Elementary Schools in Calhoun

There are two elementary-level schools in the Calhoun district: Blountstown Elementary School (serving PK-5) and Carr Elementary & Middle School (serving PK-8), with a combined enrollment of 689 students in a rural Florida area where both schools have moderate economic need, as indicated by free/reduced lunch rates around 50-54%.

Carr Elementary & Middle School stands out for its exceptional performance in advanced coursework and specific grade levels, achieving 86% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 78% in Civics, along with standout results like 87% 3rd-grade ELA and 94% 7th-grade math proficiency in 2025-2026. However, it also shows dramatic swings, such as 5th-grade math proficiency dropping to just 37% compared to the state average of 62%, and it has the highest chronic absenteeism rate at 46.2%. In contrast, Blountstown Elementary School offers more consistent, above-average performance, particularly in upper elementary grades like 5th-grade science (67%) and ELA (71%), but its state ranking has steadily declined from the 59th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 46th percentile in 2025-2026, a concerning trend.

Both schools face significant challenges with chronic absenteeism, far exceeding the state average of 31.4%, and their rankings are relatively close—Carr at the 49th percentile and Blountstown at the 46th percentile for 2025-2026. Carr spends slightly more per student ($12,779 vs. $12,178) but has a higher student-teacher ratio (15.7 vs. 14.6), and its ranking has been more volatile, likely due to its smaller enrollment of 205 students. For parents, Carr Elementary & Middle School offers strong advanced programs and standout grade-level results but with uneven performance across subjects, while Blountstown Elementary School provides steadier, reliable performance but with a declining trajectory that warrants attention.