Fresh off the heels of earning Cognia’s District of Distinction rating, Okaloosa County Schools receive yet another recognition for academic and overall excellence. The Florida State Board of Education recently released the list of Academically High-Performing School Districts for the 2021-2022 school year. OCSD is one of fourteen districts out of sixty-seven to meet the criteria for this designation, along with neighboring Walton and Santa Rosa counties. Last year, OCSD was one of sixteen deemed high performing. Over the previous thirteen years, the district earned this distinction eleven times. The nine consecutive OCSD appearances on the list constitute the longest streak in the state!
In justifying consideration as academically high-performing, a district must demonstrate its ability to maintain or improve upon its previous accomplishments. The A rating is not the only criterion for this highly-coveted award. A high-performing district must not have any district-operated schools earning an “F” and provide documentation proving adherence to class size expectations. The final evaluation component concerns the district's financial health as determined by an auditing process. In keeping with its history of excellence, the Okaloosa County School District met and exceeded all expectations!
Upon notification of this honor, Superintendent Marcus Chambers issued the following statement.
“We are thrilled to be named a high-performing district once again! Such accolades are always appreciated and celebrated; however, we remain focused on future success through our commitment to continuous improvement. One of our many goals is to ensure the next generation of Okaloosa students receives the finest education possible. Our students perennially give their best and deserve our best in return. I am proud of every student, family, employee, and community member who contributed to the district's success. Thank you for your partnership and unwavering dedication to keeping our schools ranked among the best in Florida.”
2022 has been a banner year for Okaloosa Schools! This summer, the district earned an A rating in the State of Florida’s accountability system, which evaluates, the growth and proficiency of students in core academic areas, graduation rates, and college and career acceleration.
On the heels of earning an A grade, Superintendent Chambers received notification last month that Cognia, a worldwide school accrediting body that visited Okaloosa last year, recently recognized OCSD as one of only 38 School Systems of Distinctions identified through its rigorous accreditation process. Cognia serves 36,000 public and private institutions.
And just las week, another accolade was bestowed upon the district. The Florida Department of Education named Okaloosa an Academically High-Performing School District. These honors reinforce what this community knows with certainty – Okaloosa County is an exceptional place to live in this great state of Florida!