For the ninth year in a row, the Okaloosa County School District has maintained its “A” grade for the 2023-24 school year, according to school grades released Wednesday by the Florida Department of Education.

• The district earned 772 out of 1200 possible points, achieving 64% of the total possible points under a new grading scale approved by the State Board of Education.

Of the 38 graded schools in Okaloosa County, 15 received an “A” grade, 16 received a “B” grade, and 5 received a “C” grade. Two schools (Destin High School and Richbourg) received an “I” (Incomplete) grade.

The fifteen schools in Okaloosa who earned “A” grades this year: 

• Addie R. Lewis School
• Antioch Elementary School
• Bluewater Elementary School
• C. W. Ruckel Middle School
• Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College
• Destin Elementary School
• Destin Middle School
• Florosa Elementary School
• James E Plew Elementary School
• Liza Jackson Preparatory School
• Lula J. Edge Elementary School
• Niceville Senior High School
• Northwest Florida Ballet Academie
• Okaloosa STEMM Center
• Shoal River Middle School

Several schools showed improvement from the previous year’s informational baseline grades. Meigs Middle School and Bruner Middle School advanced from a “C” to a “B,” while Shoal River Middle School and Lewis School improved from “B” to “A” grades.

Top-performing schools in the district included Okaloosa STEMM Center, earning 86% of possible points, Northwest Florida Ballet Academie with 87%, and Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College with 82%.

• The district’s lowest-performing graded schools were Wright Elementary School and Longwood Elementary School, both earning 45% of possible points and receiving “C” grades.

Okaloosa Schools demonstrated strong performance in key academic areas. The district scored 60 in English Language Arts Achievement, 67 in Mathematics Achievement, and 65 in Science Achievement. The district also reported a strong graduation rate of 88% and a college and career acceleration rate of 63%.

The new grading scale approved for the 2023-24 school year sets different standards for elementary schools compared to middle, high, and combination schools. For elementary schools, an “A” grade requires 62% or more of total points, while middle, high, and combination schools need 64% or more for an “A” grade.

“Once again, the Okaloosa County School District has earned an A rating from the Florida Department of Education, a testament to the unwavering dedication and hard work of our students, teachers, staff, and administrators,” said Superintendent Marcus Chambers on Wednesday afternoon. “I am incredibly proud of their efforts that consistently place our district among the best in the state of Florida. Okaloosa is one of only three districts in Florida to have earned an A every year grades were issued since 2014, which is a remarkable achievement that highlights our commitment to excellence.”

Okaloosa County School Grades for 2023-24:

Elementary Schools:

• Annette P. Edwins Elementary School: C
• Antioch Elementary School: A
• Bob Sikes Elementary School: B
• Bluewater Elementary School: A
• Destin Elementary School: A
• Elliott Point Elementary School: B
• Eglin Elementary School: B
• Florosa Elementary School: A
• James E Plew Elementary School: A
• Kenwood Elementary School: B
• Longwood Elementary School: C
• Lula J. Edge Elementary School: A
• Mary Esther Elementary School: B
• Northwood Elementary School: B
• Riverside Elementary School: B
• Shalimar Elementary School: C
• Walker Elementary School: B
• Wright Elementary School: C

Middle Schools:

• C. W. Ruckel Middle School: A
• Clifford Meigs Middle School: B
• Davidson Middle School: B
• Destin Middle School: A
• Max Bruner Junior Middle School: B
• Pryor Middle School: B
• Shoal River Middle School: A

High Schools:

• Baker School: B
• Choctawhatchee Senior High School: C
• Crestview High School: B
• Destin High School: I
• Fort Walton Beach High School: B
• Niceville Senior High School: A
• Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College: A

Combination Schools:

• Addie R. Lewis School: A
• Laurel Hill School: B
• Liza Jackson Preparatory School: A
• Northwest Florida Ballet Academie: A
• Okaloosa STEMM Center: A