Walton School District

145 S Park St
Defuniak Springs, FL 32435-2909
(District boundaries shown in map)
10/
10
Top 10%

Top Rankings

Walton School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Florida for:

Category
Attribute
Overall Rank
Highest overall rank (Top 10%)
Math Proficiency
Highest math proficiency (Top 10%)
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Highest reading/language arts proficiency (Top 20%)
Science Proficiency
Highest science proficiency (Top 10%)
Student Attention
Lowest student-teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2026 school year, there are 5 public preschools serving 1,812 students in Walton School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 9/10, which is in the top 20% of public pre schools in Florida.
Public Preschools in Walton School District have an average math proficiency score of 64% (versus the Florida public pre school average of 56%), and reading proficiency score of 60% (versus the 54% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 26% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is less than the Florida public preschool average of 67% (majority Hispanic).

Overview

This School District
This State (FL)
# Schools
21 Schools
1,884 Schools
# Students
12,007 Students
1,096,786 Students
# Teachers
782 Teachers
69,693 Teachers
Student-Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1

Student By Grade

District Rank

Walton School District, which is ranked within the top 10% of all 73 school districts in Florida (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2022-2023 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 55% has decreased from 87% over five school years.
This School District
State Average (FL)
#6 out of 73 school districts
(Top 10%)
71%
52%
60%
52%
65%
52%
55%
87%

Students by Ethnicity:

0.49
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
3%
% Hispanic
20%
38%
% Black
5%
21%
% White
69%
33%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
5%
5%
All Ethnic Groups

District Revenue and Spending

The revenue/student of $12,719 is higher than the state median of $12,026. The school district revenue/student has declined by 7% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $12,427 is higher than the state median of $11,677. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
This School District
This State (FL)
Total Revenue
$153 MM
$34,349 MM
Spending
$149 MM
$33,354 MM
Revenue / Student
$12,719
$12,026
Spending / Student
$12,427
$11,677

Best Walton School District Public Preschools (2026)

School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Quick Facts
Rank: #11.
Paxton School
(Math: 70% | Reading: 63%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
21893 Us Highway 331 N
Paxton, FL 32538
(850) 892-1230
Gr: PK-12 | 783 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 14%
Rank: #22.
Mossy Head School
(Math: 60-64% | Reading: 60-64%)
Rank:
8/
10
Top 30%
13270 Us Highway 90 W
Defuniak Springs, FL 32433
(850) 892-1290
Gr: PK-5 | 521 students Student-teacher ratio: 15:1 Minority enrollment: 35%
Rank: #33.
Walton Initiative For Success In Education (Wise)
Alternative School
(Math: 25-29% | Reading: 35-39%)
Rank:
2/
10
Bottom 50%
555 Walton Rd, Wise Campus
Defuniak Springs, FL 32433
(850) 892-1111
Gr: PK-12 | 264 students Student-teacher ratio: 10:1 Minority enrollment: 36%
Rank: n/an/a
Bay School
118 Gilmore St
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 622-5050
Gr: PK | 130 students Student-teacher ratio: 11:1 Minority enrollment: 31%
Rank: n/an/a
360 Kylea Laird Dr
Freeport, FL 32439
(850) 892-1221
Gr: PK | 114 students Student-teacher ratio: 13:1 Minority enrollment: 35%

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Quick Facts (2026)

  • District size: 21 schools
  • Grades: PK-12
  • Enrollment: 12,007 students
  • Student-Teacher Ratio: 16:1
  • Minority Enrollment: 31%
  • : 55% (Btm 50% in FL)
  • : Top 10%
  • : 71% (Top 10%)
  • : 60% (Top 20%)
  • : 65% (Top 10%)
  • Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), FL Dept. of Education

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