WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The Florida Department of Education on Monday released the annual report card for schools across the Sunshine State, and districts in our area are celebrating multiple achievements.
In a statement released by the governor's office, state officials said improvements were seen in K-12 school performance grades across all school types. This included 71% of all graded schools (2,461 schools) earning either an "A" or "B" grade, compared to 64% (2,215) of schools last year.
WATCH BELOW: How school superintendents say they achieved 'A' grades
"Florida charter schools are also thriving with 77% earning 'A' or 'B' grades," according to the governor's office.
State education officials also touted that 44% of all schools in Florida earned an "A" compared to 38% in 2024, while the number of schools earning a "D" or "F" decreased from 117 schools.
The School District of Palm Beach County maintained its "A" grade, and now Martin, St. Lucie and Indian River Counties all joined them with top honors.
St. Lucie Public Schools Earns First-Ever "A" rating
The St. Lucie Public Schools marked a historic milestone. For the first time since the state began issuing school district grades, the district earned an "A" rating from the Florida Department of Education.
The St. Lucie Public Schools said that since 2016, they have had a "steady and strategic climb in academic performance."
Superintendent Dr. Jon R. Prince, who has been at the helm of the school district since July 2022, said the "A" grade shows the positive steps they've been making.
"This 'A' rating is a direct result of the hard work, dedication, and laser focus of our students, teachers, support staff, and school and district leaders," Prince said in a statement. "Our team has remained steadfast in meeting the needs of every student and ensuring our schools are safe and caring learning environments for our children. This recognition belongs to every member of our SLPS family. I am so proud of the dedication and commitment of our employees for this historic accomplishment and this first A-rating of SLPS by the State. Through innovative instructional strategies, data-driven decision-making, and a culture of continuous improvement, SLPS has emerged as a model of academic excellence."
According to St. Lucie Public Schools, the district has a graduation rate of 94% at its six traditional high schools.
Below is how other districts across our area fared this past school year:
School District of Palm Beach County
For a second straight year, the Palm Beach County schools achieved an "A" grade.
In a post on the district's Facebook page, Superintendent Mike Burke applauded the efforts of students, teachers, administrators and other staff.
"This repeated 'A' rating is a testament to our commitment to student success, and I'm especially proud of our students who put in the hard work to earn this prestigious designation," Burke said. "Achievements like this continue to prove that Palm Beach County public schools remain 'Your Best Choice' for education in our community."
Martin County School District
After a "B" grade the last few years, public schools in Martin County achieved an "A" for the first time since 2018.
"We're incredibly proud of this moment," Superintendent Michael Maine said in a statement. "It speaks volumes about the incredible dedication of our teachers, the hard work of our students, and the strength of our community's support. Earning back our 'A' rating isn't just a letter. It's a reflection of our values, our drive to be the best school district in the state, and our unwavering belief that every student in the Martin County School District deserves the highest quality education."
In addition to earning an "A" as a district, all public schools in Martin County earned a grade of "C" or higher for the 2024–2025 school year. The district highlighted the following schools as making notable gains in their school grades:
- Crystal Lake Elementary School: "B" to an "A"
- Warfield Elementary School: "D" to a "C"
- Dr. David L. Anderson Middle School: "C" to a "B"
- Indiantown Middle School: "C" to a "B"
- Murray Middle School: "C" to a "B"
- Jensen Beach High School: "B" to an "A"
School District of Indian River County
Public schools in Indian River County achieved an "A" rating for a third straight year, attaining a ranking of the fifth-best school district in the state.
Among the accomplishments that the district highlighted were the fourth-best in high school graduation rate in Florida and second in the state in middle school acceleration.
"The biggest excitement for us is we are now one of the top five districts in Florida, up from 38th just five years ago," said Indian River County Superintendent Dr. David Moore.
Moore, the Florida superintendent of the year, said success is a collaborative effort.
"We love our teachers. We love our students," Moore said. "When you walk in our schools, you're walking into your home. You feel valued, you feel accepted."
Okeechobee County School District
Schools in Okeechobee County received an overall grade of "C" but were pleased by continued progress and some key areas of success.
Officials noted improvements at Okeechobee High School, which they said demonstrated meaningful academic growth, and Okeechobee Virtual School, which earned an "A" grade for the first time in its history.
"We are extremely proud of the strides made at Okeechobee High School," said Superintendent Dylan Tedders. "The school's improvement reflects the hard work of our students, the dedication of our teachers, and the ongoing support of families and the broader community."
Leaders called the "A" grade of the virtual school a "major milestone" for the district.
"This recognition speaks to the strength of our instructional strategies and the adaptability of our students and staff in a virtual environment," Tedders said. "It's an exciting achievement and one we hope to build on moving forward."
The school district said they are focused on striving for improvements, implementing "evidence-based practices" to support student learning and close achievement gaps.
"It's a testament to that school and staff and their ability to adapt to a virtual environment and demonstrate growth with students," Assistant Superintendent Joseph Stanley told WPTV.
Districts balance growth as population surges
All of the superintendents stressed the connection between good schools and economic growth.
"We're growing as a community and industries are coming here," Prince said. "We need to make sure we have first-class public schools to offer."
"When we can provide a great education, it allows the local economy and the community at large to succeed," Maine said.
St. Lucie County is one of only six public school districts in the state that saw an increase in enrollment, so it's important to make sure children are in the classroom.
"We increased our attendance by 2%, that's an additional thousand students per day," Prince said.
That makes the battle for students even more intense, as state dollars follow student counts.
School districts 'embrace competition'
WPTV has reported on efforts, for example, in Martin County to actively recruit students from St. Lucie County.
"When we compete, everybody wins," Maine told WPTV.
"I embrace competition," Prince said. "I don't see competition as something to shy away from. I think it forces us to raise our game."
"We are the only district on the Treasure Coast that is 100% choice, meaning you can choose any school in our community," Moore said. "We are here to compete for the right to educate our communities' children."
Read below the 2024-2025 school grades for each county in Florida:
Read below the 2024-2025 grades for each school in Florida:
Read below how the state calculates school and district grades:
