2026 data 36 schools FL

Best Schools in PANAMA CITY, FL

36 public K-12 schools in PANAMA CITY from NCES Common Core of Data: enrollment, grade span, demographics, and Civil Rights Data Collection statistics for every active campus.

36 public schools ranked by quality score. NCES CCD 2022-23 data.

Choosing the right school is one of the most important decisions families make. This page ranks every public school in PANAMA CITY, FL using a composite quality score based on student-teacher ratios, counselor access, gifted program availability, and attendance rates. All data comes from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data for the 2022-23 school year.

36
Schools
17,431
Students
Avg Quality
18.6:1
Avg Class Size

How the PANAMA CITY Public-School Landscape Breaks Down

PANAMA CITY, FL enrolls 17,431 students across 36 public schools reporting to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, 12 are charter schools, giving families genuine alternatives to the traditional neighbourhood assignment model. The average student-teacher ratio across the city is 18.6:1, Schools must report at least five campuses in a city to appear in this listing, which is why very small towns may redirect to the broader county or state view.

The highest-ranked campus in PANAMA CITY is Deane Bozeman School, scoring 37/100 (F) with 1,690 enrolled students at the other level. Families should treat any single ranking as a starting point rather than a verdict — a school serving fewer at-risk students or offering more AP classes will score higher on resource-based composites even if individual teachers or programs elsewhere are stronger. The quality score framework is transparent and rebuilt from raw NCES and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) inputs, so each component can be inspected on the individual school pages linked in the table below.

PANAMA CITY schools sit within multiple district boundaries, which matters for property taxes, redistricting votes, and bond measures. Each district files its own NCES F-33 financial return, meaning per-pupil spending can vary noticeably even between neighbouring campuses in the same city. Use the table to sort by enrollment, level, or district, then click any school name for campus-level demographics, Title I status, counselor and nurse staffing, AP courses, chronic-absenteeism rates, and district per-pupil spending. The sidebar links also connect PANAMA CITY housing costs, wage data, and crime statistics — context many parents weigh alongside test-adjacent school signals when relocating.

PANAMA CITY school enrollment varies 845× across entities

PANAMA CITY school enrollment ranges from 2 students (lowest) to 1,690 students (highest), a spread of 1,688 students. That ratio is among the widest observed and reflects extreme heterogeneity inside a single city — small specialty programs sit alongside large comprehensive campuses, often serving very different family demographics inside walking distance. Per-school staffing, programme depth, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same city based on enrollment shape — a 200-student magnet runs a different operational model than a 2,000-student comprehensive high school.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

PANAMA CITY operates only 1 school district — among the most consolidated governance structures in the country

Most PANAMA CITY school districts are a single unified district covering the whole city — a structural feature that simplifies inter-school comparison but concentrates policy authority. Consolidation produces narrower variance because resources pool across larger populations, but it can also mask intra-school district inequities — sub-school district differences within a single school district are not visible at this aggregation level. Consolidated systems typically rely more heavily on top-down funding formulas than on local revenue variability.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

PANAMA CITY student-teacher ratio is 18.6:1 — high (typically associated with larger urban scale or staffing constraints that have widened the headcount gap)

student-teacher ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE classroom teachers against total enrollment — push-in specialists, English-language aides, special-education co-teachers, and counselors are not included in most reporting Higher values may reflect larger urban scale or recent resource constraints that have widened the gap.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe NCES Common Core of Data — Public School Universe

PANAMA CITY has higher-than-average charter school authorisation eligibility — 33.3% of the population qualifies for charter-school enrollment options

charter-school enrollment options eligibility is the federal threshold for charter school authorisation funding allocations, established under the state-specific charter law. Areas above 30% eligibility — including this one — receive concentration grants on top of the basic charter school authorisation formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

# School Score
1. Deane Bozeman School 37 F
2. Rutherford High School 19 F
3. Bay High School 11 F
4. North Bay Haven Career Academy 37 F
5. Bay Haven Charter Academy 40 D
6. Deer Point Elementary School 30 F
7. University Academy Sabl Inc 44 D
8. North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School 41 D
9. Hiland Park Elementary School 35 F
10. Tommy Smith Elementary School 33 F
11. Merritt Brown Middle School 25 F
12. Callaway Elementary School 26 F
13. Hutchison Beach Elementary School 37 F
14. Northside Elementary School 25 F
15. Lucille Moore Elementary School 40 D
16. Jinks Middle School 21 F
17. North Bay Haven Charter Academy Middle School 48 D
18. Parker Elementary School 38 F
19. Cedar Grove Elementary School 28 F
20. Bay Haven Charter Middle School 55 C
21. Oscar Patterson Academy — 0
22. Rosenwald High School 38 F
23. Merriam Cherry Street Elementary 35 F
24. Palm Bay Elementary School 45 D
25. Rising Leaders Academy 49 D
26. Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12 36 F
27. Margaret K. Lewis in Millville 41 D
28. Central High School 23 F
29. New Horizons Learning Center 49 D
30. St. Andrew School at Oakland Terrace 50 C-
31. Chautauqua Charter School 31 F
32. Amikids Maritime Academy
33. Bay Virtual Franchise 70 B
34. Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center 32 F
35. Bay Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided) 76 B+
36. Bay Virtual Instruction Program 30 F

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best schools in PANAMA CITY, FL?

The top-rated school in PANAMA CITY is Deane Bozeman School with a quality score of 37/100. There are 36 public schools in PANAMA CITY with 17,431 total students.

How many schools are in PANAMA CITY, FL?

PANAMA CITY has 36 public schools with a total enrollment of 17,431 students. 12 are charter schools. Average student-teacher ratio: 18.6:1.

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Data from NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2022-23 and Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22. Quality scores based on student-teacher ratio, counselor access, gifted programs, and attendance. Schools must have 5+ in the city to be listed.

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.