Walton
Public school district · Walton County · Florida · NCES district ID 1201980
Walton spent $13,721 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, more than 86% of the other Florida districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 (median $11,744). Its 18 schools enrolled 11,779 students in 2024-25; 9.0% of its revenue came from the state. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,247 per student, up 11.1% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year). Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 96% (Florida: 88%).
NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 · Census Bureau school finances 2023-24 · NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · method
Spending per student among Florida districts of similar size
Current spending per student excludes construction and debt. The 9 districts closest to Walton in enrollment (8,929 to 15,951 students) and Walton itself.
Where the money came from
$222,693,000 in revenue: 9.0% state, 78.7% local and 12.3% federal. Total spending including $44,185,000 of capital outlay was $212,973,000, or $18,399 per student; the figure above leaves capital out.
- State$19,971,000 9%
- Local$175,268,000 79%
- Federal$27,454,000 12%
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures for elementary and secondary education divided by fall membership; the state median covers 66 districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022. Revenue by source (TOTALREV, TFEDREV, TSTREV, TLOCREV).
Enrollment rose from 2022-23 to 2024-25
11,575 students in 2022-23, 11,644 students in 2023-24, 11,779 students in 2024-25, counted across the schools that reported each year.
Teachers and students per teacher
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 11,575 | 683.1 | 16.9 |
| 2023-24 | 11,644 | 727.7 | 16.0 |
| 2024-25 | 11,779 | 757.8 | 15.5 |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data membership and staff files, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25; sums over the schools reporting each year.
$46,802,000 in teacher salaries in fiscal year 2022-23, $4,043 per student
Walton booked $46,802,000 of teacher salaries in its 2022-23 finance report and counted 719 full-time teachers in its Common Core of Data district staff file for 2022-23 (the school files behind the staffing figures on this page count teachers separately, so the two can differ), or $65,109 of salary spending per teacher. That is more than 83 in 100 Florida districts with a figure (state median $58,157, 66 districts). It is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, so the result can differ widely from the average salary the district publishes (its salary schedule gives pay); benefits are left out, and states book salaries differently, so compare districts within one state. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Florida teacher salary at $51,230 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).
| Program | Teacher salaries | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Regular programs | $37,751,000 | 80.7% |
| Special education | $6,582,000 | 14.1% |
| Vocational | $2,469,000 | 5.3% |
Teacher salaries per student, fiscal years 2018-19 to 2022-23
The district's teacher salary bill divided by its fall enrollment each year: $2,971 in 2018-19, $3,059 in 2019-20, $3,364 in 2020-21, $3,473 in 2021-22, $4,043 in 2022-23.
Source: NCES F-33 school district finance survey, fiscal years 2019 to 2023: teacher salaries in regular, special, vocational and other programs (Z35 to Z38) and fall membership (V33); NCES Common Core of Data LEA staff file 2022-23, teachers (full-time equivalent).
State test results, 2021-22
In 2021-22, the students tested in Walton scored proficient or above: 60% in reading and 68% in math, against 53% in reading and 55% in math across Florida. Each state writes its own test and sets its own proficiency bar, so compare these within Florida, not across states. Where a state published results by grade only, the grades tested are combined, weighted by the students tested in each.
| Subject | This district | Florida | Students tested |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading and language arts | 60% | 53% | 4,904 |
| Math | 68% | 55% | 4,892 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2021-22, all students, from ED Data Express (the Data Rescue Project archive; ED has no 2022-23 result for this district): ED shows district results as ranges (for example 20-24%) to protect small groups.
Graduation rate, class of 2023
96% of the 766 students in Walton's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 88% across Florida. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out, and counts those who earned a regular diploma by 2023. Every state computes it the same way under federal law, though each sets its own diploma requirements.
| This district | Florida | |
|---|---|---|
| Four-year graduation rate | 96% | 88% |
| Students in the class | 766 | 208,274 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students, from ED Data Express: ED shows district rates as ranges (for example 90-94%) and leaves out small classes.
6 elementary schools, 4,737 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeport Elementary School | 1,120 | 15.3 | 45.1% | Schoolwide program |
| Dune Lakes Elementary School | 924 | 14.6 | 24.1% | Not Title I |
| Van R. Butler Elementary School | 914 | 13.8 | 23.3% | Not Title I |
| West Defuniak Elementary School | 704 | 14.1 | 59.9% | Schoolwide program |
| Maude Saunders Elementary School | 554 | 12.2 | 75.5% | Schoolwide program |
| Mossy Head School | 521 | 15.0 | 75.0% | Schoolwide program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 middle schools, 2,458 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emerald Coast Middle School | 872 | 18.0 | 20.9% | Not Title I |
| Walton Middle School | 796 | 15.0 | 66.2% | Schoolwide program |
| Freeport Middle School | 790 | 17.2 | 37.7% | Eligible, no program |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
6 high schools, 3,407 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Walton High School | 1,127 | 20.6 | 17.6% | Not Title I |
| Walton High School | 969 | 17.2 | 54.0% | Eligible, no program |
| Freeport Senior High School | 677 | 16.1 | 32.6% | Eligible, no program |
| Seaside Neighborhood School | 501 | 18.6 | 2.4% | Not Title I |
| Walton Academy Inc. | 130 | 26.0 | 70.0% | Schoolwide program |
| Walton County Jail Program | 3 | not reported | not reported | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
3 other schools, 1,177 students
| School | Students | Per teacher | Free lunch | Title I, 2021‑22 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paxton School | 783 | 14.6 | 54.4% | Eligible, no program |
| Walton Initiative for Success in Education (Wise) | 264 | 9.8 | 73.9% | Eligible, no program |
| Bay School | 130 | 10.8 | 29.2% | Not Title I |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25; Title I status CCD 2021-22, the last year NCES published it. All free (CEP): every student eats free under the Community Eligibility Provision, so the school reports no free-lunch count; not reported: the school sent NCES no meal count.
4 more schools on file: small, closed or in an earlier directory
These records carry fewer federal fields than a full school page needs, so each is summarized here with what NCES reports.
Walton Virtual Franchise
School in Defuniak Springs; last listed in the 2024-25 NCES directory (closed); 31 students.
Walton Learning Center
School in Defuniak Springs; last listed in the 2024-25 NCES directory (closed); 29 students; 14.5 students per teacher.
Walton Virtual School Wcsd
School in Defuniak Springs; last listed in the 2024-25 NCES directory (closed); 6 students.
Walton County Jail Program
High school in Defuniak Springs; open in 2024-25; 3 students.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 and earlier directories: the last year each school was listed, its students and its teachers.
Contact Walton
- Website: walton.k12.fl.us
- Phone: (850) 892-1100
- Office: 145 S Park St, Defuniak Springs, FL 32435
Source: NCES Common Core of Data, local education agency directory 2024-25. Enrollment, boundaries and school assignment are the district's to confirm.
What to look at next about Walton
- Florida districts by spending per studentWalton ranks 10 of 66 Florida districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 on current spending per student in fiscal year 2022-23 ($13,721).#10 of 66
- Every school district in FloridaWalton is the number 38 by size of 80 Florida districts, with 11,575 students in fall 2022 (F-33).#38 of 80
- HighlandsThe next larger Florida district: 12,362 students in fall 2022, $12,585 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,585
- Putnam County School DistrictThe next smaller Florida district: 10,293 students in fall 2022, $12,682 per student in fiscal year 2022-23.$12,682
- Compare Walton with HighlandsEnrollment, spending, revenue sources and schools, side by side.
- South Walton High School, its largest high school1,127 students in 2024-25, 20.6 per teacher.1,127
- Teacher salary spending across FloridaWalton spent $65,109 in salaries per full-time teacher in fiscal year 2022-23 (state median $58,157); spending, not a salary.$65,109
- Find the school district for an addressA home's district decides which public schools it can enroll in.
Source: NCES F-33 finance survey, fiscal year 2022-23 (spending per student and fall 2022 membership; ranks among the state's districts that reported them); NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 (schools).
Questions about Walton
How many schools and students are in Walton?
18 schools were open in 2024-25 (6 elementary, 3 middle, 6 high, 3 other), enrolling 11,779 students, according to the NCES Common Core of Data.How much does Walton spend per student?
$13,721 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), which leaves out construction and debt; the Florida median for districts with at least 1,000 students in fall 2022 is $11,744 and the U.S. figure is $16,260. Census Bureau figures for 2023-24 put it at $15,247 per student, up 11.1% on the year before (U.S. $17,619 that year).Where does Walton's money come from?
$222,693,000 in revenue in fiscal year 2022-23: 9.0% state, 78.7% local and 12.3% federal (NCES F-33).How many children in Walton live in poverty?
The Census Bureau estimates that 2,006 of the 14,000 children aged 5 to 17 living within the district's boundaries in 2024, 14.3%, were in families in poverty (Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates). It is a model-based estimate for everyone living in the district, not a count of its students; the free-meal shares in the school tables are counts of enrolled students.How much does Walton spend on teacher salaries?
$46,802,000 in fiscal year 2022-23 (NCES F-33), or $4,043 per student. Divided by the 719 full-time teachers in the NCES Common Core of Data for 2022-23 that is $65,109 per teacher, more than 83 in 100 Florida districts (state median $58,157). That is spending, not what a teacher is paid: the salary lines and the teacher count come from different files, and the result can differ widely from the average salary a district publishes. The district's salary schedule gives pay. For pay, the National Education Association put the average Florida teacher salary at $51,230 in 2021-22 (NCES Digest table 211.60).How do students in Walton do on state tests?
In 2021-22, the students tested in Walton scored proficient or above: 60% in reading and 68% in math, against 53% in reading and 55% in math across Florida. Florida's own test sets what proficient means, so results compare within the state, not across states. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22.What is the graduation rate in Walton?
96% of the 766 students in Walton's class of 2023 graduated within four years, against 88% across Florida. The four-year rate follows the students who started ninth grade in fall 2019, adjusted for those who moved in or out. Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23.What is Walton's NCES district ID?
1201980. Each of its schools' 12-digit NCES IDs begins with these seven digits.
Reading these figures: how to choose a school district, what Title I means and what an absenteeism rate means. They are for information and are not a substitute for the school's or district's own records.
Sources
Every federal file behind this record
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25: directory, membership, staff and lunch files. nces.ed.gov
- NCES Common Core of Data, 2021-22 school characteristics: Title I status. nces.ed.gov
- Civil Rights Data Collection, 2021-22: AP courses, gifted programs, counselors, discipline. civilrightsdata.ed.gov
- EDFacts, 2022-23: chronic absenteeism. ed.gov
- EDFacts four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates, 2022-23: the class of 2023 for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- EDFacts state assessment results, 2021-22: reading and math proficiency for the district and its state (ED Data Express). eddataexpress.ed.gov
- NCES Digest of Education Statistics, table 211.60 (2021-22): the state's average teacher salary, from the National Education Association. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates, 2024: children aged 5 to 17 and those in families in poverty, by school district. census.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances, fiscal year 2023-24: per pupil current spending for 2023-24 and 2022-23. census.gov
- NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, fiscal year 2022-23: district spending and revenue. nces.ed.gov
- U.S. Census Bureau geocoder and TIGER school districts: the district boundary used by the district finder. census.gov
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances Per pupil current spending by school system · FY 2023-24
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey Revenue and expenditures by district · FY 2022-23
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership, staff and lunch files · 2024-25