Summary:
The city of Chipley, Florida, is home to six schools within the Washington County School District, serving approximately 1,998 students from elementary through high school, including alternative and virtual programs. The district is ranked 52nd out of 70 in the state, earning a 1-star rating, which highlights significant challenges alongside a few bright spots.
Roulhac Middle School stands out as the strongest traditional school, consistently earning a 3-star rating and outperforming state averages in key subjects like Civics (84% proficiency) and Algebra 1 (76% proficiency). In contrast, Chipley High School faces major academic struggles, with an Algebra 1 proficiency rate of just 19%—a dramatic drop from the middle school’s performance—and a chronic absenteeism rate of 45.4%, the highest among traditional schools. Kate M. Smith Elementary School shows a declining state ranking, while the alternative Washington Academy Of Varying Exceptionalities (Wave) spends $27,897 per student but provides no test scores, likely due to serving students with severe disabilities. The Washington Virtual Franchise is highly efficient, with a 100% graduation rate and low spending, while the Washington Virtual Instruction Program has only 7 students and minimal data.
Chronic absenteeism is a district-wide crisis, averaging 39.4% across traditional schools, well above the state average of 31.4%, and strongly linked to poor academic outcomes. The data reveals a "middle school peak" and "high school cliff," where strong middle school performance fails to translate into high school success, suggesting a critical need for better curriculum alignment and support during the transition. For parents, Roulhac Middle School offers the most consistent academic performance, while Chipley High School requires careful consideration due to its low proficiency and high absenteeism rates.
Thank you for your feedback!