Summary:
The Deaf/Blind district in St. Augustine, Florida, contains two specialized high schools serving a total of 272 students in grades 9-12, focusing on education for students with sensory disabilities.
In this unique district, Blind High School (Fsdb) stands out as the higher-performing school academically, consistently outperforming Deaf High School (Fsdb) across all tested subjects. For the 2025-2026 school year, Blind High School achieved notably higher proficiency rates in US History (56% vs. 33%), 9th Grade English Language Arts (46% vs. 18%), and Algebra 1 (36% vs. 21%). It also holds a higher state percentile rank (18th percentile) compared to Deaf High School (10th percentile). However, Deaf High School boasts an exceptional 97.3% graduation rate, far exceeding both the district average of 93.5% and the state average of 92.2%, despite having the lowest academic proficiency scores in the district. Both schools spend a substantial $47,918 per student—roughly three to four times the national average—reflecting the intensive resources needed for specialized education, yet proficiency rates remain dramatically below state averages.
Key challenges include chronic absenteeism, which affects about 29% of students at both schools, and significant year-over-year volatility in test scores due to small student populations. For instance, Deaf High School's Geometry proficiency dropped from 28% to 8% in one year, while Blind High School's Biology 1 proficiency fell from 53% to 30%. These swings make trend analysis less reliable. Overall, while Blind High School leads in academic metrics, Deaf High School's remarkable graduation rate highlights a focus on alternative pathways to success, creating a complex picture for parents evaluating these specialized schools.
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