Elementary Schools in Walton

The six elementary schools in the Walton County School District serve students from kindergarten through fifth grade across a diverse area, from coastal Santa Rosa Beach to inland Defuniak Springs. This high-performing district ranks 10th out of 70 in Florida, but a clear achievement gap exists between its coastal and inland schools.

Dune Lakes Elementary School is the district's academic star, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 10% of all Florida elementary schools. It excels in math and science, with 90% of 5th graders proficient in math and 83% proficient in science—far exceeding district averages. In contrast, Maude Saunders Elementary School faces the greatest challenges, with the lowest state ranking (52nd percentile), the highest chronic absenteeism rate (32.4%), and the highest percentage of students on free/reduced lunch (82.67%). Despite receiving the most per-student funding ($17,391) and having the smallest class sizes, it struggles academically. West Defuniak Elementary School is a notable improver, jumping from a 3-star to a 4-star rating, with 3rd-grade ELA proficiency rising from 52% to 75%.

Key metrics reveal a strong district-wide focus on math, with average proficiency rates consistently higher than in English Language Arts. The two coastal schools—Dune Lakes and Van R. Butler Elementary School—serve populations with low poverty rates (around 28% free/reduced lunch), while the three inland schools—West Defuniak, Maude Saunders, and Mossy Head School—have rates between 70% and 84%. Chronic absenteeism is a critical indicator, as the two schools with the highest rates—Maude Saunders and Freeport Elementary School—are also the lowest-performing, suggesting that improving attendance could be a powerful lever for academic success.