On June 29, 2007, the school grades were released by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Blomberg and Deputy Commissioner Pfeiffer. School grades are largely based on FCAT scores, but also include a formula that requires low performing students to make significant gains. This year, two additional criteria were added to the formula: science scores from grades 5, 8 and 11 and progress of students in the lowest quartile in math. These additions result in a total of eight criteria used to determine school grades. In other words, as Dr. Tibbetts remarks, “the bar has been raised.” Despite the increasing number and difficulty of the criteria, Okaloosa schools continue to excel.

In Okaloosa County 32 schools earned an 'A', with four schools receiving a B. All district charter schools achieved the highest school grade possible for their program. Okaloosa County has 90% of our schools earning an 'A' rating and was second only to Gilchrist County, a district with only four schools, all of which achieved an A placing them at 100% and first in performance statewide. Of the eight school districts designated high performing by the state of Florida, Okaloosa County outdistanced them all, with the exception of Gilchrist.

The high quality of Okaloosa Schools is a team effort - by teachers, support personnel, administrators, district staff, parents community leaders, and of course, the students themselves.