Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 23 schools in district

WEST DEFUNIAK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

815 LINCOLN AVE, DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL 32435WALTON →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–05Non-Charter
669
Students
Total enrolled
$15,507
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↑ 8% vs nat'l
13.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 9% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Mid-sized public school
Serves 669 students in grades KG–05 in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Florida.
Near-average funding
District spends $15,507 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
13.9 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is well below the national average — smaller classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

WEST DEFUNIAK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is a large elementary in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, Florida, serving grades KG–05 with 669 students. The district invests $15,507 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 69% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at WEST DEFUNIAK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

669
Total Students
13.9 : 1
Student:Teacher
69%
Free Lunch
48
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–05) are served by this school
Gender Distribution330 male · 339 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility69%
National avg 52% · 460 students
Student Composition
61%
22%
10%
Asian1%
White61%
Hispanic / Latino22%
Black10%
Multiracial7%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 120198002018

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$15,507Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$15,507
State avg
$12,753
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$6,823
Student Support$2,946
Administration$1,861
Operations$2,326
Other$1,551
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $15,507 spent per student, an estimated $6,870 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
76%
State government
11.8%
Local (property tax)
75.6%
Federal programs
12.6%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.9:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
FREEPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLVAN R. BUTLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOLDUNE LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOLMAUDE SAUNDERS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+1 more
↓
Middle
EMERALD COAST MIDDLE SCHOOLWALTON MIDDLE SCHOOLFREEPORT MIDDLE SCHOOL
↓
High School
SOUTH WALTON HIGH SCHOOLWALTON HIGH SCHOOLFREEPORT SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLSEASIDE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL
+5 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 05
Location—
CountyWalton County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictWALTON →
Phone: (850)892-1250
NCES ID: 120198002018
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in DEFUNIAK SPRINGS seeking a public elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in WALTON
High
SOUTH WALTON HIGH SCHOOL
1,235 students · 09–12
20% FRL
Elem
FREEPORT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1,123 students · PK–04
● 35 opp55% FRL
Elem
VAN R. BUTLER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
1,013 students · KG–05
30% FRL
Elem
DUNE LAKES ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
928 students · KG–05
24% FRL
Mid
EMERALD COAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
868 students · 06–08
24% FRL
High
WALTON HIGH SCHOOL
856 students · 09–12
● 43 opp65% FRL
Other
PAXTON SCHOOL
819 students · PK–12
61% FRL
Mid
WALTON MIDDLE SCHOOL
801 students · 06–08
75% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
815 LINCOLN AVE, DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FL 32435
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.