Summary:
The four schools in zip code 32433 (Defuniak Springs, FL) serve students from Pre-K through 12th grade and are part of the highly-ranked Walton County School District, which is ranked 10th out of 70 districts in Florida. The area has a high level of economic need, with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 77.4% across the schools, but performance varies dramatically between schools.
Mossy Head School is the standout performer, achieving the best academic results among elementary schools despite having the highest poverty rate (83.69%). Its 5th-grade Math proficiency (78%) and Science proficiency (73%) significantly exceed district and state averages. In contrast, Maude Saunders Elementary School struggles despite a similar poverty rate (82.67%), underperforming in every subject compared to both the district and Mossy Head. Walton High School is a beacon of stability with a perfect 100% graduation rate and strong test scores in US History (81% proficient) and Biology (78% proficient). The Walton Initiative For Success In Education (WISE) alternative school faces extreme challenges, with a 67.7% chronic absenteeism rate and dramatically lower test scores, though it spends the most per student ($28,017) and has the lowest student-teacher ratio (9.8:1).
Key metrics show Walton High School has a 100% graduation rate and a student-teacher ratio of 17.1:1, while Mossy Head School has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (29.1%) among the schools. The stark contrast between Mossy Head and Maude Saunders—two elementary schools with nearly identical poverty rates but vastly different outcomes—highlights that school-level factors like leadership and teaching quality are the primary drivers of success, not just socioeconomic background. Overall, families in this zip code have access to a top-tier high school and one exceptional elementary school, but should be aware of significant disparities in performance and resources across the other schools.
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