Dune Lakes Elementary School

Q: Is Dune Lakes Elementary School a good school?

Dune Lakes Elementary School ranks 275 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Dune Lakes Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, serving grades K-5 with a total enrollment of 928 students. The school is part of the Walton School District, which is ranked 16th out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 4 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Dune Lakes Elementary consistently outperforms the Walton district and the state of Florida in standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects, with 73-91% of students proficient or better in FAST English Language Arts and Math, compared to 55-72% for the district and 53-60% for the state. The school has also maintained a 4 or 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for most years, indicating it is among the top-performing schools in the state. Dune Lakes has a relatively diverse student population, with 72.2% White, 21.23% Hispanic, and 1.83% African American students, higher than the nearby Freeport Elementary and Van R. Butler Elementary.

However, Dune Lakes Elementary has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, from 6.7% in 2019-2020 to 22.6% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the nearby schools. Additionally, the school has a relatively low percentage of free and reduced lunch recipients at 23.6%, compared to 54.67% at Freeport Elementary and 30.31% at Van R. Butler Elementary, indicating that Dune Lakes serves a more affluent student population. Despite these differences, Dune Lakes Elementary consistently outperforms the nearby schools in academic metrics, ranking, and school rating.

Detail:

Public K-5

6565 Us Highway 98 E
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459

(850) 622-5012

District: Walton

SchoolDigger Rank:
275^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,226

Students who attend Dune Lakes Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Emerald Coast Middle School
	Freeport Middle School
	Walton Middle School
High:	Freeport Senior High School
	South Walton High School
	Walton High School
	Walton Virtual Franchise

Student/teacher ratio: 14.7

Number of students: 928

Racial breakdown:

White:

72.2%

Hispanic:

21.2%

Two or more races:

3.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 23.6%

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Compare Dune Lakes Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Dune Lakes Elementary School ranks better than 87.8% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 2^nd among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Walton School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 86.27. (See more...)

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 Racial makeup is: White (72.2%), Hispanic (21.2%), two or more races (3.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 23.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Walton School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Dune Lakes Elementary School is 14.7, which is the 3^rd best among 6 elementary schools in the Walton School District. (See more...)

Compare Dune Lakes Elementary School employs 63 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Dune Lakes Elementary School is $11,226. 4 elementary schools in the Walton School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Dune Lakes Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Walton:

SchoolDigger ranks Walton 16^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Dune Lakes Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2007	81.94	290^th	1786	83.8%
2008	83.26	242^nd	1789	86.5%
2009	78.52	342^nd	1847	81.5%
2010	78.09	370^th	1919	80.7%
2011	88.75	133^rd	1985	93.3%
2012	91.03	117^th	1984	94.1%
2013	83.34	280^th	2029	86.2%
2014	92.39	91^st	2064	95.6%
2016	86.97	217^th	2087	89.6%
2017	90.90	127^th	2112	94.0%
2018	83.50	333^rd	2118	84.3%
2019	83.49	323^rd	2182	85.2%
2021	85.83	288^th	2247	87.2%
2022	80.93	391^st	2219	82.4%
2023	88.55	206^th	2240	90.8%
2024	86.27	275^th	2256	87.8%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Sunday, June 5, 2022

Great Staff. My kids love going to school each day! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Dune Lakes Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	133	0	3	3	1	n/a	n/a	0	140
2005	128	2	0	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	136
2006	91	2	2	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	97
2007	258	0	1	11	1	n/a	n/a	3	274
2008	279	1	3	20	1	n/a	n/a	1	305
2009	256	3	3	16	1	n/a	n/a	5	284
2010	277	5	2	16	0	n/a	n/a	4	304
2011	279	3	0	19	2	0	5	0	308
2012	260	3	0	21	1	0	11	0	296
2013	260	4	0	19	2	0	14	0	299
2014	278	2	1	21	1	0	17	0	320
2015	280	0	1	31	1	0	15	0	328
2016	304	2	1	44	1	0	15	0	367
2017	366	4	4	47	3	0	17	0	441
2018	394	5	3	56	4	1	17	0	480
2019	413	6	2	65	5	1	20	0	512
2020	599	10	3	119	5	0	28	0	764
2021	502	11	4	148	7	0	30	0	702
2022	664	13	9	195	6	0	29	0	916
2023	670	17	10	197	3	1	30	0	928

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 Dune Lakes Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	140	7.0	20.0	21.4
2005	136	9.0	15.1	19.9
2006	97	7.0	13.9	16.5
2007	274	18.0	15.2	14.4
2008	305	20.5	14.9	21.4
2009	284	22.0	14.6	22.9
2010	304	20.5	14.8	26.3
2011	308	22.0	14.0	26.3
2012	296	22.0	13.4	28.4
2013	299	22.0	13.5	24.1
2014	320	21.0	15.2	22.5
2015	328	23.0	14.2	25
2016	367	24.0	15.2	27.2
2017	441	28.0	15.7	22.7
2018	480	31.0	15.4	24.4
2019	512	31.0	16.5	23.2
2020	764	45.0	16.9	23.3
2021	702	50.0	14.0	26.2
2022	916	56.0	16.3	21.8
2023	928	63.0	14.7	23.6

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 Dune Lakes Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	140	7.0	20.0	21.4
2005	136	9.0	15.1	19.9
2006	97	7.0	13.9	16.5
2007	274	18.0	15.2	14.4
2008	305	20.5	14.9	21.4
2009	284	22.0	14.6	22.9
2010	304	20.5	14.8	26.3
2011	308	22.0	14.0	26.3
2012	296	22.0	13.4	28.4
2013	299	22.0	13.5	24.1
2014	320	21.0	15.2	22.5
2015	328	23.0	14.2	25
2016	367	24.0	15.2	27.2
2017	441	28.0	15.7	22.7
2018	480	31.0	15.4	24.4
2019	512	31.0	16.5	23.2
2020	764	45.0	16.9	23.3
2021	702	50.0	14.0	26.2
2022	916	56.0	16.3	21.8
2023	928	63.0	14.7	23.6

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 Dune Lakes Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$140 (1.9%)	$7,336 (98.1%)	$7,476
2019	$186 (2.3%)	$7,767 (97.7%)	$7,953
2020	$222 (2.8%)	$7,643 (97.2%)	$7,865
2021	$395 (4.7%)	$8,003 (95.3%)	$8,399
2022	$743 (8.7%)	$7,753 (91.3%)	$8,496
2023	$1,375 (12.2%)	$9,852 (87.8%)	$11,226

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Dune Lakes Elementary 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 323^rd of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 206^th of 2240 Elementary schools	5.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Dune Lakes Elementary School)	78	71	7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Walton)	66	60	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Dune Lakes Elementary School)	71	69	2%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Walton)	65	68	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Dune Lakes Elementary School)	80	71	9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Walton)	64	66	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Dune Lakes Elementary School)	82	82
4th Grade Mathematics (Walton)	65	72	7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	512	928	81.3%
African American	6	17	183.3%
American Indian	5	3	40%
Asian	2	10	400%
Hispanic	65	197	203.1%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	413	670	62.2%
Two or More Races	20	30	50%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	23.2%	23.6%	0.4%

Schools Near Dune Lakes Elementary 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)			FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (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 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Dune Lakes Elementary School	Public	K-5	6565 Us Highway 98 E	Santa Rosa Beach	32459	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 622-5012	928	63	14.7	23.6%	670 (72.2%)	17 (1.8%)	197 (21.2%)	10 (1.1%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	30 (3.2%)	86.3	275^th of 2256 public elementary schools	87.8%		88.6	206^th of 2240 public elementary schools	90.8%	69	73.0	76.0	65.0	76.0	91.0	75.0	66.0	$11,226	$1,375	$9,852
Van R. Butler Elementary School	Public	K-5	6694 W County Highway 30a	Santa Rosa Beach	32459	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	No	(850) 622-5040	1,013	64	15.8	30.3%	718 (70.9%)	32 (3.2%)	183 (18.1%)	28 (2.8%)	7 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	45 (4.4%)	86.6	267^th of 2256 public elementary schools	88.2%		87.4	235^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.5%	32	72.0	73.0	69.0	86.0	72.0	78.0	71.0	$11,683	$1,254	$10,430
Freeport Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-4	15381 Us Highway 331 S	Freeport	32439	Walton County	Walton	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 892-1210	1,123	64	17.4	54.7%	773 (68.8%)	34 (3.0%)	250 (22.3%)	8 (0.7%)	4 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	52 (4.6%)	73.7	555^th of 2256 public elementary schools	75.4%		64.2	750^th of 2240 public elementary schools	66.5%	195	63.0	62.0		69.0	73.0			$10,443	$1,728	$8,715
West Bay Elementary School	Public	K-5	14813 School Dr	Panama City Beach	32413	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-1850	313	20	15.6	49.5%	234 (74.8%)	7 (2.2%)	46 (14.7%)	8 (2.6%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.4%)	40.9	1315^th of 2256 public elementary schools	41.7%		48.9	1126^th of 2240 public elementary schools	49.7%	189	50.0	46.0	47.0	45.0	63.0	41.0	53.0	$11,804	$2,479	$9,325
Bluewater Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4545 Range Rd	Niceville	32578	Okaloosa County	Okaloosa	No	No	No	No	(850) 833-4240	930	56	16.6	15.7%	749 (80.5%)	18 (1.9%)	110 (11.8%)	9 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (4.6%)	90.2	174^th of 2256 public elementary schools	92.3%		93.6	75^th of 2240 public elementary schools	96.7%	99	81.0	75.0	73.0	88.0	78.0	76.0	74.0	$8,992	$1,241	$7,751

Frequently Asked Questions about Dune Lakes Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Dune Lakes Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Dune Lakes Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Emerald Coast Middle School
Middle : Freeport Middle School
Middle : Walton Middle School
High : Freeport Senior High School
High : South Walton High School
High : Walton High School
High : Walton Virtual Franchise

What is the racial makeup of Dune Lakes Elementary School?

Students at Dune Lakes Elementary School are 72% White, 21% Hispanic, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Dune Lakes Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 928 students attended Dune Lakes Elementary School.

What district is Dune Lakes Elementary School in?

Walton

Is Dune Lakes Elementary School a good school?

Dune Lakes Elementary School ranks 275^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.