Summary:
In zip code 32568, there is one middle school, Ernest Ward Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 434 students in the Walnut Hill area of the Escambia County school district.
Ernest Ward Middle School shows a mix of impressive strengths and notable challenges. The school's most striking achievement is in Algebra 1, where 98% of students taking the End-of-Course exam were proficient in the most recent year, far exceeding the state average of 63%. The school also outperforms the state in Civics (83% vs. 77%) and 8th Grade Science (55% vs. 52%). However, performance is mixed in other subjects, with 7th and 8th grade math and ELA scores hovering near state averages, and Biology 1 proficiency significantly lagging behind at 50% compared to the state's 74%. A major concern is the high chronic absenteeism rate of 42.5%, which is notably worse than both the district (33.5%) and state (31.4%) averages.
Despite the absenteeism challenge, the school is on a positive trajectory, with its state ranking improving from the 39th percentile (2 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 50th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026. The school spends $11,069 per student and has a student-teacher ratio of 18:1, with 43.78% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch. The standout Algebra 1 results may reflect selective course placement, while the year-over-year volatility in some test scores—such as 7th grade math jumping from 31% to 56% proficiency—suggests that curriculum changes or cohort differences are worth investigating. Overall, the school demonstrates strong potential for growth, particularly if it can address its chronic absenteeism issue.
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