Summary:
In zip code 32401, Panama City, Florida, there are four elementary schools serving grades PK-5 within the Bay County School District, an area characterized by high levels of economic disadvantage where all schools report a free/reduced lunch rate above 50%.
Palm Bay Elementary School stands out as the top performer, earning a 3-star rating and consistently ranking in the 42nd to 52nd percentile statewide, with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (27.7%) and the lowest per-student spending ($10,818). In contrast, St. Andrew School At Oakland Terrace is the most challenged, ranking in the bottom 1% of Florida elementary schools with critically low proficiency rates (e.g., 0% in 4th grade Math and ELA) and the highest chronic absenteeism (56.9%) despite spending over $50,000 per student. Merriam Cherry Street Elementary shows moderate performance with strengths in 3rd grade Math (57% proficient) and 3rd grade ELA (53%), while Oscar Patterson Academy struggles with scores well below district averages and a 58.9% chronic absenteeism rate.
The most striking finding is that money does not equal success: St. Andrew School spends over four times more per student than Palm Bay Elementary yet achieves the worst results, highlighting that systemic challenges like chronic absenteeism and poverty are not solved by funding alone. Chronic absenteeism emerges as the critical factor, with the two lowest-performing schools (Oscar Patterson Academy and St. Andrew School) both near 60% absenteeism, nearly double the state average. Palm Bay Elementary demonstrates remarkable efficiency, achieving the best academic outcomes with the lowest spending and highest student-teacher ratio (16.8:1), suggesting effective leadership and resource maximization. Year-over-year volatility in test scores, such as Merriam Cherry Street Elementary's 5th grade Science proficiency dropping from 49% to 24%, underscores the importance of examining multi-year trends rather than single-year snapshots.
Thank you for your feedback!