Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
High· 47 schools in district

J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL

550 N ALF COLEMAN RD, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL 32407BAY →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 09–12Non-Charter
1,617
Students
Total enrolled
90%
Grad Rate
Nat'l avg 87%
~avg
$13,336
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 7% vs nat'l
24.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↑ 57% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Large public school
Serves 1,617 students in grades 09–12 in PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida.
Near-average funding
District spends $13,336 per pupil — close to the national average of $14,347.
24.2 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is above the national average — larger classes of 15.4:1.
About This School

J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is a very large high in PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida, serving grades 09–12 with 1,617 students. The district invests $13,336 per student — close to the national average of $14,347, with a 24.2:1 student-teacher ratio that is higher than the national norm of 15.4:1. About 36% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a mixed-income student body. The school's 90% graduation rate — above the national average of 87% — reflects strong completion outcomes for its students.

Student Body & Demographics at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL

1,617
Total Students
24.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
36%
Free Lunch
67
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (09–12) are served by this school
Gender Distribution814 male · 803 female
50%
50%
Male 50%Female 50%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility36%
National avg 52% · 585 students
Student Composition
71%
13%
9%
Asian2%
White71%
Hispanic / Latino13%
Black9%
Multiracial5%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 120009004305

Academic Outcomes at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL

Graduation Rate (Adjusted Cohort)
90
High
National avg 87%
Graduation Rate Comparison
This school
90%
State avg
88%
National avg
87%

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$13,336Near avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$13,336
State avg
$12,753
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,868
Student Support$2,534
Administration$1,600
Operations$2,000
Other$1,334
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $13,336 spent per student, an estimated $5,908 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
33%
46%
State government
33.0%
Local (property tax)
46.0%
Federal programs
21.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 90% graduation rate — well above the 87% national average
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Worth Considering
  • 24.2:1 student-teacher ratio — larger classes than the national average of 15.4:1
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMYTYNDALL ACADEMYBAY HAVEN CHARTER ACADEMYDEER POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
+15 more
↓
Middle
MOWAT MIDDLE SCHOOLSURFSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLMERRITT BROWN MIDDLE SCHOOLJINKS MIDDLE SCHOOL
+2 more
↓
High School
A. CRAWFORD MOSLEY HIGH SCHOOLRUTHERFORD HIGH SCHOOLBAY HIGH SCHOOLNORTH BAY HAVEN CAREER ACADEMY
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelHigh
Grades09 – 12
Location—
CountyBay County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
DistrictBAY →
Phone: (850)767-3700
NCES ID: 120009004305
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in PANAMA CITY BEACH seeking a public high school, especially those prioritizing strong graduation outcomes and academic completion. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in BAY
High
A. CRAWFORD MOSLEY HIGH SCHOOL
1,901 students · 09–12
● 40 opp36% FRL
Other
DEANE BOZEMAN SCHOOL
1,619 students · PK–12
● 40 opp45% FRL
High
RUTHERFORD HIGH SCHOOL
1,337 students · 06–12
● 42 opp63% FRL
High
BAY HIGH SCHOOL
1,255 students · 09–12
● 42 opp53% FRL
Elem
BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMY
1,058 students · PK–08
47% FRL
High
NORTH BAY HAVEN CAREER ACADEMY
897 students · 09–12
● 42 opp22% FRL
Mid
MOWAT MIDDLE SCHOOL
868 students · 06–08
● 40 opp49% FRL
Mid
SURFSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL
843 students · 06–08
● 40 opp48% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
550 N ALF COLEMAN RD, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL 32407
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.

High
1
What percentage of students take AP or dual enrollment courses?
Indicates academic rigor and college prep
2
What college counseling and application support is provided?
Ratio of students per counselor matters
3
What career and vocational pathways are offered?
CTE programs, internships, industry partnerships
4
How does the school support students at risk of not graduating?
Credit recovery, attendance intervention
5
What's the school's culture around attendance and behavior?
Discipline approach, restorative practices
6
What happens after graduation — where do students go?
Ask about college, career, military outcomes
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.