Best Elementary Schools in Pace, FL

There are four elementary-level schools in Pace, Florida, serving grades Pre-K through 8, all part of the Santa Rosa County School District, which ranks in the 69th percentile statewide.

Wallace Lake K-8 is the standout school, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the 92nd percentile. It achieves top test scores, including 100% proficiency in Geometry, while spending the least per student ($8,363) and having the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (7.9%). In contrast, Pea Ridge Elementary School is the lowest-performing school with a 2-star rating, the highest chronic absenteeism (23.4%), and the highest percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (57.8%). The S. S. Dixon Intermediate School (grades 3-5) is a solid performer with a 3-star rating, while S. S. Dixon Primary School (PK-2) has no test scores but spends the most per student ($10,817).

A key finding is that higher spending does not guarantee better results—Wallace Lake K-8 excels with the lowest spending, while Pea Ridge spends more but struggles. Chronic absenteeism and poverty strongly correlate with performance, with Wallace Lake having the lowest rates in both categories. The split S. S. Dixon campus creates a data gap, making it hard to track student progress from primary to intermediate grades. Overall, Wallace Lake K-8 stands out as an efficient, high-performing school, while Pea Ridge faces significant challenges that require targeted support.