Florida shows jump in A-rated school districts. How locals did

Volusia and Flagler county schools both earned A grades from the Florida Department of Education.

Volusia earned its second consecutive A for the first time, while Flagler landed its first top grade since 2019.

Across Florida, 76% of schools earned an A or B school grade, up from 71% in 2025.

"Florida continues to prove that high expectations, expanded school choice and strong accountability produce real results for students," Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas said in a news release. "I want to thank our teachers and parents for the important work they do each day to help students achieve their full potential. These results are worth celebrating, but they also challenge us to continue raising the bar."

Statewide, 60% of all schools increased their grade from the prior year or maintained an A, according to the education department.

Volusia superintendent 'proud of this progress'

Volusia Schools Superintendent Carmen Balgobin said the scores represent a historic moment.

"It is the first time in district history that we have earned back-to-back A ratings, and it truly took a village," Balgobin said. "These results reflect the sustained, intentional work happening in our classrooms every single day: our students rising to the challenge, our teachers and school leaders staying aligned to strong instruction and using data to meet every student where they are, our support staff keeping our schools safe and running smoothly, our families and community partners reinforcing that work at home, and our School Board standing behind us every step of the way."

She vowed to continue to "close achievement gaps, accelerating learning for every student, and preparing every graduate for success beyond the classroom."

Reaction in Flagler is 'appreciation' for staff dedication

Flagler Schools Superintendent LaShakia Moore said in a video message she is "filled with pride and appreciation" over the A score. Flagler schools scored a B in 2025.

"This achievement is a direct reflection of the dedication, hard work, and passion our faculty and staff have for each of our students," Moore said. "From our classroom teachers who inspired daily breakthroughs to our support teams and administrators who created safe, nurturing environments every single day, this A belongs to you."

Detailed data can be examined on the Florida Department of Education's website. Here's a look at how each school in the district performed.

Volusia elementary school grades

A: Beachside, Chisholm, Citrus Grove, Coronado Beach, Cypress Creek, DeBary, Edgewater, Enterprise, Freedom, Horizon, Indian River, Longstreet, Ormond Beach, Osteen, Pathways, Pine Trail, Port Orange, Pride, Read-Pattillo, Spruce Creek, Sugar Mill, Sunrise, Sweetwater, Timbercrest, Tomoka, Volusia Pines, Woodward Avenue

B: Blue Lake, Champion, Deltona Lakes, Forest Lake, Friendship, George Marks, McInnis, Orange City, Pierson, South Daytona, Spirit, Starke, Westside,

C: Discovery, Holly Hill, Manatee Cove, Palm Terrace, Turie T. Small

Volusia middle school grades

A: Creekside, Hinson, Southwestern

B: DeLand, Deltona, Heritage, New Smyrna Beach, Ormond Beach, River Springs, Silver Sands

C: Campbell, Galaxy

Volusia high school grades

A: Atlantic, DeLand, Deltona, Mainland, New Smyrna Beach, Seabreeze, Spruce Creek, Volusia Online Learning

B: Pine Ridge, Taylor, University

Volusia charter school grades

A: Burns Science & Technology, Ivy Hawn, Samsula

C: Reading Edge

Flagler school grades

A: Belle Terre Elementary, Buddy Taylor Middle, Flagler-Palm Coast High, Indian Trails Middle, Matanzas High, Old Kings Elementary

B: Bunnell Elementary, Imagine, Rymfire Elementary, Wadsworth Elementary

− Mark Harper covers politics, government, and education for The News-Journal, with a focus on Florida, mostly in Volusia County. He can be reached at mark.harper@news-jrnl.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida shows jump in A-rated school districts. How locals did

Reporting by Mark Harper, Daytona Beach News-Journal / The Daytona Beach News-Journal

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This story was originally published July 1, 2026 at 10:38 AM.