Education

Santa Rosa has 19 elementary schools, 10 middle schools and 7 high schools, there are also several private/parochial schools in the area. Milton also has one vocational/technical school. For a complete listing of schools in Santa Rosa County , school curricula, bus routes, or school zones visit Santa Rosa County District Schools.  Schools can be found under the "Our Schools" tab on the website.

There are no DoDDS schools at NAS Whiting Field or any nearby installation.

Santa Rosa County District Schools:

Santa Rosa County District Schools has 19 elementary schools, 10 middle schools, and seven high schools.  There are also several private/parochial schools in the Pace/ Milton area.  Milton also has one vocational/technical school.  The graduation rate for Santa Rosa County District Schools is in the 90th percentile, and the school district has earned an “A” rating for the 2022-2023 school year.

NAS Whiting Field has a School Liaison (SL) to assist transitioning families with any K-12 educational issues that may arise while at NAS Whiting Field or during transition.  The SL also has information about post-secondary opportunities, homeschooling, and a plethora of educational resources to support our military children and families.  For more information call 850-665-6105 or visit the NASWF SL website at School Liaison Program (navymwrwhitingfield.com).

School Registration Requirements:

Age requirements for Santa Rosa County District Schools are as follows:

• Kindergarten: The child must be at least 5 on or before 1 September
• First Grade: The child must be at least 6 on or before 1 September

For additional information on the SRCDS Registration Process, please see How to Register NEW Students for School - Santa Rosa County Schools (santarosaschools.org).  Also, please contact the NASWF School Liaison at 850-665-6105.

School Zones:

School zones have been carefully defined to adhere to specific requirements.  To find your zoned school in Santa Rosa County, visit Santa Rosa County, Florida - School Information (arcgis.com). School Choice options are available for active duty military families.  To learn more about School Choice and Controlled Enrollment, visit School Choice / Transfer Request - Santa Rosa County Schools (santarosaschools.org).

Early Education Resources:

Early Steps is Florida’s Part C Early Intervention system that offers services to eligible infants and toddlers birth to thirty-six months who are at risk for or show developmental delays.  Early Intervention is designed to support children and families in their daily routines as this is where children play and learn.  To learn more visit Programs-and-Services / Childrens-Health / Early-Steps (floridahealth.gov).

Santa Rosa Early Steps Program assists families with children from 3 years old who have special needs.  Santa Rosa District Schools serve children from 3 years of age to 5 years of age by September 1 in a full day school based program.  Children receive services while in the Head Start and Voluntary PK classes.  SRCDS also serves a large number of children who require speech therapy.  To receive these services parents bring their child for therapy to the assigned elementary school or at TR Jackson Pre-K Center.  T.R. Jackson Pre-K (trj.santarosaschools.org)

Santa Rosa Head Start/ Early Head Start Programs promote school readiness for children from families with relatively small incomes.  County wide registration takes place yearly.  Ongoing registration for Head Start occurs daily in the ERSEA office located at the T. R. Jackson Pre-K School.  A child must be three (3) years old on or before September 1 of the current year.  Priority will be given to those students who are four (4) years of age on or before September 1 of the current year.  Eligibility is based on: Income, Age, and Residence.  Families must meet the federal or state income guidelines to be eligible.  Children with special needs/disabilities are welcomed.  If you have any questions or need additional information, please call 850-983-5720 or visit Head Start / Early Head Start (santarosaschools.org).

FDLRS/Emerald Coast Child Find provides screenings and services at no cost for families.  They also help families get educational services through their local school districts and refer children to the appropriate resources in their local school district for assessment or follow up.  To learn more, see Child Find - FDLRS Emerald Coast (fdlrsemeraldcoast.org).

The Early Learning Coalition of Santa Rosa County seeks to assist parents by focusing on opportunities for the birth-to-kindergarten population to enhance their chances for educational success by participating in quality early learning programs that can better prepare children for school.  The Early Learning Coalition is a 501©(3) organization created in statute in 1999, responsible for the provision of School Readiness child care assistance (subsidized child care) and Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) services with federal, state, and local funding.  The Coalition partners with the Florida Department of Education, Division of Early Learning, to deliver early learning services in Santa Rosa County.  To learn more visit Early Learning Coalition (elcsantarosa.org).

For additional questions, please call your NAS Whiting Field School Liaison at 850-665-6105.

Pensacola State University and University of West Florida (UWF) are within the local area.  Additionally the University of South Alabama is within an hour drive.