2002	1354	315	23	103	5	n/a	n/a	0	1800
2003	1354	315	23	103	5	n/a	n/a	0	1800
2004	1302	294	24	121	7	n/a	n/a	0	1748
2005	1369	344	25	160	6	n/a	n/a	0	1904
2006	1502	377	32	215	10	n/a	n/a	0	2136
2007	1467	365	33	259	9	n/a	n/a	48	2181
2008	1525	389	40	247	10	n/a	n/a	53	2264
2009	1599	394	38	295	14	n/a	n/a	68	2408
2010	1535	388	35	283	10	n/a	n/a	64	2315
2011	1413	353	16	269	15	2	105	0	2173
2012	1415	335	20	264	17	3	107	0	2161
2013	1382	317	26	278	14	5	105	0	2127
2014	1343	308	32	262	15	4	101	0	2065
2015	1361	319	31	282	15	2	97	0	2107
2016	1396	336	24	298	16	2	109	0	2181
2017	1305	352	36	309	18	4	104	0	2128
2018	1304	350	44	331	14	5	97	0	2145
2019	1330	343	41	364	16	5	96	0	2195
2020	1291	346	44	378	13	7	92	0	2171
2021	1329	363	38	431	9	6	106	0	2282
2022	1270	335	36	421	6	8	105	0	2181
2023	1327	379	39	450	6	8	116	0	2325
2024	1318	384	48	505	7	8	113	0	2383

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Forest High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1969	109.0	18.0	12.7
1989	1833	113.0	16.2	12.3
1990	1734	111.0	15.6	13
1991	1737	107.0	16.2	14.7
1992	1797	109.0	16.4	13.6
1993	1846	106.0	17.4	5.3
1994	1877	107.0	17.5	12
1995	1819	107.0	17.0	15.3
1996	1819	107.0	17.0	15.3
1997	1782	109.0	16.3	16.2
1998	1805	107.0	16.9	23.2
1999	1873	102.0	18.4	20.8
2000	1956	107.0	18.3	16.3
2001	1872	106.0	17.7	14.4
2002	1800	92.0	19.6	17.3
2003	1800	92.0	19.6	17.3
2004	1748	90.0	19.4	20.7
2005	1904	95.0	20.0	29.4
2006	2136	100.0	21.4	27.9
2007	2181	116.0	18.8	30.8
2008	2264	109.0	20.8	31.2
2009	2408	126.3	21.1	32.2
2010	2315	112.0	20.6	41.4
2011	2173	112.0	19.4	36.6
2012	2161	105.0	20.5	40.1
2013	2127	105.0	20.2	42.6
2014	2065	100.0	20.6	41
2015	2107	106.0	19.8	44.3
2016	2181	101.0	21.5	48.1
2017	2128	102.0	20.8	46.4
2018	2145	103.0	20.8	46.3
2019	2195	95.0	23.1	44.9
2020	2171	94.0	23.0	44.8
2021	2282	91.0	25.0	44
2022	2181	100.0	21.8	44.2
2023	2325	95.0	24.4	41.9
2024	2383	101.0	23.5	41.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Forest High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1969	109.0	18.0	12.7
1989	1833	113.0	16.2	12.3
1990	1734	111.0	15.6	13
1991	1737	107.0	16.2	14.7
1992	1797	109.0	16.4	13.6
1993	1846	106.0	17.4	5.3
1994	1877	107.0	17.5	12
1995	1819	107.0	17.0	15.3
1996	1819	107.0	17.0	15.3
1997	1782	109.0	16.3	16.2
1998	1805	107.0	16.9	23.2
1999	1873	102.0	18.4	20.8
2000	1956	107.0	18.3	16.3
2001	1872	106.0	17.7	14.4
2002	1800	92.0	19.6	17.3
2003	1800	92.0	19.6	17.3
2004	1748	90.0	19.4	20.7
2005	1904	95.0	20.0	29.4
2006	2136	100.0	21.4	27.9
2007	2181	116.0	18.8	30.8
2008	2264	109.0	20.8	31.2
2009	2408	126.3	21.1	32.2
2010	2315	112.0	20.6	41.4
2011	2173	112.0	19.4	36.6
2012	2161	105.0	20.5	40.1
2013	2127	105.0	20.2	42.6
2014	2065	100.0	20.6	41
2015	2107	106.0	19.8	44.3
2016	2181	101.0	21.5	48.1
2017	2128	102.0	20.8	46.4
2018	2145	103.0	20.8	46.3
2019	2195	95.0	23.1	44.9
2020	2171	94.0	23.0	44.8
2021	2282	91.0	25.0	44
2022	2181	100.0	21.8	44.2
2023	2325	95.0	24.4	41.9
2024	2383	101.0	23.5	41.5

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Forest High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$352 (5.1%)	$6,488 (94.9%)	$6,840
2019	$441 (6.2%)	$6,629 (93.8%)	$7,070
2020	$344 (5.1%)	$6,382 (94.9%)	$6,725
2021	$483 (6.9%)	$6,520 (93.1%)	$7,003
2022	$1,218 (14.6%)	$7,150 (85.4%)	$8,368
2023	$913 (11.0%)	$7,407 (89.0%)	$8,320

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Forest High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 269^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 300^th of 792 High schools	1.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Forest High School)	63	56	7%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	50	46	4%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Forest High School)	51	52	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Marion)	46	42	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Forest High School)	74	64	10%
End of Course Biology 1 (Marion)	64	58	6%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Forest High School)	72	64	8%
End of Course US History (Marion)	71	65	6%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Forest High School)	37	27	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Marion)	55	44	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Forest High School)	55	49	6%
End of Course Geometry (Marion)	51	41	10%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2195	2325	5.9%
African American	343	379	10.5%
American Indian	16	6	62.5%
Asian	41	39	4.9%
Hispanic	364	450	23.6%
Pacific Islander	5	8	60%
White	1330	1327	0.2%
Two or More Races	96	116	20.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.9%	41.9%	2.9%

Schools Near Forest High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)				FAST Math (2024)		Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Forest High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	5000 SE Maricamp Rd	Ocala	34480	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	No	(352) 671-4700	2,383	101	23.5	41.5%	1,318 (55.3%)	384 (16.1%)	505 (21.2%)	48 (2.0%)	7 (0.3%)	8 (0.3%)	113 (4.7%)	49.7	306^th of 807 public high schools	62.1%		49.1	300^th of 792 public high schools	62.1%	6			56.0	55.0				41.0	57.0	61.0	64.0	$8,320	$913	$7,407
Silver River Mentoring And Instruction	Public	6-12	2500 SE 44th Ct	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 694-0191	186	5	37.2	86.0%	44 (23.7%)	88 (47.3%)	42 (22.6%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.9%)	2.5	775^th of 807 public high schools	4.0%		5.6	700^th of 792 public high schools	11.6%	75	10.0	10.0	0.0	8.0	12.0	13.0	6.0	0.0				$9,221	$345	$8,875
Hillcrest	Public	6-12	3143 SE 17th St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 671-6800	161	28	5.7	50.3%	79 (49.1%)	32 (19.9%)	42 (26.1%)	2 (1.2%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.1%)								(n/a)												$44,552	$14,750	$29,801
Marion Technical Institute	Public, Magnet	8-12	1614 E Fort King St	Ocala	34471	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 671-4765	111	15	7.4	64.9%	48 (43.2%)	30 (27.0%)	26 (23.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.4%)								(n/a)		11.0				13.0	11.0		30.0			$26,375	$3,476	$22,899
Marion County Acceleration Academy	Public	7-12	1515 E Silver Springs Blvd	Ocala	34470	Marion County	Marion	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(352) 329-2799	341	5	68.2	73.3%	150 (44.0%)	85 (24.9%)	90 (26.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (4.7%)								(n/a)				36.0
Belleview High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	10400 SE 36th Ave	Belleview	34420	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 671-6210	1,835	76	24.1	54.1%	923 (50.3%)	196 (10.7%)	596 (32.5%)	19 (1.0%)	14 (0.8%)	4 (0.2%)	83 (4.5%)	41.3	405^th of 807 public high schools	49.8%		44.4	344^th of 792 public high schools	56.6%	61			48.0	49.0				25.0	43.0	59.0	69.0	$7,778	$868	$6,910
Pace Center For Girls Inc.	Public	6-12	328 NE 1st Ave	Ocala	34470	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	Yes	(352) 369-0571	38	5	7.6	84.2%	12 (31.6%)	15 (39.5%)	8 (21.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)	2 (5.3%)								(n/a)
Vanguard High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	7 NW 28th St	Ocala	34475	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 671-4900	1,634	72	22.6	58.4%	560 (34.3%)	547 (33.5%)	372 (22.8%)	81 (5.0%)	3 (0.2%)	7 (0.4%)	64 (3.9%)	36.1	461^st of 807 public high schools	42.9%		39.1	399^th of 792 public high schools	49.6%	62			47.0	48.0				19.0	31.0	58.0	63.0	$8,694	$903	$7,791
Lake Weir High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	10351 SE Maricamp Rd	Ocala	34472	Marion County	Marion	No	Yes	No	Yes	(352) 671-4820	1,426	64	22.2	66.6%	675 (47.3%)	269 (18.9%)	374 (26.2%)	19 (1.3%)	5 (0.4%)	5 (0.4%)	79 (5.5%)	27.4	570^th of 807 public high schools	29.4%		29.1	512^th of 792 public high schools	35.4%	58			40.0	37.0				23.0	36.0	44.0	57.0	$8,615	$1,112	$7,502
Marion Reg. Juvenile Detention Center	Public	6-12	3040 NW 10th St	Ocala	34475	Marion County	Marion	No	No	No	No	(352) 732-1450	63	0		33.3%	34 (54.0%)	23 (36.5%)	1 (1.6%)	1 (1.6%)	1 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (4.8%)								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Forest High School

What schools feed into Forest High School?

Forest High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Dr N H Jones Elementary School
Elementary : Eighth Street Elementary School
Elementary : Maplewood Elementary School
Elementary : South Ocala Elementary School
Middle : Osceola Middle School

Is Forest High School a good school?

Forest High School ranks 306^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Forest High School in?

Marion

How many students attend Forest High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,383 students attended Forest High School.

What is the racial makeup of Forest High School?

Students at Forest High School are 55% White, 21% Hispanic, 16% African American, 5% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.