The top reported proficiency rate is 47% in English language arts. The lowest is 40% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Ferry Pass Middle School
Ferry Pass Middle School sits on Yancey Avenue in northeast Pensacola, a part of the city that has grown steadily as suburban development spreads outward from downtown toward the Navy Federal corridor in Beulah. It is a conventional public middle school serving sixth through eighth grade, part of the Escambia County School District, with no charter or magnet designation.
The school draws a genuinely diverse student body. Black and white students each make up a substantial share of enrollment, with Hispanic students, students of two or more races, and Asian students also represented in meaningful numbers. The school is majority economically disadvantaged: nearly two-thirds of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in the materials reviewed.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the academic picture is mixed and worth examining carefully. In sixth grade, math proficiency is roughly in the middle of the Florida range, and ELA sits just below half of students reaching proficiency. Seventh grade math is considerably weaker, with fewer than a quarter of students reaching proficiency -- a gap that stands out compared to the other grade levels and is worth asking the school to explain. Eighth grade math recovers somewhat, landing near the sixth-grade level. ELA proficiency in seventh and eighth grade is similar to sixth grade, in the mid-to-upper-forties range. On the statewide eighth-grade science assessment, fewer than half of students reached proficiency. None of these results are cause for dismissal, but they suggest a school where most families will want to understand what academic supports are available, particularly in math, before enrolling. Multi-year trend data was not available, so it is not possible to say whether these results represent improvement, decline, or stability over time.
No information on specific course offerings, extracurriculars, discipline rates, attendance rates, or staffing was available in the data provided.
The housing market around the school's zip code is notably more affordable than Florida's statewide median. Typical home values sit well below the state benchmark and well below the national median as well, with modest year-over-year appreciation. Rents are comparatively low, and the estimated rent-to-income burden is manageable relative to national norms. For families relocating to the Pensacola area, northeast Pensacola offers an accessible entry point into the housing market.
Pensacola itself is a city shaped by the military, healthcare, and higher education. Naval Air Station Pensacola anchors a large portion of the local economy, and Navy Federal Credit Union and Baptist Health Care are among the biggest civilian employers. The city has a lively historic downtown around Palafox Street -- walkable, restaurant-dense, and actively being rebuilt for pedestrians -- though Ferry Pass is in a quieter residential quarter removed from that core. Publicly reported information indicates the city is in a period of sustained residential growth, with significant new subdivision approvals and apartment completions adding supply across the county.
Two district-level developments are directly relevant to families. Escambia County voters recently renewed a dedicated half-cent sales tax for school construction and technology through the late 2020s, providing a stable funding source for facility investment. At the same time, the district has publicly removed hundreds of library titles under state-directed book policies, including canonical works of American literature, a decision the school board made unanimously without individual title review. Families with strong views on library access and reading breadth will want to ask specifically what remains available to middle school students. District governance is also in an unsettled period, with voters set to decide whether to return to an elected superintendent, a question that could affect how the district is led and held accountable in the years ahead.
See more original research from School Decision →