J.R. Arnold High School

Q: Is J.R. Arnold High School a good school?

J.R. Arnold High School ranks 311 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

J.R. Arnold High School is a public high school located in Panama City Beach, Florida, serving 1,617 students in grades 9-12 and is part of the Bay District, which is ranked 28 out of 68 districts in the state and rated 3 stars out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

J.R. Arnold High School has consistently maintained high four-year graduation rates, ranging from 90.2% to 95.8% over the past five years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. However, the school's performance in Algebra 1 and English Language Arts is notably lower than the district and state, suggesting an area for improvement. Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 15.3% in 2019-2020 to 36.4% in 2022-2023, which may impact student learning and academic outcomes. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch has also increased from 28.85% in 2020-2021 to 36.18% in 2022-2023, indicating a growing population of economically disadvantaged students.

When compared to nearby high schools, such as Rutherford High School and A. Crawford Mosley High School, J.R. Arnold High School generally performs better in terms of graduation rates and test scores, particularly in subjects like Biology 1 and US History. However, the school's performance in Algebra 1 and English Language Arts is lower than these nearby schools, suggesting opportunities for improvement in these areas. The increasing percentage of economically disadvantaged students at J.R. Arnold High School also raises questions about the school's ability to provide equitable resources and support to all students.

Detail:

Public 9-12

550 N Alf Coleman Rd
Panama City Beach, FL 32407

(850) 767-3700

District: Bay

SchoolDigger Rank:
311^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,579

Feeder schools for J.R. Arnold High School:

Elementary:	Breakfast Point Academy
	Hutchison Beach Elementary School
	Patronis Elementary School
Alternative:	Surfside Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 22.9

Number of students: 1,637

Racial breakdown:

White:

67.1%

Hispanic:

14.3%

African American:

9.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 35.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details J.R. Arnold High School ranks better than 61.5% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 4^th among 10 ranked high schools in the Bay School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 49.22. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at J.R. Arnold High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (67.1%), Hispanic (14.3%), African American (9.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 35.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at J.R. Arnold High School is 22.9. 6 high schools in the Bay School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare J.R. Arnold High School employs 71.2 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at J.R. Arnold High School is $7,579. 6 high schools in the Bay School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

J.R. Arnold High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks J.R. Arnold High School 311^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See J.R. Arnold High School in the ranking list.)

Bay:

SchoolDigger ranks Bay 28^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for J.R. Arnold High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	78.39	87^th	484	82.0%
2005	76.57	103^rd	487	78.9%
2006	69.64	129^th	477	73.0%
2007	81.10	87^th	563	84.5%
2008	80.38	92^nd	577	84.1%
2009	81.51	88^th	587	85.0%
2010	80.29	98^th	620	84.2%
2011	74.38	146^th	622	76.5%
2012	72.75	77^th	606	87.3%
2013	57.65	224^th	648	65.4%
2014	55.36	273^rd	687	60.3%
2016	53.18	249^th	693	64.1%
2017	57.71	203^rd	714	71.6%
2018	60.64	185^th	716	74.2%
2019	47.36	311^th	734	57.6%
2021	53.56	237^th	746	68.2%
2022	51.20	265^th	774	65.8%
2023	49.18	295^th	792	62.8%
2024	49.22	311^th	807	61.5%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a citizen
Sunday, October 11, 2020

Graduated from Arnold high in 2010! Nothing better than going to school on the beach. Great teachers and educators. Go dolphins! Close Quote

Enrollment information for J.R. Arnold High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2001	979	16	8	9	6	n/a	n/a	0	1018
2002	1169	26	6	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	1218
2003	1169	26	6	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	1218
2004	1211	27	9	19	2	n/a	n/a	0	1268
2005	1295	30	22	37	4	n/a	n/a	0	1388
2006	1380	36	28	52	4	n/a	n/a	0	1500
2007	1299	44	37	58	4	n/a	n/a	21	1463
2008	1235	45	31	52	6	n/a	n/a	20	1389
2009	1180	36	32	52	4	n/a	n/a	19	1323
2010	1201	45	37	55	9	n/a	n/a	20	1367
2011	1185	56	29	58	7	0	30	0	1365
2012	1209	62	29	69	5	0	30	0	1404
2013	1141	56	33	82	7	0	43	0	1362
2014	1332	56	37	99	8	3	50	0	1585
2015	1337	56	42	105	6	3	57	0	1606
2016	1433	59	43	127	14	1	85	0	1762
2017	1408	83	40	120	12	3	90	0	1756
2018	1409	85	37	130	9	2	83	0	1755
2019	1305	89	38	134	6	1	101	0	1674
2020	1270	97	34	140	6	3	90	0	1640
2021	1148	107	39	164	6	1	98	0	1563
2022	1100	117	35	162	4	2	84	0	1504
2023	1143	138	34	211	5	3	83	0	1617
2024	1098	156	44	234	5	3	97	0	1637

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at J.R. Arnold High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	1018	47.0	21.7	16.5
2002	1218	58.0	21.0	19.3
2003	1218	58.0	21.0	19.3
2004	1268	67.0	18.9	16
2005	1388	81.0	17.1	16.5
2006	1500	78.0	19.2	22.8
2007	1463	78.0	18.8	20.7
2008	1389	75.5	18.4	22.6
2009	1323	81.8	18.4	27.5
2010	1367	74.0	18.4	32.7
2011	1365	69.0	19.7	33.6
2012	1404	73.8	19.0	35.3
2013	1362	69.0	19.7	40.5
2014	1585	67.0	23.6	43.5
2015	1606	73.0	22.0	47.7
2016	1762	73.0	24.1	34.4
2017	1756	74.0	23.7	32.7
2018	1755	81.0	21.6	34.2
2019	1674	70.3	23.8	34.8
2020	1640	67.3	24.3	28.3
2021	1563	61.3	25.4	28.9
2022	1504	65.8	22.8	29.6
2023	1617	66.8	24.2	36.2
2024	1637	71.2	22.9	35.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio J.R. Arnold High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2001	1018	47.0	21.7	16.5
2002	1218	58.0	21.0	19.3
2003	1218	58.0	21.0	19.3
2004	1268	67.0	18.9	16
2005	1388	81.0	17.1	16.5
2006	1500	78.0	19.2	22.8
2007	1463	78.0	18.8	20.7
2008	1389	75.5	18.4	22.6
2009	1323	81.8	18.4	27.5
2010	1367	74.0	18.4	32.7
2011	1365	69.0	19.7	33.6
2012	1404	73.8	19.0	35.3
2013	1362	69.0	19.7	40.5
2014	1585	67.0	23.6	43.5
2015	1606	73.0	22.0	47.7
2016	1762	73.0	24.1	34.4
2017	1756	74.0	23.7	32.7
2018	1755	81.0	21.6	34.2
2019	1674	70.3	23.8	34.8
2020	1640	67.3	24.3	28.3
2021	1563	61.3	25.4	28.9
2022	1504	65.8	22.8	29.6
2023	1617	66.8	24.2	36.2
2024	1637	71.2	22.9	35.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for J.R. Arnold High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$231 (3.7%)	$6,011 (96.3%)	$6,242
2019	$272 (3.4%)	$7,732 (96.6%)	$8,004
2020	$335 (4.7%)	$6,842 (95.3%)	$7,177
2021	$646 (8.5%)	$6,949 (91.5%)	$7,594
2022	$710 (9.6%)	$6,651 (90.3%)	$7,362
2023	$804 (10.6%)	$6,774 (89.4%)	$7,579

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on J.R. Arnold High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 311^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 295^th of 792 High schools	5.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (J.R. Arnold High School)	63	56	7%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Bay)	58	49	9%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (J.R. Arnold High School)	47	46	1%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Bay)	53	46	7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (J.R. Arnold High School)	66	69	3%
End of Course Biology 1 (Bay)	71	62	9%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (J.R. Arnold High School)	71	63	8%
End of Course US History (Bay)	74	63	11%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (J.R. Arnold High School)	26	40	14%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Bay)	65	57	8%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (J.R. Arnold High School)	58	52	6%
End of Course Geometry (Bay)	62	53	9%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1674	1617	3.4%
African American	89	138	55.1%
American Indian	6	5	16.7%
Asian	38	34	10.5%
Hispanic	134	211	57.5%
Pacific Islander	1	3	200%
White	1305	1143	12.4%
Two or More Races	101	83	17.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	34.8%	36.2%	1.4%

Schools Near J.R. Arnold High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)					FAST Math (2024)			Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
J.R. Arnold High School	Public	9-12	550 N Alf Coleman Rd	Panama City Beach	32407	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	No	(850) 767-3700	1,637	71	22.9	35.6%	1,098 (67.1%)	156 (9.5%)	234 (14.3%)	44 (2.7%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	97 (5.9%)	49.2	311^th of 807 public high schools	61.5%		49.2	295^th of 792 public high schools	62.8%	16				53.0	53.0					25.0	60.0	70.0	67.0		$7,579	$804	$6,774
Florida State University Panama City Developmental Laborato	Public, Charter	9-12	4750 Collegiate Dr	Panama City	32405	Bay County	Fsu Bay	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(850) 896-7728	97	7	14.9	19.6%	68 (70.1%)	12 (12.4%)	5 (5.2%)	1 (1.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (10.3%)								(n/a)
Central High School	Public, Charter	9-12	1250 W. 17th St	Panama City	32405	Bay County	Bay	Yes	No	No	Yes	(850) 215-0770	106	1	106.0	54.7%	64 (60.4%)	15 (14.2%)	17 (16.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (8.5%)	8	684^th of 807 public high schools	15.2%		5.8	697^th of 792 public high schools	12.0%	13				25.0	13.0					22.0	20.0	24.0	28.0		$12,994	$2,033	$10,961
Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12	Public, Charter	6-12	1104 Balboa Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	Yes	No	No	Yes	(850) 215-0770	201	9	22.3	51.7%	88 (43.8%)	33 (16.4%)	63 (31.3%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (7.0%)	44.7	369^th of 807 public high schools	54.3%		55.1	240^th of 792 public high schools	69.7%	129	53.0	65.0	68.0	38.0	35.0	43.0	67.0	88.0	59.0	90.0	77.0	65.0	38.0	69.0	$17,807	$1,324	$16,483
Bay High School	Public	9-12	1200 Harrison Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-4600	1,298	59	22.1	51.6%	587 (45.2%)	347 (26.7%)	228 (17.6%)	24 (1.8%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	106 (8.2%)	46	352^nd of 807 public high schools	56.4%		41.9	372^nd of 792 public high schools	53.0%	20				62.0	64.0					25.0	33.0	64.0	59.0		$9,061	$1,519	$7,542
Chautauqua Charter School	Public, Charter	9-12	1118 Magnolia Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	Yes	No	No	No	(850) 785-5056	47	5	9.4	34.0%	33 (70.2%)	4 (8.5%)	8 (17.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (4.3%)								(n/a)
Amikids Maritime Academy	Public, Charter	9-12	200 E. Beach Drive	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(850) 919-2213	88	3	29.3	21.6%	75 (85.2%)	1 (1.1%)	6 (6.8%)	1 (1.1%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.5%)	67.3	154^th of 807 public high schools	80.9%					(n/a)				66.0	76.0					45.0	64.0	93.0			$6,579	$00	$6,579
New Horizons Learning Center	Public	6-12	3200 Minnesota Ave	Panama City	32405	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-1110	91	17	5.3	78.0%	52 (57.1%)	25 (27.5%)	6 (6.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (8.8%)	3.3	751^st of 807 public high schools	6.9%					(n/a)		15.0	20.0	15.0	5.0		25.0	6.0	7.0	15.0		9.0	13.0	20.0	$34,990	$8,203	$26,787
A. Crawford Mosley High School	Public	9-12	501 Mosley Dr	Lynn Haven	32444	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	No	(850) 767-4400	1,838	79	23.4	34.5%	1,320 (71.8%)	159 (8.7%)	194 (10.6%)	35 (1.9%)	5 (0.3%)	7 (0.4%)	118 (6.4%)	55.7	245^th of 807 public high schools	69.6%		52.5	261^st of 792 public high schools	67.0%	16				56.0	58.0					39.0	49.0	76.0	75.0		$7,063	$622	$6,442
Rosenwald High School	Public	6-12	924 Bay Ave	Panama City	32401	Bay County	Bay	No	No	No	Yes	(850) 767-4580	324	25	12.7	69.4%	184 (56.8%)	83 (25.6%)	34 (10.5%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	19 (5.9%)	3.2	755^th of 807 public high schools	6.4%		2.5	774^th of 792 public high schools	2.3%	19		18.0	5.0	6.0	13.0	9.0	0.0	0.0	0.0		4.0	12.0	12.0	11.0	$18,650	$4,722	$13,927

Frequently Asked Questions about J.R. Arnold High School

What schools feed into J.R. Arnold High School?

J.R. Arnold High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Breakfast Point Academy
Elementary : Hutchison Beach Elementary School
Elementary : Patronis Elementary School
Alternative : Surfside Middle School

Is J.R. Arnold High School a good school?

J.R. Arnold High School ranks 311^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is J.R. Arnold High School in?

Bay

How many students attend J.R. Arnold High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,637 students attended J.R. Arnold High School.

What is the racial makeup of J.R. Arnold High School?

Students at J.R. Arnold High School are 67% White, 14% Hispanic, 10% African American, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.