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Public elementary school · Walton · Defuniak Springs, Florida

West Defuniak Elementary School

West Defuniak Elementary School rates 7.8, right at the middle of Walton's elementary schools, whose rated median is 7.8.

Elementary schools, 1 to 10This campus against public elementary schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
7.8this school

7.8 on a one-to-ten scale; the Walton median is 7.8.

#722 of 3,811 schools in Florida · Walton: 6 elementary schools rated, median 7.8

The brief

A Walton elementary school where students score 22 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 722 of 3,811 schools in Florida and 7 of 18 in Walton.

West Defuniak Elementary School is listed in Walton, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.

Math73%9 points above the Florida average of 64%Grades 3–5 · 323 students tested · 2026 FAST
Reading70%9 points above the Florida average of 61%Grades 3–5 · 324 students tested · 2026 FAST
Proficiency declined earlier in the 18-year record (2009–2026), then recovered 9 points since 2022, reaching 72% in 2026.2026 FAST; 45 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
6.4
50% of the rating
Academics
9.0
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
9.5
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 63% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 32435; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
West Defuniak Elementary School and the 20 nearest elementary schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$63,017
Median home value
$185,600
Median rent
$742/mo
College educated
26.9%
Homeownership
82.9%
Poverty rate
16.6%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 32435; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
27
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
30
Somewhat Bikeable
City reported crime
1,443/100K
Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Defuniak Springs. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Defuniak Springs), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

Gifted and talented
Available
A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Who goes here

Free or reduced lunch
70.7%
Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 8.8Compare →
  2. West Defuniak Elementary Schoolthis school
    7.8
  3. 5.0Compare →
  4. not ratedCompare →
Three grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than West Defuniak Elementary School among the rated peers.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does West Defuniak Elementary School serve?

West Defuniak Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend West Defuniak Elementary School?

West Defuniak Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 699 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at West Defuniak Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at West Defuniak Elementary School is 14.9:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does West Defuniak Elementary School rank in FL?

West Defuniak Elementary School ranks #722 of 3,811 schools in FL.

What is West Defuniak Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

West Defuniak Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.8 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at West Defuniak Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, West Defuniak Elementary School has 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 63% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).

Is West Defuniak Elementary School a charter school?

No, West Defuniak Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is West Defuniak Elementary School a Title I school?

No, West Defuniak Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for West Defuniak Elementary School?

70.7% of students at West Defuniak Elementary School qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School facts

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
699
Student-teacher ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
47
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Walton County
Rank in district
#7 of 18
Schools in district
24
District spending per student
$13,721
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.3%
Census SAIPE · 2024
Area population (ZIP 32435)
6,359
Area average commute
30.2 min
Area median age
40.2

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.