Fort Walton Beach High School

Q: Is Fort Walton Beach High School a good school?

Fort Walton Beach High School ranks 290 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Fort Walton Beach High School is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, which is part of the Okaloosa School District, a highly-ranked district in the state. The school has a diverse student population, with a mix of White, African American, and Hispanic students, as well as smaller percentages of other racial/ethnic groups.

Fort Walton Beach High School has maintained strong graduation rates, with a 91.8% four-year graduation rate in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the state and district averages. However, the school's test scores are generally on par with or slightly below the Okaloosa district and Florida state averages, with proficiency rates in Algebra 1, Geometry, and 10th grade English Language Arts lower than the district and state. The school has also experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 14.8% in 2019-2020 to 22.0% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district and state averages.

When compared to nearby schools, Fort Walton Beach High School performs similarly or slightly below in terms of test scores and graduation rates. For example, Niceville Senior High School and Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College, both within the Okaloosa district, have higher test scores and graduation rates. Notably, Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College stands out with exceptional performance, ranking among the top 3 high schools in Florida in 2021-2022 and maintaining a 100% four-year graduation rate.

Detail:

Public 9-12

400 Hollywood Blvd SW
Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548

(850) 833-3300

District: Okaloosa

SchoolDigger Rank:
290^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,196

Feeder schools for Fort Walton Beach High School:

Elementary:	Annette P. Edwins Elementary School
	Destin Elementary School
	Florosa Elementary School
	Mary Esther Elementary School
Middle:	Destin Middle School
	Max Bruner Junior Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 20.1

Number of students: 1,620

Racial breakdown:

White:

57.5%

Hispanic:

16.4%

African American:

13.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 42%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Fort Walton Beach High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Fort Walton Beach High School ranks better than 64.1% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 4^th among 6 ranked high schools in the Okaloosa School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 51.06. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Fort Walton Beach High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Fort Walton Beach High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (57.5%), Hispanic (16.4%), African American (13.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 42% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Fort Walton Beach High School is 20.1, which is the 2^nd best among 6 high schools in the Okaloosa School District. (See more...)

Compare Fort Walton Beach High School employs 80.4 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Fort Walton Beach High School is $10,196, which is the 3^rd highest among 6 high schools in the Okaloosa School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Fort Walton Beach High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Fort Walton Beach High School 290^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Fort Walton Beach High School in the ranking list.)

Okaloosa:

SchoolDigger ranks Okaloosa 12^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Fort Walton Beach High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	83.32	67^th	484	86.2%
2005	83.06	67^th	487	86.2%
2006	81.54	66^th	477	86.2%
2007	89.51	38^th	563	93.3%
2008	87.63	46^th	577	92.0%
2009	87.96	49^th	587	91.7%
2010	82.25	84^th	620	86.5%
2011	85.49	67^th	622	89.2%
2012	75.84	57^th	606	90.6%
2013	74.67	91^st	648	86.0%
2014	74.27	120^th	687	82.5%
2016	71.91	102^nd	693	85.3%
2017	64.38	148^th	714	79.3%
2018	61.51	178^th	716	75.1%
2019	60.56	190^th	734	74.1%
2021	59.21	185^th	746	75.2%
2022	59.63	192^nd	774	75.2%
2023	56.23	229^th	792	71.1%
2024	51.06	290^th	807	64.1%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Fort Walton Beach High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1333	184	48	15	1	n/a	n/a	0	1581
1989	1228	189	52	18	2	n/a	n/a	0	1489
1990	1530	235	67	21	1	n/a	n/a	0	1854
1991	1538	228	51	35	1	n/a	n/a	0	1853
1992	1506	221	62	48	2	n/a	n/a	0	1839
1993	1478	253	74	57	6	n/a	n/a	0	1868
1994	1438	243	66	59	7	n/a	n/a	0	1813
1995	1528	260	68	47	8	n/a	n/a	0	1911
1996	1528	260	68	47	8	n/a	n/a	0	1911
1997	1561	261	88	46	7	n/a	n/a	0	1963
1998	1587	274	91	47	7	n/a	n/a	0	2006
1999	1655	253	81	52	4	n/a	n/a	0	2045
2000	1654	262	75	47	5	n/a	n/a	0	2043
2001	1700	249	75	52	6	n/a	n/a	0	2082
2002	1552	254	71	56	7	n/a	n/a	0	1940
2003	1552	254	71	56	7	n/a	n/a	0	1940
2004	1555	250	92	68	7	n/a	n/a	0	1972
2005	1553	257	96	76	7	n/a	n/a	0	1989
2006	1591	255	86	90	9	n/a	n/a	0	2031
2007	1428	218	78	106	9	n/a	n/a	76	1915
2008	1436	242	76	98	8	n/a	n/a	81	1941
2009	1407	227	65	100	10	n/a	n/a	99	1908
2010	1317	231	72	105	20	n/a	n/a	147	1892
2011	1282	238	69	118	15	8	97	0	1827
2012	1211	222	75	122	15	8	103	0	1756
2013	1174	230	80	134	15	3	117	0	1753
2014	1156	242	83	155	9	3	96	0	1744
2015	1066	234	75	159	7	4	102	0	1647
2016	1033	236	80	164	6	5	114	0	1638
2017	1013	239	66	204	7	4	121	0	1654
2018	1023	269	54	208	6	4	134	0	1698
2019	1016	249	63	216	8	6	162	0	1720
2020	1124	261	63	222	8	6	181	0	1865
2021	1131	280	61	226	5	10	197	0	1910
2022	1010	228	55	220	7	11	173	0	1704
2023	931	221	49	266	4	13	136	0	1620

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Fort Walton Beach High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1581	88.0	17.9	6
1989	1489	88.0	16.9	7.8
1990	1854	105.0	17.6	12.4
1991	1853	104.0	17.8	8.7
1992	1839	97.0	18.9	7.8
1993	1868	97.0	19.3	9.3
1994	1813	98.0	18.5	8.7
1995	1911	98.0	19.5	8.4
1996	1911	98.0	19.5	8.4
1997	1963	102.0	19.2	7
1998	2006	105.0	19.1	6.6
1999	2045	102.0	20.0	8.8
2000	2043	101.0	20.2	8
2001	2082	101.0	20.6	7.8
2002	1940	101.0	19.2	10.4
2003	1940	101.0	19.2	10.4
2004	1972	95.0	20.8	14.2
2005	1989	90.0	22.1	14.4
2006	2031	96.0	21.2	16
2007	1915	97.0	19.7	15.4
2008	1941	113.5	17.1	15.6
2009	1908	103.0	18.7	20.1
2010	1892	99.5	19.0	21.8
2011	1827	110.8	16.4	24.7
2012	1756	97.0	18.1	23.7
2013	1753	90.0	19.4	25
2014	1744	85.0	20.5	31.4
2015	1647	86.0	19.1	34.1
2016	1638	82.0	19.9	35.9
2017	1654	84.0	19.6	36.5
2018	1698	81.0	20.9	36.3
2019	1720	80.8	21.2	37
2020	1865	83.7	22.2	36.5
2021	1910	85.6	22.3	43.8
2022	1704	88.0	19.3	37.3
2023	1620	80.4	20.1	42

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Fort Walton Beach High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1581	88.0	17.9	6
1989	1489	88.0	16.9	7.8
1990	1854	105.0	17.6	12.4
1991	1853	104.0	17.8	8.7
1992	1839	97.0	18.9	7.8
1993	1868	97.0	19.3	9.3
1994	1813	98.0	18.5	8.7
1995	1911	98.0	19.5	8.4
1996	1911	98.0	19.5	8.4
1997	1963	102.0	19.2	7
1998	2006	105.0	19.1	6.6
1999	2045	102.0	20.0	8.8
2000	2043	101.0	20.2	8
2001	2082	101.0	20.6	7.8
2002	1940	101.0	19.2	10.4
2003	1940	101.0	19.2	10.4
2004	1972	95.0	20.8	14.2
2005	1989	90.0	22.1	14.4
2006	2031	96.0	21.2	16
2007	1915	97.0	19.7	15.4
2008	1941	113.5	17.1	15.6
2009	1908	103.0	18.7	20.1
2010	1892	99.5	19.0	21.8
2011	1827	110.8	16.4	24.7
2012	1756	97.0	18.1	23.7
2013	1753	90.0	19.4	25
2014	1744	85.0	20.5	31.4
2015	1647	86.0	19.1	34.1
2016	1638	82.0	19.9	35.9
2017	1654	84.0	19.6	36.5
2018	1698	81.0	20.9	36.3
2019	1720	80.8	21.2	37
2020	1865	83.7	22.2	36.5
2021	1910	85.6	22.3	43.8
2022	1704	88.0	19.3	37.3
2023	1620	80.4	20.1	42

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Fort Walton Beach High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$144 (1.9%)	$7,399 (98.1%)	$7,543
2019	$121 (1.6%)	$7,638 (98.5%)	$7,758
2020	$157 (2.1%)	$7,500 (97.9%)	$7,658
2021	$383 (4.8%)	$7,602 (95.2%)	$7,985
2022	$1,129 (12.0%)	$8,284 (88.0%)	$9,414
2023	$1,236 (12.1%)	$8,959 (87.9%)	$10,196

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Fort Walton Beach High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 190^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 229^th of 792 High schools	3%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Fort Walton Beach High School)	57	60	3%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	61	57	4%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Fort Walton Beach High School)	58	51	7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Okaloosa)	61	54	7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Fort Walton Beach High School)	71	67	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Okaloosa)	72	66	6%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Fort Walton Beach High School)	83	73	10%
End of Course US History (Okaloosa)	79	69	10%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Fort Walton Beach High School)	67	48	19%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Okaloosa)	78	65	13%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Fort Walton Beach High School)	66	59	7%
End of Course Geometry (Okaloosa)	73	65	8%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1720	1620	5.8%
African American	249	221	11.2%
American Indian	8	4	50%
Asian	63	49	22.2%
Hispanic	216	266	23.1%
Pacific Islander	6	13	116.7%
White	1016	931	8.4%
Two or More Races	162	136	16%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	37%	42%	5%

Schools Near Fort Walton Beach High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Fort Walton Beach High School	Public	9-12	400 Hollywood Blvd SW	Fort Walton Beach	32548	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-3300	1,620	80	20.1	42.0%	931 (57.5%)	221 (13.6%)	266 (16.4%)	49 (3.0%)	4 (0.2%)	13 (0.8%)	136 (8.4%)	51.1	290^th of 807 public high schools	64.1%		56.2	229^th of 792 public high schools	71.1%	61	50.0	55.0	40.0	56.0	63.0	79.0	$10,196	$1,236	$8,959
Okaloosa Virtual Franchise	Public, Virtual	6-12	310 Perry Avenue SE	Fort Walton Beach	32548	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	Yes	No	(850) 833-3533	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Choctawhatchee Senior High School	Public	9-12	110 Racetrack Rd NW	Fort Walton Beach	32547	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-3614	1,677	81	20.8	51.8%	964 (57.5%)	194 (11.6%)	305 (18.2%)	39 (2.3%)	10 (0.6%)	8 (0.5%)	157 (9.4%)	44.4	373^rd of 807 public high schools	53.8%		45.6	333^rd of 792 public high schools	58.0%	40	43.0	50.0	28.0	54.0	64.0	77.0	$9,211	$1,091	$8,121
Contracted Residential Services	Public	6-12	101 A Business Center Dr	Miramar	32550	Walton County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 863-4160	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Okaloosa Technical College	Public	7-12	1976 Lewis Turner Blvd	Fort Walton Beach	32547	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-3500	38	4	9.5	63.2%	18 (47.4%)	6 (15.8%)	9 (23.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (13.2%)								(n/a)							$40,803	$9,866	$30,937
Destin High School	Public, Charter	9-12	4325 Commons Drive	Destin	32541	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 424-1664	470	0		10.6%	373 (79.4%)	29 (6.2%)	36 (7.7%)	12 (2.6%)	4 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.4%)	51.2	288^th of 807 public high schools	64.3%		53.8	248^th of 792 public high schools	68.7%	40	58.0	44.0	48.0	65.0	70.0	62.0	$10,474	$1,174	$9,300
Niceville Senior High School	Public	9-12	800 John Sims Pkwy E	Niceville	32578	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-4114	2,039	88	23.2	19.0%	1,557 (76.4%)	86 (4.2%)	197 (9.7%)	36 (1.8%)	8 (0.4%)	10 (0.5%)	145 (7.1%)	73.9	110^th of 807 public high schools	86.4%		78.2	83^rd of 792 public high schools	89.5%	27	71.0	65.0	69.0	77.0	84.0	77.0	$9,522	$1,033	$8,489
Collegiate High School At Northwest Florida State College	Public, Charter	9-12	100 College Blvd E	Niceville	32578	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 729-4949	334	4	83.5	12.3%	222 (66.5%)	27 (8.1%)	37 (11.1%)	11 (3.3%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	34 (10.2%)	90.8	16^th of 807 public high schools	98.0%		92.2	13^th of 792 public high schools	98.4%	3	90.0	91.0	82.0	93.0	99.0	95.0	$5,972	$54	$5,919
Navarre High School	Public	9-12	8600 High School Blvd	Navarre	32566	Santa Rosa County	Santa Rosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 936-6080	2,406	92	26.1	30.1%	1,653 (68.7%)	130 (5.4%)	328 (13.6%)	54 (2.2%)	8 (0.3%)	12 (0.5%)	221 (9.2%)	65.6	168^th of 807 public high schools	79.2%		63	181^st of 792 public high schools	77.1%	13	66.0	67.0	57.0	61.0	80.0	76.0	$7,164	$587	$6,576

Frequently Asked Questions about Fort Walton Beach High School

Is Fort Walton Beach High School a good school?

Fort Walton Beach High School ranks 290^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Fort Walton Beach High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,620 students attended Fort Walton Beach High School.

What schools feed into Fort Walton Beach High School?

Fort Walton Beach High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Annette P. Edwins Elementary School
Elementary : Destin Elementary School
Elementary : Florosa Elementary School
Elementary : Mary Esther Elementary School
Middle : Destin Middle School
Middle : Max Bruner Junior Middle School

What district is Fort Walton Beach High School in?

Okaloosa

What is the racial makeup of Fort Walton Beach High School?

Students at Fort Walton Beach High School are 57% White, 16% Hispanic, 14% African American, 8% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.