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Fort Walton Beach City HallPhoto: Skye Marthaler · CC BY-SA 4.0
A−
Schools in Fort Walton Beach · Okaloosa County School District

Fort Walton Beach’s public schools outscore 76% of Florida districts

Math proficiency in Fort Walton Beach’s districts is 62%, above the Florida average (52%). The grade covers the public school district serving Fort Walton Beach, from kindergarten through graduation, on state tests and graduation. Each state writes its own tests, so this is the one TownRatings grade compared within Florida, not nationally.

#108of 638 Florida townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Florida state tests taken in spring 2022, when 95% of students in the tested grades sat them, and the class of 2023’s four-year graduation rate, as reported to the U.S. Department of Education.

Reading proficiency
58%
▲ 6 pts vs FL 52%
2021–22
Math proficiency
62%
▲ 10 pts vs FL 52%
2021–22
Graduate on time
88%
▲ 0 pts vs FL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$11.1K
▼ 14% vs FL $13.0K
FY2024
Students per teacher
18.4
FL 18.0
Schools in town
15
6,346 students on the public path
In brief

Fort Walton Beach’s schools, in brief

Better than its incomes would predict

Among the 471 Florida towns with household incomes within a quarter of Fort Walton Beach’s, its schools beat 81%, higher than their 76% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state on both counts

Reading proficiency is 58% and math 62% in spring 2022, against 52% and 52% statewide; 88% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

The district spends $11,131 per student, against $13,006 across Florida (FY2024). Spending doesn’t count toward the grade. Districts ↓

Three elementary schools, then three middle and two high schools

Which school depends on the address at every step. See the path ↓

Choice beyond the district

Okaloosa Academy, Liza Jackson Preparatory School, St. Mary Catholic School (private), First United Methodist School (private) and Montessori Learning Center (private) are in town. Every school ↓

Written from the figures on this page. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023; each school’s own letter uses 2020–21 results.

The School Grade

What’s behind Fort Walton Beach’s grade

A− Test scoresB− Graduation

A−: better than 76% of Florida school districts, #108 of 638 Florida towns. Test scores and graduation are both above the Florida average; test scores are the stronger of the two.

Florida school districts we grade (76)Better than 76%
Lower resultsHigher results
Florida towns with similar household incomes (471)Better than 81%
B+A−A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 17,964 test results and a graduating class of 2,314 could put Fort Walton Beach anywhere from B+ to A−. The tests are from spring 2022, when 95% of Fort Walton Beach’s students in the tested grades sat them (17,299 in math, 18,628 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

Pick a grade. These are the public schools that serve Fort Walton Beach, with each school’s own grade.

The path, start to finish
PK–53 elementary schoolsDepends on your addressB− to A−
6–83 middle schoolsDepends on your addressB− to A+
9–122 high schoolsDepends on your addressB− to B+

Fort Walton Beach’s public schools are run by Okaloosa County School District, which also serves Cinco Bayou, Crestview, Destin and Laurel Hill and others. To confirm the school for a specific address, ask the district.

The district

Spending and class size are shown but don’t count toward the grade. Each district’s own page has every school.

Okaloosa County School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 46 schools · 32,047 students, up 2% since 2020–21 · 18.4 per teacher (FL 18.0)
$11,131FL $13,006 · FY2024
A−
Test scores · 2021–22

Well above the state in reading

Reading58%
State average 52.1% · 18628 students tested
Math62%
State average 52.2% · 17299 students tested

Fort Walton Beach vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Florida towns that share Fort Walton Beach’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Fort Walton BeachA−Okaloosa County
Mary EstherA−Okaloosa County
Cinco Bayou—Okaloosa County

All 2 neighbors share Okaloosa County with Fort Walton Beach, so their letters differ mainly through other districts.

Every school in Fort Walton Beach

15 schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Florida’s other public schools (the newest school-level results we have).

District schools in Fort Walton Beachby address
Elliott Point Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5
B−
583 students17:1Rate it →
Annette P. Edwins Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5
B−
490 students17:1Rate it →
Kenwood Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5
A−
471 students14:1Rate it →
Northwest Florida Ballet Academie
Middle · Grades 3–8
A+
134 students18:1Rate it →
W. C. Pryor Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8
B−
721 students20:1Rate it →
Max Bruner Junior Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8
B−
677 students18:1Rate it →
Choctawhatchee Senior High School
High · Grades 9–12
B−
1,720 students21:1Rate it →
Fort Walton Beach High School
High · Grades 9–12
B+
1,550 students22:1Rate it →
Other district programsby referral or application
Silver Sands-Excep. Children
Grades PK–12
D−
Special Education
93 students5:1Rate it →
Okaloosa Technical College
High · Grades 6–12
D−
Alternative Education
42 students7:1Rate it →
Charter schoolsfree, open by application
Liza Jackson Preparatory School
Elementary · Grades K–8
A+
Charter
977 students16:1Rate it →
Okaloosa Academy
Grades 2–12
D−
CharterAlternative Education
115 studentsRate it →
Private schoolstuition; no state tests, so no grade
St. Mary Catholic School
Elementary · Grades PK–8
Private · Catholic
418 students16:1Rate it →
First United Methodist School
Elementary · Grades PK–K
Private · Religious
141 studentsRate it →
Montessori Learning Center
Elementary · Grades PK–3
Private · Nonsectarian
91 students18:1Rate it →

Left off: 2 public programs with fewer than 25 students (Okaloosa Virtual Franchise and Okaloosa Virtual Instruction Program).

Questions about Fort Walton Beach’s schools

Are Fort Walton Beach’s schools good?

By Florida’s own tests, yes: the public schools Fort Walton Beach children attend outscore 76% of Florida’s school districts on tests and graduation, an A− Schools grade, #108 of 638 Florida towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 81%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Fort Walton Beach in?

Okaloosa County School District, which runs grades PK–12 and enrolls 32,047 students in 46 schools (2024–25).

Where do Fort Walton Beach kids go to high school?

One of 2 high schools, depending on your address: Choctawhatchee Senior High School and Fort Walton Beach High School.

What is Fort Walton Beach’s graduation rate?

88% of the class of 2023 in Okaloosa County School District graduated in four years, against 88% across Florida.

How much does Fort Walton Beach spend per student?

$11,131 in Okaloosa County School District (FY2024), against $13,006 across Florida. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Are there private schools in Fort Walton Beach?

Yes: St. Mary Catholic School (Catholic, grades PK–8, 418 students), First United Methodist School (religious, grades PK–K, 141 students) and Montessori Learning Center (nonsectarian, grades PK–3, 91 students). Fort Walton Beach also has 2 charter schools, free and open by application.

Parents talk

What Fort Walton Beach families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Fort Walton Beach → They have their own page.

School data: state test results (2021–22, with participation) and four-year graduation rates (class of 2023) reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express); each school’s own letter uses its 2020–21 results (EDFacts via the Urban Institute); schools and enrollment from NCES (2024–25; private schools 2023–24); spending from the Census Bureau’s school finance survey (FY2024). The School Grade is our own summary, graded within Florida. Stars are from neighbors.