1
If you had an hour of school board time for J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL, what would you bring up?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
1,629
High
DISTRICT 657 · STATE 1,035
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·BAY·NCES 120009004305
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL
550 N ALF COLEMAN RD, PANAMA CITY BEACH, FL 32407 · (850) 767-3700 · Bay County
GRADES 09–12HIGH13-CITYREGULAR SCHOOL1,629 STUDENTS
C+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 37% of Florida public high schools
- B-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- C-Beats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Florida public high schools
Student : Teacher
21.2:1
77 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 16.5:1 · STATE 23.5:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
32%
522 students
DISTRICT 46% · STATE 50%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other high schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Grade 9 | 404 | 25% |
| Grade 10 | 463 | 28% |
| Grade 11 | 394 | 24% |
| Grade 12 | 368 | 23% |
Student demographics
55%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 59% · STATE 70% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
FAST / B.E.S.T. 2024-25 . % at Level 3 or AboveEnglish Language Arts
55.5%
FL avg 56.7% . +2.5pp since 2023
Math
36.0%
FL avg 58.9% . +11.0pp since 2023
What this means: On the FAST / B.E.S.T., Florida's statewide test, about 56 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 36 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Florida schools, those numbers are about 57 and 59. Reading and writing scores are up about 3 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 11 points.
FAST / B.E.S.T. results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 55.5% | 36.0% |
| 2023-24 | 53.0% | 25.0% |
% at Level 3 or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: FAST / B.E.S.T.. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
52.5%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
65.1%
based on FL schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
-12.6pp
below demographic expectation
What this means: About 53% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 65% typical for Florida schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Florida's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL's state test result (52.5% proficient) is higher than 2 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL this school | 1,629 | 32.0% | 52.5% |
| SEMINOLE HIGH SCHOOL SEMINOLE | 1,394 | 32.7% | 47.9% |
| MERRITT ISLAND HIGH SCHOOL MERRITT ISLAND | 1,446 | 33.5% | 47.6% |
| MATANZAS HIGH SCHOOL PALM COAST | 2,102 | 31.0% | 58.4% |
| A. CRAWFORD MOSLEY HIGH SCHOOL LYNN HAVEN | 1,864 | 29.7% | 59.9% |
| SEABREEZE HIGH SCHOOL DAYTONA BEACH | 1,587 | 34.5% | 67.8% |
Matched among Florida high schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL ranks
Among high schools| Measure | This school | In Florida | In Bay County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 52.5% | #279 of 555 | #5 of 7 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 36.0% | #328 of 549 ▲ 74 | #5 of 7 ▲ 2 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 55.5% | #284 of 559 ▼ 29 | #5 of 7 ▲ 1 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 1,629 | #263 of 830 | #2 of 12 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 21.2:1 | #222 of 575 | #5 of 7 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 54.6% | #342 of 594 | #5 of 7 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 32.0% | #456 of 630 | #5 of 8 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -7.2% | #174 of 289 | N/A |
Ranked against other public high schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
1,629
+66 (+4%) vs 2020
+60% since 2000-01, when it was 1,018
Student : Teacher
21.2:1
was 25.6:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 1,629 | 77 | 21.2:1 | 32% (522) |
| 2023-24 | 1,637 | 71.2 | 23.0:1 | 36% (583) |
| 2022-23 | 1,617 | 66.8 | 24.2:1 | 36% (585) |
| 2020-21 | 1,563 | 61 | 25.6:1 | 29% (451) |
| 2017-18 | 1,755 | 81 | 21.7:1 | 34% (601) |
| 2015-16 | 1,762 | 73 | 24.1:1 | 34% (606) |
| 2010-11 | 1,365 | 69 | 19.8:1 | 34% (458) |
| 2000-01 | 1,018 | 47 | 21.7:1 | 17% (168) |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL.
About J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is a high school in PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida, and it is part of BAY. It enrolls 1,629 students in 2024-25. The grades offered are 9 through 12. That is 57% larger than the average of about 1,035 students for high schools in Florida.
The district for J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is BAY, with 47 schools and 27,494 students.
The largest group at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is White students, at 64%. Other groups make up 16% Hispanic, 10% Black, 6% multiracial, and 3% Asian. County-wide, 75% of Bay County residents are White. The diversity index for J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is 55%. For US public schools as a whole it is 70%.
Teacher count: 77 full-time equivalents. Student-to-teacher ratio: 21.2:1. Across high schools in Florida, the average ratio is 23.5:1. Roughly 32% of students come from households that qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The 43% average for public schools in Bay County is 11 points higher.
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL holds a C+ allk12 Grade, placing it above 37% of Florida public high schools.
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL posts an average proficiency rate across its state test results of 52.5%, compared with a predicted 65.1%. It is not in the top or bottom 10% of Florida schools on BeatsExpectations.
Five-year Census Bureau estimates for Bay County show that median household income comes to about $73,533, roughly 30% of adults have a four-year degree or more, and the share of residents below the poverty line is 8%. The county's public schools total 50, with about 27,672 students.
BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMY is about 0.3 miles away, making it the nearest public school. There are 5 more public schools inside five miles. Nearby schools average 63.4% on proficiency, and J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is below that at 52.5%.
Its NCES locale code is City: Small: the school is inside a principal city with a population under 100,000.
Between 2020-21 and 2024-25, J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL had a net gain of 66 students, or 4%. Its ratio of students to teachers was 25.6:1 in 2020-21, and 21.2:1 in 2024-25.
Use the discussion section to ask about special education services, counseling, and support programs at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL. You can also rate the school on this page.
Bay County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
186,393
Census ACS
Median income
$73,533
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
30%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
8%
Below federal line
Schools in county
50
27,672 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in BAY
- A. CRAWFORD MOSLEY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,864 students
- DEANE BOZEMAN SCHOOLCombined · 1,690 students
- RUTHERFORD HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,394 students
- BAY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,289 students
- BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMYElementary · 1,089 students
- TYNDALL ACADEMYElementary · 883 students
Other schools in PANAMA CITY BEACH
- BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMYElementary · 1,089 students
- SURFSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOLCombined · 755 students
- PATRONIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 589 students
- HUTCHISON BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 573 students
- A. GARY WALSINGHAM ACADEMYElementary · 470 students
- WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLElementary · 362 students
Nearby schools
- BREAKFAST POINT ACADEMY0.3 mi · 1,089
- HUTCHISON BEACH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL1.5 mi · 573
- SURFSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL2.4 mi · 755
- A. GARY WALSINGHAM ACADEMY2.6 mi · 470
- PATRONIS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL3.8 mi · 589
- WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL6.4 mi · 362
Frequently asked questions
About J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOLWhat is the total enrollment at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL?
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL enrolls approximately 1,629 students in grades 09-12.
What age range does J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL serve?
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL serves students from grade 09 through grade 12.
What is the student-teacher ratio at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL?
The student-to-teacher ratio at J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is approximately 21.2:1 (77 FTE teachers).
How diverse is J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL?
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL reports a student body of 64% White, 16% Hispanic, 10% Black, 3% Asian, 6% Two or more.
Who oversees J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL?
J.R. ARNOLD HIGH SCHOOL is overseen by BAY in Bay County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.