Summary:
Zip code 32456, serving the Port Saint Joe area, is home to three schools within the Gulf County School District, which serves students from Pre-K through 12th grade with a total enrollment of 1,027 students.
Port St. Joe High School is the standout institution, showing strong academic performance in subjects like Civics (87% proficient), US History (80%), and Algebra 1 (78%), all exceeding state averages. However, this high school faces a significant challenge with a 59.3% chronic absenteeism rate, which is nearly double the state average and likely contributes to its 85.5% graduation rate, which falls below the state average. In contrast, Port St. Joe Elementary School provides a stable foundation with solid math scores, particularly in 3rd grade (75% proficient) and 5th grade (74% proficient), though it struggles with English Language Arts. The small alternative program, Prek Ese, stands out for its perfect 0% chronic absenteeism rate, though it serves only 24 students and has limited academic data.
A key takeaway is the paradox at the high school, where high academic achievement among attending students contrasts with a severe absenteeism crisis, suggesting the school excels with its engaged students but fails to reach many others. Math is a consistent strength across both main schools, while English Language Arts is a systemic weakness. Additionally, the elementary school spends more per student ($15,057) and has a better student-teacher ratio (12.5:1) than the high school ($14,176 and 14.4:1), yet the high school outperforms in many academic benchmarks, indicating that factors like attendance and curriculum are more critical than spending alone.
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