The Sumter County school district was one of the highest-achieving districts in Florida in 2026, receiving an “A” grade and ranking near the very top of the state across nearly all metrics.
The Florida Department of Education released its 2026 school district grades this week, giving Sumter County an “A” grade for the 2025-26 academic year.
Although the majority of school districts across the state celebrated “A” and “B” designations this year, Sumter County ranked 9th out of Florida’s 67 school districts, maintaining its position among the state’s best districts and extending its “A” grade from 2025.
According to the grading guidelines established by the Florida Department of Education, district grades are calculated as if all students in the district are enrolled in one large combination school.
The grades are determined by the percentage of total possible points earned across multiple components, including achievement and learning gains in English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, as well as graduation rates and acceleration success.
For the 2025-26 school year, an “A” grade for a district required earning 65% or more of the total possible points.
Across the board, Sumter County’s metrics were noticeably better relative to the rest of the state. The district earned 71% (857) of its total possible points, easily clearing the cutoff for an “A” grade.
Of note, Sumter County had a particularly high graduation rate this year, where an impressive 96% of students graduated compared to the state average of just over 91%.
The district also excelled heavily in social studies achievement, hitting 80% and surpassing the state average at 74.3%. Additionally, the district posted an 80% success rate for “college and career acceleration,” compared to the 70.7% state average.
Here is a breakdown of how Sumter County performed across all graded components relative to the state averages:
| Grading Component | Sumter County Score | State Average |
| Grade 3 English Language Arts Achievement | 69% | 60.6% |
| English Language Arts Achievement | 69% | 59.6% |
| English Language Arts Learning Gains | 63% | 59.2% |
| English Language Arts Learning Gains of the Lowest 25% | 58% | 55.1% |
| Mathematics Achievement | 74% | 60.6% |
| Mathematics Learning Gains | 63% | 57.6% |
| Mathematics Learning Gains of the Lowest 25% | 57% | 51.4% |
| Science Achievement | 70% | 60.6% |
| Social Studies Achievement | 80% | 74.3% |
| Middle School Acceleration | 78% | 75.7% |
| Graduation Rate | 96% | 91.1% |
| College and Career Acceleration | 80% | 70.7% |
The state average for total points earned across all districts was 64.8%, highlighting a stark achievement gap where Sumter County safely outperformed most other counties.
That includes its neighbor to the north in Marion County, where the school district received a “C” grade and ranked among the worst in the state for test scores.
Comparatively, Sumter County’s top-10 rank places it alongside some of the state’s highest-performing counties, such as St. Johns, Indian River, Seminole, and Nassau.
What are your thoughts on the Sumter County School District’s performance for the 2025-2026 school year? Share them in a comment below or, if you have more to say on the matter, write a letter to the editor.