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Excellent

#534 of 3,778 schools in FL

Top 14% in state

West Defuniak Elementary School

Elementary School · Walton · Defuniak Springs, FL

A Walton elementary school where students score 24 points above what's typical for similar communities.

815 LINCOLN AVE, Defuniak Springs, FL 32435

  • Math 69% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 64% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.6Very Good50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.49 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics9.0Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency68.7% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency63.7% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg+8.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+8.5 pts
Overall Proficiency66% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)42% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+23.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile85th
Resources & Environment9.5Excellent20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio14.9:1
District spending per student$13,721
Chronic Absenteeism18%

Students at West Defuniak Elementary School score 66% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 42%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency69%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency64%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 9 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 66% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
75%
ELA
75%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
76%
2011
Math
60%
ELA
59%
2012
Math
61%
ELA
65%
2013
ELA
63%
2014
Math
59%
ELA
57%
2015
Math
67%
ELA
58%
2016
Math
70%
ELA
56%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
58%
2018
Math
68%
ELA
59%
2019
Math
68%
ELA
59%
2020*
Math
67%
ELA
57%
2021*
Math
67%
ELA
57%
2022
Math
67%
ELA
58%
2024
Math
69%
ELA
64%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 68% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 62% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

70.7%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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 rate

The neighborhood

Where West Defuniak Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 27Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,623/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Defuniak Springs), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$63,017

Median home value

$185,600

Median rent

$742/mo

College educated

26.9%

Homeownership

82.9%

Poverty rate

16.6%

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

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Walton Initiative for Success in Education (wise)Enrollment path unverified7.3PK–121.5 mi247Compare →
Maude Saunders Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified7.0K–51.9 mi561Compare →
Walton Virtual School WcsdEnrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–122.3 mi7Compare →
Dune Lakes Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified8.1K–5Not available919Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Walton

Schools in district
24
Rank in district
#3 of 18
District spending per student
$13,721NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
14.3%Census SAIPE · 2024

West Defuniak Elementary School is listed in WALTON; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About West Defuniak Elementary School

West Defuniak Elementary School is a public elementary school in Defuniak Springs, FL, part of Walton, serving approximately 699 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 14.9:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 out of 10 and ranks #534 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 68% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 62% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about West Defuniak Elementary School

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 #534 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is West Defuniak Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

West Defuniak Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.4 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, 2009-2024) and 62% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

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 factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 5th
Enrollment
699
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.9:1
Teachers (FTE)
47
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Walton County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
18.0%
Area population (ZIP 32435)
6,359
Area average commute
30.2 min
Area median age
40.2
About this school's data

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

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 · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · 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, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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