Summary:
Zip code 32455, serving the Ponce De Leon area in the Florida panhandle, is home to a single elementary school, Ponce De Leon Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 with 272 students and is part of the Holmes County school district.
Ponce De Leon Elementary School has a 1-star rating and ranks in the 12th percentile of Florida elementary schools, a significant drop from the 28th percentile the previous year. The school spends $12,234 per student, yet academic outcomes are generally low. A bright spot is 5th grade, where 55% of students are proficient in both English Language Arts and Science, with the Science score nearly matching the state average. However, 4th grade is a major concern, with only 34% proficiency in both ELA and Math, representing a steep 24-point decline in ELA from the prior year. Overall, the school saw proficiency drops in six out of seven tested subjects year-over-year.
Chronic absenteeism is a critical issue, with 34.4% of students missing significant school days—higher than the state average of 31.4%—and likely a key factor in the declining test scores. The student-teacher ratio is 13.6, and 71.32% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, indicating high economic disadvantage. While 5th grade shows pockets of strength, the widespread year-over-year declines and high absenteeism suggest that Ponce De Leon Elementary School faces substantial challenges in improving student achievement across all grades.
Thank you for your feedback!