ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL

ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL is a junior high of modestly sized scale in WALNUT HILL, Florida, operated by ESCAMBIA, serveing 434 students in grades 6 through 8. That puts it 45% smaller than the typical public school in Florida, which averages around 794 students.

ESCAMBIA comprises 66 schools with combined enrollment of 36,795 students; ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL is among them.

In terms of who attends, ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL lists that White students make up the majority at 71%. Other groups include 14% Black, 6% multiracial, 6% Hispanic, 3% Native American.

Looking at school resources, ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL reports 24 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 18.1:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 19.6:1, putting ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 44% of students at ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which schools and policymakers use as a rough income-mix signal. Set against Escambia County (around 54%), the school's rate is meaningfully below typical.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL tracks the demographic baseline. The model predicts 59.2% given the school's FRL share; actual proficiency is 51.9%.

Around the school, Escambia County reports that median household income runs about $67,500, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 11% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Escambia County runs 71 public schools (combined enrollment of about 37,056 students), of which ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL is one.

Nearest neighbor: BRATT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, around 5.3 miles off. 6 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. On composite proficiency, ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL comes 2nd of 8 in the immediate cluster, ahead of the nearby-schools average of 43.4%.

ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL operates from a countryside location.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL has declined 10%, going from 483 students in 2018 to 434 in 2025.

Within the allk12 community for this school, the feed for ERNEST WARD MIDDLE SCHOOL typically covers pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.