WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL operates as a close-knit primary school in PANAMA CITY BEACH, Florida, part of BAY. Current enrollment sits at 362 students spanning grades pre-K through 5. That puts it 40% leaner than the typical public school in Florida, which averages around 604 students.

Across the 47 schools in BAY (27,494 students total), WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL shows that White students make up the majority at 66%. Other groups include 23% Hispanic, 6% multiracial, 3% Black. The wider county runs roughly 75% White, putting the school's mix considerably less White than the area baseline.

On the income-and-resources front, The school currently runs with 23 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 15.7:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 17.5:1, putting WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL tighter than the state norm the norm. About 37% of enrolled students meet the income threshold for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 62.5%; this one delivers 55.2%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Bay County shows median household income runs about $73,533, 30% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 8%. Across Bay County's 50 public schools (combined enrollment of about 27,672 students), WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is one campus in the mix.

The closest other public school is SURFSIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL, roughly 5.5 miles away. 7 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a ten-mile radius, suggesting a relatively low-density school footprint. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL at 7th of 9; the average score across the group is 69.1%.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Five-year trend. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at WEST BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL has ticked up 19%, going from 304 students in 2018 to 362 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged down from 83% to 66%. The student-to-teacher ratio grew from 13.8:1 in 2018 to 15.7:1 today.

On this page, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.