Summary:
Zip code 32547 in Fort Walton Beach, FL, is home to three elementary schools serving grades PK-8, all part of the Okaloosa school district, which is ranked in the top 20% of Florida districts.
Liza Jackson Preparatory School is the standout performer, earning a 5-star rating and ranking in the top 10% of Florida elementary schools. It achieves exceptional academic results across all subjects, with 5th grade math proficiency at 87% and science at 81%, far exceeding district and state averages. In stark contrast, Wright Elementary School and Kenwood Elementary School both hold 1-star ratings and rank in the bottom 25% of the state. Wright Elementary struggles with 5th grade math proficiency at just 52%, while Kenwood Elementary has experienced a troubling decline, dropping from a 3-star to a 1-star rating in just two years.
Key metrics reveal stark disparities. Liza Jackson Prep has a low chronic absenteeism rate of 8.0% and a free/reduced lunch rate of 21.8%, while Wright Elementary has a 31.9% chronic absenteeism rate and 80.6% free/reduced lunch rate. Interestingly, Kenwood Elementary spends the most per student ($13,844) and has the smallest class sizes (13.8:1 student-teacher ratio), yet it achieves the lowest math scores. Liza Jackson Prep spends the least per student ($8,182) with larger classes (16.2:1) but delivers the best results, suggesting that factors like school culture and parental involvement are more critical than spending alone. Chronic absenteeism is a powerful warning sign, with Wright's rate matching the state average of 31.4%, while Liza Jackson Prep's rate is exceptionally low.
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