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Ponce De Leon High School

Q: Is Ponce De Leon High School a good school?

Ponce De Leon High School ranks 306 th of 838 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades 6-12

306^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 838 Florida High Schools

Better than 63% of Florida high schools

Summary

Ponce De Leon High School is a small, rural school in Holmes County, Florida, serving 298 students in grades 6 through 12, with 65% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has made a remarkable turnaround, jumping from the 21st percentile in state rankings in 2023-2024 to the 63rd percentile in 2025-2026—a 42-point leap that far outpaces nearby schools like Holmes County High School, which dropped from the 50th to the 37th percentile over the same period. This improvement is especially notable in English Language Arts (ELA), where 77% of 10th graders and 80% of 9th graders are now proficient, significantly exceeding district (61%) and state (60%) averages, and even surpassing Walton High School (63% for 10th grade ELA) despite spending roughly $4,000 less per student.

However, the school shows a stark split in academic performance. While it excels in science-related subjects—with 78% proficiency in Biology 1 and 85% in Civics, both well above state averages—it struggles in math, with only 44% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 35% in Geometry, both well below state averages. Middle school grades (6-8) also present a challenge, with 8th-grade math proficiency at just 33% compared to 61% for 7th grade, suggesting the transition to more complex material is a hurdle. The school's graduation rate is high at 95.5%, but it has been volatile, dropping to 84.4% in 2022-2023 before recovering, unlike nearby Freeport Senior High School and Walton High, which consistently maintain rates above 99%.

The most critical weakness is chronic absenteeism, which at 45.7% is significantly worse than the district (39.4%) and state (31.4%) averages, and higher than all nearby schools except alternative programs like the Graduation Assistance Program (80.5%). This absenteeism likely contributes to the school's historical struggles and the middle school dip. Despite these challenges, Ponce De Leon's recent ELA gains are a bright spot, suggesting effective literacy strategies are being implemented even as the school works to address math performance and attendance issues.

298

Students ?

15.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,757

Per pupil spending ?

65.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1477 Ammons Rd
Ponce De Leon, FL 32455

(850) 836-4242

District: Holmes

Feeder schools for Ponce De Leon High School:

Elementary:	Holmes Virtual-Vendor Instruction Program
	Ponce De Leon Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

White:

89.3%

Hispanic:

4.7%

Two or more races:

4.4%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Ponce De Leon High School to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 42nd percentile in 2016 → 63rd in 2026

Strengths

✓96% graduate in 4 years — above the Florida average (92%)

✓Ranking is trending up — up 21 percentile points since 2016

✓Above the Florida median (63rd percentile)

Worth a look

!High chronic absenteeism (46% vs 31% Florida)

!Geometry scores 21 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school61%

District avg54%

Florida avg63%

Middle school

642^nd of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 47%▲ up 13 pts since 2016

From bottom 34% (2016) to bottom 47% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

306^th of 838

Florida public high schools ?

Top 37%▲ up 22 pts since 2016

From bottom 42% (2016) to top 37% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

1^st of 2High Schools in the Holmes

55^th of 70Holmes among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	48.3	642 of 1216	47.2%	★★☆☆☆
2025	52.2	567 of 1205	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.4	483 of 1196	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	56.5	479 of 1177	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	30.2	820 of 1148	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	32.2	776 of 1136	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.4	661 of 1099	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2018	32.1	708 of 1035	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2017	24.0	800 of 1031	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	34.4	658 of 997	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.2	634 of 999	36.5%	★★☆☆☆
2013	39.9	594 of 956	37.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	30.2	642 of 897	28.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	46.9	519 of 891	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2010	46.1	502 of 839	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2009	50.1	422 of 780	45.9%	★★☆☆☆
2008	64.0	286 of 740	61.4%	★★★☆☆
2007	60.1	303 of 736	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2006	46.6	383 of 675	43.3%	★★☆☆☆
2005	60.7	243 of 602	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2004	59.4	250 of 593	57.8%	★★★☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	52.6	306 of 838	63.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	28.2	602 of 844	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	19.9	638 of 807	20.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	34.8	447 of 792	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	34.0	453 of 774	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.8	472 of 746	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2019	41.7	378 of 734	48.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	38.9	384 of 716	46.4%	★★☆☆☆
2017	38.3	395 of 714	44.7%	★★☆☆☆
2016	37.0	403 of 693	41.8%	★★☆☆☆
2014	37.5	430 of 687	37.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	37.9	393 of 648	39.4%	★★☆☆☆
2012	30.6	397 of 606	34.5%	★★☆☆☆
2011	48.2	355 of 622	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2010	58.5	278 of 620	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2009	66.5	186 of 587	68.3%	★★★☆☆
2008	60.4	237 of 577	58.9%	★★★☆☆
2007	73.1	134 of 563	76.2%	★★★★☆
2006	58.1	207 of 477	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2005	48.6	278 of 487	42.9%	★★☆☆☆
2004	52.6	249 of 484	48.6%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Civics85%+8 vs state

Biology 178%+4 vs state

English Language Arts68%+7 vs state

US History58%-16 vs state

Science58%+6 vs state

Math49%-10 vs state

Algebra 144%-19 vs state

Geometry35%-21 vs state

★

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Schools Near Ponce De Leon High School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)					FAST Math (2026)			Statewide Science Science (2026)	EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC US History (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Ponce De Leon High School	Public	6-12	1477 Ammons Rd	Ponce De Leon	32455	Holmes County	Holmes	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 836-4242	298	19	15.5	65.1%	266 (89.3%)	4 (1.3%)	14 (4.7%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (4.4%)	52.6	306^th of 838 public high schools	63.5%		28.2	602^nd of 844 public high schools	28.7%	296	57.0	67.0	63.0	80.0	77.0	46.0	61.0	33.0	58.0	44.0	35.0	78.0	58.0	85.0	$10,757	$1,120	$9,637
Walton Academy Inc.	Public, Charter	5-12	389 Dorsey Ave	Defuniak Springs	32435	Walton County	Walton	Yes	No	No	Yes	(850) 892-3999	130	5	26.0	80.8%	79 (60.8%)	11 (8.5%)	34 (26.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (3.8%)	4.6	742^nd of 838 public high schools	11.5%		4.7	744^th of 844 public high schools	11.8%	2		0.0	20.0	21.0	13.0		0.0	18.0					23.0		$14,548	$1,377	$13,170
Walton County Jail Program	Public	6-12	145 S Park St	Defuniak Springs	32435	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 892-1100	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Walton High School	Public	9-12	449 Walton Rd	Defuniak Springs	32433	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 892-1270	969	56	17.1	63.3%	636 (65.6%)	79 (8.2%)	186 (19.2%)	6 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	5 (0.5%)	54 (5.6%)	60.9	213^th of 838 public high schools	74.6%		61.2	207^th of 844 public high schools	75.5%	6				63.0	63.0					67.0	72.0	78.0	81.0		$14,222	$322	$13,899
Emerald Coast Technical College	Public	9-12	761 N 20th St	Defuniak Springs	32433	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 892-1240	0	8	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Holmes County High School	Public	9-12	105 Blue Devil Dr	Bonifay	32425	Holmes County	Holmes	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 547-9000	464	29	16.0	59.5%	405 (87.3%)	10 (2.2%)	12 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (7.5%)	35.2	531^st of 838 public high schools	36.6%		39.8	468^th of 844 public high schools	44.5%	63				54.0	55.0					16.0	30.0	60.0	72.0		$10,870	$958	$9,913
Freeport Senior High School	Public	9-12	12615 Us Highway 331 S	Freeport	32439	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 892-1200	677	42	16.1	39.3%	484 (71.5%)	16 (2.4%)	141 (20.8%)	9 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	24 (3.5%)	73.4	114^th of 838 public high schools	86.4%		73	128^th of 844 public high schools	84.8%	14				68.0	72.0					63.0	81.0	98.0	89.0		$14,882	$317	$14,567
Graduation Assistance Program	Public	6-12	307 W North Ave	Bonifay	32425	Holmes County	Holmes	No	No	No	No	(850) 547-0470	45	4	12.8	86.7%	33 (73.3%)	4 (8.9%)	4 (8.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (8.9%)								(n/a)			10.0						17.0				27.0		$10,743	$461	$10,282
Vernon High School	Public	9-12	3232 Moss Hill Rd	Vernon	32462	Washington County	Washington	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 535-2046	326	19	17.1	52.8%	238 (73.0%)	45 (13.8%)	8 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	30 (9.2%)	33.6	550^th of 838 public high schools	34.4%		30.3	584^th of 844 public high schools	30.8%	34				60.0	51.0					31.0	41.0	64.0	54.0		$13,674	$1,063	$12,610

Frequently Asked Questions about Ponce De Leon High School

What district is Ponce De Leon High School in?

Holmes

What schools feed into Ponce De Leon High School?

Ponce De Leon High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Holmes Virtual-Vendor Instruction Program
Elementary : Ponce De Leon Elementary School

Is Ponce De Leon High School a good school?

Ponce De Leon High School ranks 306^th of 838 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ponce De Leon High School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 298 students attended Ponce De Leon High School.

What is the racial makeup of Ponce De Leon High School?

Students at Ponce De Leon High School are 89% White, 5% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 1% African American.

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.