A number of people moving to the area have questions about how the public school system works. Many of the answer can affect where you might end up buying your home in Gainesville or other parts of Alachua County. For instance, if you child plays Lacrosse you would be interested in the program at Buchholz High School in Gainesville or visit www.buchholzlacrosse.com.

But the first thing to know when looking at schools in Gainesville is that the Alachua County Public School system is governed by the Alachua County School Board a five member, non-partisan board. They are responsible for hiring a superintendent to oversee the day to day operations of the district. 

About Zoning in Alachua County and Gainesville Schools: Current policy has attendance based on certain zones for each school. These zones or neighborhoods (or parts of neighborhoods) can change based on a number of factors. When buying a home in Gainesville, it is important to check with the Alachua County Public Schools Zoning Department at (352) 955-7700. A word of caution, zoning can and does change. I am including maps of the school zones: Elementary, Middle and High School.

There are exceptions to zoning. Some magnet programs on the Middle and High School level like the International Baccalaureate Program at Eastside High School (consistently ranked in the top three programs of its' kind in the country) or the Academy of Entrepreneurship at Buchholz High School.  These magnet programs are application based.

About School Rankings in Gainesville and Alachua County Schools: To help start the process, many buyers of new homes in Gainesville ask me for a list of rankings of schools in Alachua County. The Florida of Department of Education compiles a list of school rankings. I have edited this list to just Alachua County. I also cut and pasted the school grades so you can see the grade next to the name of the school. Here is the link to the Excel Spreadsheet for the Alachua County School Grades for 2009 file and here is a link to the FDE site where you can see the original spreadsheet and other school reports.

In addition to outstanding public schools, Alachua County is also known for exemplary private schools. These include:

Oak Hall School Grades 6-12- 8009 SW 14th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 332-3609 or Grades Pre-K - 5, 7715 SW 14th Ave. Gainesville, FL 32607 (352) 332-1452.  Guided by the ideals of "Scholarship, Leadership, and Service," Oak Hall School serves young men and women from diverse backgrounds who can benefit from a challenging college preparatory program. We are committed to the liberal arts tradition, which sees education as the worthy pursuit of a lifetime, an end to itself as well as a means toward personal and social growth. We believe in the power of a liberal arts education to transform lives, to develop unique talents, to enhance self-esteem, to build character, and to inspire a life-long love of learning. We seek to nurture in young people the qualities of intelligence, wisdom, and moral commitment, and to foster in them an impassioned curiosity about the world around them as well as the imagination to seek new solutions to problems.

Millhopper Montessori School- 8505 NW 39th Avenue Gainesville Florida 32606 (352) 375-6773. MILLHOPPER MONTESSORI SCHOOL, Inc. is accredited by the Florida Council of Independent Schools, the Florida Kindergarten Council and is affiliated with the American Montessori Society. The school was founded in 1977. The Millhopper Montessori School enjoys a spacious facility for its extensive private educational program in Gainesville. The Millhopper Montessori School serves children ages two through 8th grade. True to its Montessori heritage, the staff fosters creative thinking and problem-solving through the use of manipulative and other educational tools. A diversified curriculum ensures all aspects of your child's educational needs will be met.

Saint Patrick Interparish School- 550 NE 16th Avenue Gainesville Florida 32601 (352) 376-9878. Cathlolic School for grades K-8. Established in 1959.

Brentwood School- 1111 NW 55th Street Gainesville Florida 32605 (352) 373-3222. Nestled in six wooded acres, Brentwood offers quality education to children age two through grade five, and has been a proud member of the Gainesville education community since 1971. Low ratios and two qualified teachers in every classroom make our learning environment personal, challenging and individualized to your child's pace and learning style. Drawing from our university city, Brentwood has a diverse population with families from around the world.

St. Francis Catholic High School- 4100 NW 115th Terrace Gainesville Florida 32606 (352) 376-6545. Mission/Vision Statement Operating under the auspices of the Diocese of St. Augustine, the mission of Saint Francis Catholic High School is to develop young men and women into leaders who exhibit service, faith, community, honor and scholarship in the Catholic tradition.

Gainesville Country Day School- 6801 SW 24th Avenue Gainesville Florida 32607. (352) 332-7783. Gainesville Country Day School is an independent, coeducational, integrated, nonsectarian school providing a unique blend of educational programs for children of preschool age through fifth grade. The preschool, formerly known as Three Bears House, has been in operation since 1951, making it the oldest preschool in Gainesville. The school consists of two campuses in a heavily wooded suburban setting: one houses the elementary school and our half-day preschool; the other campus houses the extended day preschool.  The student body consists of 145 elementary students and 200 preschoolers. The faculty consists of 45 full and part time teachers.