Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Panama City Beach

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
Panama City Beach, Florida (J.S. Clark)Photo: j.s. clark/ "Image by jsclark.net." · CC BY-SA 2.0
B
Schools in Panama City Beach · Bay County School District

Panama City Beach’s public schools outscore 61% of Florida districts

The grade covers the public school district serving Panama City 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.

#319of 638 Florida townsK–12Where will my kid go?

From Florida state tests taken in spring 2022, when 96% 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
51%
▼ 1 pts vs FL 52%
2021–22
Math proficiency
53%
▲ 1 pts vs FL 52%
2021–22
Graduate on time
89%
▲ 1 pts vs FL 88%
class of 2023
Spent per student
$11.8K
▼ 9% vs FL $13.0K
FY2024
Students per teacher
17.1
FL 18.0 · smaller classes
Schools in town
4
4,046 students on the public path
In brief

Panama City Beach’s schools, in brief

Against towns with similar incomes

Among the 457 Florida towns with household incomes within a quarter of Panama City Beach’s, its schools beat 46%, lower than their 61% against all the state’s districts. The grade ↓

Above the state in math, below in reading

Reading proficiency is 51% and math 53% in spring 2022, against 52% and 52% statewide; 89% of the class of 2023 graduated in four years, against 88%. Test scores ↓

Spending and class size

The district spends $11,843 per student, against $13,006 across Florida (FY2024). Spending doesn’t count toward the grade. Districts ↓

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 Panama City Beach’s grade

B− Test scoresB− Graduation

B: better than 61% of Florida school districts, #319 of 638 Florida towns. Graduation is above the Florida average; test scores are below it.

Florida school districts we grade (76)Better than 61%
Lower resultsHigher results
Florida towns with similar household incomes (457)Better than 46%
B−B+A fairly firm grade. Ordinary sampling error in 14,452 test results and a graduating class of 1,914 could put Panama City Beach anywhere from B− to B+. The tests are from spring 2022, when 96% of Panama City Beach’s students in the tested grades sat them (13,846 in math, 15,057 in reading).

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where will my kid go?

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

The path, start to finish
PK–123 schoolsDepends on your addressB to B+

Panama City Beach’s public schools are run by Bay County School District, which also serves Callaway, Lynn Haven, Mexico Beach and Panama City 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.

Bay County School DistrictGrades PK–12 · 47 schools · 27,494 students, up 9% since 2020–21 · 17.1 per teacher (FL 18.0)
$11,843FL $13,006 · FY2024
B
Test scores · 2021–22

Close to the state in reading

Reading51%
State average 52.1% · 15057 students tested
Math53%
State average 52.2% · 13846 students tested

Panama City Beach vs. its neighbors

Schools grades for the Florida towns that share Panama City Beach’s borders.

Schools next door
TownSchoolsMain districts
Panama City BeachBBay County

Every school in Panama City Beach

4 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 Panama City Beachby address
Breakfast Point Academy
Elementary · Grades PK–8
B+
1,089 students16:1Rate it →
Surfside Middle School
Grades PK–12
B+
755 students16:1Rate it →
Hutchison Beach Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5
B
573 students17:1Rate it →
J.R. Arnold High School
High · Grades 9–12
B−
1,629 students21:1Rate it →

Questions about Panama City Beach’s schools

Are Panama City Beach’s schools good?

They sit near the middle of Florida: the public schools Panama City Beach children attend outscore 61% of Florida’s school districts on tests and graduation, a B Schools grade, #319 of 638 Florida towns. Among towns with similar incomes they beat 46%. Tests are from 2021–22, graduation from the class of 2023.

What school district is Panama City Beach in?

Bay County School District, which runs grades PK–12 and enrolls 27,494 students in 47 schools (2024–25).

What is Panama City Beach’s graduation rate?

89% of the class of 2023 in Bay County School District graduated in four years, against 88% across Florida.

How much does Panama City Beach spend per student?

$11,843 in Bay County School District (FY2024), against $13,006 across Florida. Spending doesn’t count toward the grade.

Parents talk

What Panama City Beach families are saying about school.

Town Square →
Start the conversation

Looking for colleges? Colleges near Panama City 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.