Emerald Coast Middle School

Walton County School District Receives A District Grade for 8^th Consecutive Year         

WCSD Ties For Top 2 Districts in the State of Florida for School Grades

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, July 8, 2025 – The Florida Department of Education recently released school and district grades for the 2024-2025 school year. The Walton County School District has again secured an A grade for the District, and tied for the #2 ranking of 67 counties in Florida. This ranking marks the eighth consecutive year WCSD has been ranked an A district. Walton County is one of only 28 districts in the State of Florida to receive an A grade and is among the top 4 districts for grades statewide based on the number of available points acquired.

            The Florida Department of Education bases school grades on a points system comprised of achievement and learning gains components, middle school acceleration, graduation rate, and college and career acceleration. Walton County, as a whole, garnered 73% of available points and has increased in performance overall by 35 points. Walton County is one of only seven districts in the state to have 100% A and B graded schools and has increased in 11 of 12 student success measures.

            Superintendent A. Russell Hughes remarked “I am continually humbled by the tenacity, diligence, and thirst for excellence of every student in Walton County. Congratulations to our teachers, students, school board, staff, and community on putting in the work necessary to realize this exceptional accomplishment. We continue to innovate in the classroom to bring about the absolute best in our children and prepare them for a life of success. EPIC is The Walton County Way – congratulations to all! ”

School Grades

Paxton School                           A
Mossy Head School                   A
West DeFuniak Elementary        A
Maude Saunders Elementary     B
Walton Middle School               A
Walton High School                   A

Freeport High School                 A
Freeport Middle School             A
Freeport Elementary                 B
South Walton High School         A
Dune Lakes Elementary             A
Emerald Coast Middle School    A
Van R. Butler Elementary           A
Magnet Innovation Center         A