Enrollment
264
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
2024-25 NCES data Other / mixed grade configuration NCES 120198007690
Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) — Defuniak Springs, FL
Federal NCES profile for Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise), including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators — Resource Investment Index 43/100.
👥 Class size 59
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 47
📋 Attendance 36
How this works: Each indicator above is scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC data, then averaged into the Resource Investment Index. This measures resource allocation — staffing, programs, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes. Full methodology →
School address
Public location data per NCES (National Center for Education Statistics) Common Core of Data. Verify the school's current address on the NCES CCD record.
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
10.2:1
vs 18.3:1 Florida avg
-44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+31% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) compares with Florida and U.S. medians
The federal record — no proprietary index, no editorial formula.
PlainSchools publishes the actual federal measurements — enrollment, staffing, demographics, discipline, and finance — straight from the NCES Common Core of Data, CRDC, and F-33 surveys. No composite rating, no opinion-based score on top. You get the same raw numbers researchers and policymakers use, with benchmarks, spending context, and equity indicators computed from the same federal datasets. Full methodology linked below.
What this school's NCES data tells you
Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) reports 264 enrolled students to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) alongside 21.0 full-time-equivalent teachers, producing a 10.2:1 student-teacher ratio. That figure sits 44% below the Florida state mean of 18.3:1, signalling more teacher attention per pupil than the state benchmark. Against the national 2024-25 average of 15.9:1, it is 36% lower, a useful calibration for families comparing districts across state lines.
Title I and federal lunch eligibility offer another window into the student body: 67.9% of pupils qualify for free meals, a proxy for household income that federal programs use to direct funding. The free-lunch share is 31% above the Florida average and 31% above the national baseline. Counselor coverage works out to roughly 264 students per counselor, above the ASCA-recommended ceiling of 250:1. Chronic absenteeism — missing 10% or more of school days — stands at 25.8% according to the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
On the finance side, the surrounding Walton spends $15,507 per pupil district-wide, above the Florida average of $12,756 and below the national average of $19,490. Revenue comes 75.6% from local sources (property taxes), 11.8% from the state, and 12.6% from federal programs per the NCES F-33 finance survey. Taken together, these measurements produce a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (D), calculated from 4 distinct NCES and CRDC indicators measuring resource allocation rather than academic outcomes.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) compares
Cross-validating school-level NCES values against Florida state and U.S. national means lets readers see whether this school is an outlier or in line with peers.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 10.2:1 | ▼ 44% | 18.3:1 | 15.9:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.9% | ▲ 31% | 52.0% | 51.8% |
| Enrollment | 264 | top 19% | — | — |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
What the federal data reveals about equity at this school
Federal measurements — not ratings — surface the resource and opportunity picture. Below are the indicators that researchers, civil-rights monitors, and funding formulas use to assess equity.
Economic need
67.9%
free-lunch eligible
— 31% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold — federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
10.2:1
students per teacher
— 44% below state mean
Top 6% in Florida — lower ratio than 94% of state schools
Below the 15:1 benchmark — typical of schools with smaller class sizes and more individualized attention.
Engagement
25.8%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Chronic absenteeism at or above 20% — the CDC threshold for "high" — signals significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$15,507
per pupil, district-wide
— above Florida avg of $12,756
Below the U.S. average per-pupil spend — funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 264 students — the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
10
in-school suspensions + 33 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
Enrollment 264 Top 19% in Florida — larger than 81% of 4,029 state schools
Teachers (FTE) 21.0
Students per teacher 10.2:1 -44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible 67.9% +31% vs state
NCES ID 120198007690
Student demographics
White 64.4%
Hispanic or Latino 17.4%
African American 8.7%
Two or More 8.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Largest group: White at 64.4% of enrollment.
Programs & staff
Counselors (FTE) 1.0
Students per counselor 264:1
Discipline & special education
Chronically absent 25.8%
In-school suspensions 10
Out-of-school suspensions 33
Expulsions 1
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Walton, which includes Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise).
$15,507
Per student
+22%
vs Florida
Avg $12,756
-20%
vs U.S.
Avg $19,490
Revenue mix
Local 75.6%
State 11.8%
Federal 12.6%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,127
- Students per teacher
- 19.9:1
- Enrollment
- 1,120
- Students per teacher
- 17.5:1
- Enrollment
- 969
- Students per teacher
- 19.5:1
- Enrollment
- 924
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Enrollment
- 914
- Students per teacher
- 15.8:1
Similar other schools in Defuniak Springs
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mossy Head School
Standard public school
521 students 15.7:1 students per teacher
Walton Academy Inc.
Alternative education program
130 students 181:1 students per teacher
Walton Virtual Franchise
Standard public school
31 students
Walton Learning Center
Alternative education program
29 students 14.5:1 students per teacher
Walton Virtual School Wcsd
Standard public school
6 students
Walton County Jail Program
Alternative education program
3 students
Educator & family resources
In-depth guides on understanding NCES data, school choice, and education funding.
Understanding NCES data
How CCD, CRDC and EDFacts feed every public-school number you see.
Choose a school district
Eight signals that matter more than the overall ranking number.
How schools are funded
Title I, F-33, state aid formulas and what per-pupil spending really means.
Chronic absenteeism
Why missing 10% of school matters and how it varies by district.
Magnet vs charter vs traditional
Three school types, three funding models, three sets of trade-offs.
School discipline data
What CRDC suspension and expulsion records do and don't reveal.
Frequently asked questions about Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)
How many students attend Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)?
Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) has 264 students enrolled. It is a other school in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)?
The student-teacher ratio at Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) is 10.2:1, which is 44% lower than the Florida average of 18.3:1 and 36% lower than the national average of 15.9:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)?
67.9% of students at Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)?
The largest demographic group at Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) is White at 64.4%. The school serves a diverse student body in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise)?
Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) has a Resource Investment Index of 43/100 (D) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. This index measures federal resource allocation — staffing levels, program availability, and support services — not standardized test scores or academic outcomes.