Public schools in Panama City, FL
36 open public schools with an address in Panama City, operated by 2 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
36
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
16,920
35 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
16.9:1
Florida median 16.8:1
Charter schools
13
3 virtual
An overview of Panama City public schools
The federal directory lists 36 public schools in Panama City, FL: 15 elementary, 4 middle, 10 high, 7 combined or other. The 35 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 16,920 students, an average of 483 per school. The largest campus is Deane Bozeman School (1,690 students), and the largest elementary school is Bay Haven Charter Academy (766).
Bay operates the most schools here (35), plus 1 charter, service, or other agency. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 16.9:1, similar to the statewide school median of 16.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 13 charter schools, 3 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 13 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 14 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 47% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Panama City
Elementary schools in Panama City
15| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Haven Charter Academy Bay · Charter | KG–05 | 766 | 16.7:1 | |
| Callaway Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 622 | 20.1:1 | |
| Cedar Grove Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 495 | 14.6:1 | |
| Deer Point Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 735 | 16:1 | |
| Hiland Park Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 684 | 17.1:1 | |
| Lucille Moore Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 543 | 14.7:1 | |
| Merriam Cherry Street Elementary Bay | PK–05 | 343 | 12.7:1 | |
| North Bay Haven Charter Academy Elementary School Bay · Charter | KG–05 | 696 | 18.1:1 | |
| Northside Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 569 | 15.8:1 | |
| Oscar Patterson Academy Bay | PK–05 | 394 | 15.2:1 | |
| Palm Bay Elementary School Bay · Charter | KG–05 | 321 | 16.9:1 | |
| Parker Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 510 | 16.5:1 | |
| St. Andrew School at Oakland Terrace Bay · Alternative School | PK–05 | 55 | 4.6:1 | |
| Tommy Smith Elementary School Bay | PK–05 | 677 | 16.5:1 | |
| University Academy Sabl Inc Bay · Charter | KG–08 | 711 | 18.2:1 |
Middle schools in Panama City
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Haven Charter Middle School Bay · Charter | 06–08 | 429 | 19.5:1 | |
| Jinks Middle School Bay | 06–08 | 541 | 18:1 | |
| Merritt Brown Middle School Bay | 06–08 | 634 | 17.1:1 | |
| North Bay Haven Charter Academy Middle School Bay · Charter | 06–08 | 526 | 21:1 |
High schools in Panama City
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amikids Maritime Academy Bay · Charter | 09–12 | 26 | 5.2:1 | |
| Bay High School Bay | 09–12 | 1,289 | 19.8:1 | |
| Bay Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided) Bay · Virtual | 06–12 | 14 | — | |
| Central High School Bay · Charter · Alternative School | 09–12 | 99 | 24.8:1 | |
| Chautauqua Charter School Bay · Charter · Special Education School | 09–12 | 52 | 10.4:1 | |
| North Bay Haven Career Academy Bay · Charter | 09–12 | 865 | 22.8:1 | |
| Palm Bay Preparatory Academy 6-12 Bay · Charter | 06–12 | 203 | 18.5:1 | |
| Rosenwald High School Bay · Alternative School | 06–12 | 351 | 13:1 | |
| Rutherford High School Bay | 06–12 | 1,394 | 17.4:1 | |
| The Collegiate School at Fsu Pc Fsu Bay · Charter | 09–12 | 178 | 17:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Panama City
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay Regional Juvenile Detention Center Bay · Alternative School | KG–12 | — | — | |
| Bay Virtual Franchise Bay · Virtual | 03–12 | 25 | — | |
| Bay Virtual Instruction Program Bay · Virtual | KG–12 | 2 | — | |
| Deane Bozeman School Bay | PK–12 | 1,690 | 20.1:1 | |
| Exceptional Student Education Bay · Special Education School | PK–12 | 0 | — | |
| Margaret K. Lewis in Millville Bay · Special Education School | PK–12 | 170 | 6.1:1 | |
| Rising Leaders Academy Bay · Charter | KG–12 | 311 | 15.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White55.8%
- Hispanic16%
- Black17.6%
- Asian1.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.2%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.3%
- Multiracial8.5%
Enrollment-weighted across 34 Panama City schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (16,920 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Panama City
How many public schools are in Panama City, FL?
The current NCES directory lists 36 open public schools with a location address in Panama City: 15 elementary, 4 middle, 10 high, 7 combined or other. Together they reported 16,920 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Panama City?
Schools with an address in Panama City belong to 2 education agencies, led by Bay (35 schools), Fsu Bay (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Panama City?
Rutherford High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Panama City, with 1,394 students in 2024–25 (grades 06–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Panama City?
Yes. 13 of the 36 public schools in Panama City are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Amikids Maritime Academy, Bay Haven Charter Academy, Bay Haven Charter Middle School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Panama City schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Panama City public schools is 16.9:1, similar to the Florida school median of 16.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Panama City guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Florida cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Florida cities