On Monday, July 7, 2025 the Florida Department of Education released the 2024-25 school and district grades. For the second year in a row, all of the traditional, charter, and virtual schools in the Putnam County School District received school grades of C or higher, an achievement that reflects the district’s continued commitment to Shaping the Future for every student.
Two schools, James A. Long Elementary and Putnam Academy of Arts and Sciences, both moved their grades from a C to a B. The Children’s Reading Center, Melrose Elementary, and Q.I. Roberts Jr.-Sr. High all maintained their A school grades. Mellon Learning Center earned a school improvement rating of Maintaining.
James A. Long Elementary’s journey from a C to a B reflects the dedicated work of administrators, teachers, staff, students, and families. Through targeted data-driven instruction, focused small-group supports, engaging science experiences, and strong family and community partnerships, students were able to thrive. Principal Higginbotham credits this shared commitment to developing the whole child and a schoolwide mindset of “we can do this” for helping JAL Lions rise. “I’m just so excited that all of our work has come to fruition in such a positive way for our school, staff, students, and community. It truly shows what can happen when everyone comes together with determination and purpose,” she said.
The school grade scale score ranges adopted by the State Board of Education include different ranges for different school types. District grades follow the ranges for Combination schools.
School Grade | Scale Range | Scale Range |
|---|---|---|
A | 62% - 100% | 64% - 100% |
B | 54% - 61% | 57% - 63% |
C | 41% - 53% | 44% - 56% |
D | 32% - 40% | 34% - 43% |
F | 0% - 31% | 0% - 33% |
The district grade for Putnam County includes scores from students at all traditional, charter, and virtual schools. This year, the Putnam County School District earned more points than any year over the past decade. Student results show the district improved in 10 of the 12 components that make up the grade. The district is just 2 percentage points away from earning a B district grade. This progress shows how the district is Building the Future by focusing on systems, student achievement, and partnerships with families and the community.
District Grade Components (2024 to 2025 Comparison) | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
Grade 3 English Language Arts Achievement | 39 | 41 |
English Language Arts Achievement | 42 | 48 |
English Language Arts Learning Gains | 51 | 55 |
English Language Arts Learning Gains of the Lowest 25% | 54 | 54 |
Mathematics Achievement | 42 | 46 |
Mathematics Learning Gains | 52 | 53 |
Mathematics Learning Gains of the Lowest 25% | 56 | 49 |
Science Achievement | 38 | 44 |
Social Studies Achievement | 55 | 59 |
Middle School Acceleration | 68 | 78 |
Graduation Rate 2023-24 | 89 | 91 |
College and Career Acceleration 2023-24 | 44 | 46 |
Total Points Earned | 630 | 664 |
Percent of Total Possible Points | 53 | 55 |
Superintendent Rick Surrency is pleased with the district’s improvement this year stating, “I’m very proud of the hard work that our faculties and staff put into improving student outcomes. We continue making academic progress as we shape the future of Putnam County.”
As the district continues Shaping the Future, we remain proud of every school’s efforts and look forward to building on this success in the coming years.