Bay School District
School District · Panama City, Florida
Avg Rating
5.7
out of 10
Schools
48
24 elem, 5 mid, 11 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$11,117
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
Avg Rating
5.7
out of 10
Schools
48
24 elem, 5 mid, 11 high
Per-Pupil Spending
$11,117
Student-Teacher Ratio
17.6:1
Evaluating Bay?
A district shares budget, policy, and attendance zones across its schools — use this page to judge Bay as a whole, then compare how its individual schools differ.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
University Academy Sabl Inc
Panama City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
North Bay Haven Charter Academy Middle School
Panama City · Middle. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School
Panama City · Elementary. Compare this profile against district averages, level fit, and attendance-zone reality below.
How this district compares
Florida rank
#56 of 71
districts by avg. composite
Vs. state average
-0.6
below Florida avg
Per-pupil spending
$11,117
$644 vs Florida median
District size
27,675 students
Much larger than Florida median
The short answer
Bay ranks #56 of 71 Florida districts by overall school rating. Bay's schools with real test data average 5.7/10 across 41 schools. Its top-rated schools are University Academy Sabl Inc (9.2/10), North Bay Haven Charter Academy Middle School (8.6/10), and North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School (8.4/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Rates 8.1/10 despite 61% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 2.9 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Bay schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Bay
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (41 of 48). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Academy Sabl Inc | 9.2 / 10 |
| 2 | North Bay Haven Charter Academy Middle School | 8.6 / 10 |
| 3 | North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School | 8.4 / 10 |
| 4 | Palm Bay Elementary School | 8.1 / 10 |
| 5 | Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12 | 7.9 / 10 |
| 6 | Southport Elementary School | 7.8 / 10 |
| 7 | North Bay Haven Career Academy | 7.6 / 10 |
| 8 | Deane Bozeman School | 7.2 / 10 |
| 9 | West Bay Elementary School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 10 | Tyndall Academy | 7.0 / 10 |
See all 48 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
About Bay
Bay County School District serves 27,675 students across 49 schools in the Florida Panhandle. The district's 44 ranked schools average a 6.1 out of 10 on MySchoolScout's rating scale — a useful midpoint for parents benchmarking individual campuses. With nearly five dozen schools spanning elementary through high school, families have meaningful choices across the district.
The strongest performers cluster at the elementary level. Southport Elementary School leads all 44 ranked schools in the district with an 8.4 out of 10 — more than two full points above the district average. A. Gary Walsingham Academy, North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School, and University Academy SABL Inc. each earn an 8.2, making the top elementary tier notably tight. That concentration of high-scoring primary campuses suggests Bay County's youngest students have several competitive options within reach.
Charter schools are a distinct thread in this district. North Bay Haven Charter Academy runs two campuses — an elementary at 8.2 and a middle school at 8.3. The middle campus is the top-rated middle school in the district and one of only five schools to clear the 8.0 mark overall. Together, the two North Bay Haven campuses offer families a continuous charter pathway from kindergarten through eighth grade, which stands out in a district where the middle and high school ratings have less separation at the top.
The spread between the district average and its best schools is worth factoring into any search. A 6.1 average across 44 ranked schools means many campuses fall below that line, while the five top-rated schools all sit between 8.2 and 8.4. For parents zoned to lower-rated campuses, open enrollment windows and charter lottery deadlines are worth tracking early — the gap between a 6.1 and an 8.4 is large enough that school choice decisions carry real weight in Bay County.
District Map
Schools in Bay, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.
District Average Test Scores
Average proficiency across all schools in Bay with test data.
Schools in Bay
48 schools Elementary Schools 24
Middle Schools 5
High Schools 11
District Details
- State
- Florida
- City
- Panama City
- Total Enrollment
- 27,675
- Teachers (FTE)
- 1,576
- Child Poverty Rate
- 0.2%
- Data Year
- 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools are in Bay?
Bay has 48 schools in total — 24 elementary, 5 middle, and 11 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.
What is the average rating for Bay?
The average composite rating for Bay is 5.7/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.
What is the per-pupil spending in Bay?
Bay spends $11,117 per student per year.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Bay?
The average student-teacher ratio in Bay is 17.6:1.
What is the top-rated school in Bay?
University Academy Sabl Inc is the highest-rated school in Bay with a composite score of 9.2/10.
What are the test scores in Bay?
Across schools in Bay with test data, the average math proficiency is 55.0% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 53.4%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.
How does Bay compare to other districts in Florida?
Bay has an average school rating of 5.7/10 across 48 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in Florida by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools?
MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.
District Averages
- Overall Rating
- 5.7/10
- Math Proficiency
- 55.0%
- ELA Proficiency
- 53.4%
Resources
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateOther School Districts in FL
Compare Bay with neighboring districts in the state.
- Miami-dade (536)
- Broward (325)
- Hillsborough (305)
- Orange (275)
- Palm Beach (235)
- Duval (208)
- Polk (167)
- Pinellas (153)
- Lee (120)
- Brevard (109)
- Pasco (106)
- Volusia (89)
- Osceola (86)
- Manatee (82)
- Seminole (76)
- Collier (74)
- Escambia (70)
- Alachua (68)
- Marion (64)
- Sarasota (63)
- Lake (61)
- Leon (56)
- St. Johns (55)
- Clay (54)
Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Florida Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.
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