Best Public Schools in Zip Code 32462

The three public schools in zip code 32462 (Vernon, FL) serve approximately 1,206 students across elementary, middle, and high school grades within the Washington County School District, a district ranked 52nd out of 70 in Florida.

Vernon Middle School stands out as the strongest performer in the area, particularly in mathematics. In the 2025-2026 school year, 86% of its students taking the Algebra 1 EOC were proficient, dramatically exceeding both district (53%) and state (63%) averages. The school also showed remarkable year-over-year improvement, with 6th Grade Math proficiency jumping from 33% to 62%. This success is linked to its relatively lower chronic absenteeism rate of 36.1%, the best in the zip code. In contrast, Vernon High School is the most challenged, with critically low proficiency in Algebra 1 (31%) and Geometry (41%), despite spending the most per student at $13,674. Vernon Elementary School builds a strong foundation in early grades, with 73% of 3rd graders proficient in math, but struggles to maintain that progress, as 5th Grade Science proficiency drops to just 30%.

Chronic absenteeism is a systemic crisis across all three schools, with rates far exceeding the state average of 31.4%. Vernon Elementary's rate of 47.8% means nearly half its students are chronically absent, directly correlating with lower academic outcomes. The data also reveals a critical drop-off between middle and high school, as Vernon Middle's strong math foundation is not carried forward. Spending does not correlate with performance here, as the high school spends the most but achieves the weakest results, suggesting resources may not be effectively targeted toward instruction.