The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in English language arts. The lowest is 43% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on St. Augustine Public Montessori School (sapms)
St. Augustine Public Montessori School, known as SAPMS, is a public charter school in the heart of St. Augustine serving kindergarten through sixth grade. Its address on Williams Street places it squarely in one of Florida's most walkable and historically textured urban settings, a compact downtown where Flagler College, century-old streets, and a lively pedestrian corridor are all within reach. For a family drawn to both a distinctive pedagogy and an urban neighborhood feel, the location itself is part of the proposition.
The school is small, with an enrollment that fits on a single floor of most buildings. Each grade cohort is correspondingly intimate, and the sixth-grade class in particular is quite small. Economically, the student body skews toward families with resources: only a very small share qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, well below what most Florida schools see. The school is predominantly white, with a meaningful Hispanic share and a small multiracial population. Data on students with IEPs and English learners was not available in what we reviewed.
State assessment results from FAST testing in 2024-25 give a mixed picture. In ELA, the school's fourth and fifth graders tested at rates that fall roughly in the middle of the Florida range, with third grade a bit lower. Math tells a different story: third-grade math proficiency comes in around the middle of the state distribution, but by fifth grade it drops to a meaningfully lower rate, with a step down at each grade. The sixth-grade results for both subjects were suppressed, likely because the cohort is small enough that Florida withholds the data to protect student privacy. Science proficiency at fifth grade lands below the midpoint of Florida results. Placed among districts in St. Johns County, which is the comparison set available, the school's overall proficiency index sits above the midpoint. St. Johns County itself is home to only two districts, so that positioning should be read in context rather than treated as a broad competitive ranking. Parents who want to understand how math skills are tracking across the upper elementary years may want to ask the school directly about how the Montessori progression maps to FAST preparation.
No trend data was available to show whether results have been improving or declining, and the data payload contained no prior-year comparisons. Multi-year patterns were not computable from what was provided.
Programs data was not included in what we reviewed, so we cannot speak to specials, enrichment, or after-school offerings. A graduation rate does not apply here; the school ends at sixth grade.
The housing market around SAPMS reflects St. Johns County's broader character as one of the fastest-growing counties in the country. Home values sit close to the Florida statewide median and are running just slightly below year-ago levels, while rents have nudged upward. At current mortgage rates, buying near this school is a meaningful monthly commitment. Publicly reported data shows that St. Johns County voters approved both a new operational property tax millage and a renewed capital sales surtax in November 2024, so homebuyers in the area will carry those costs going forward. The operational levy dedicates the largest share to teacher and staff compensation, with the remainder going to school safety, student wellness supports like nurses and mental health counselors, and programs including science, art, and music. The capital surtax funds construction and technology for a district adding students rapidly. Charter schools, including SAPMS, receive a share of that capital revenue by enrollment.
St. Augustine itself has a noted concentration of college-educated adults and creative workers, alongside a substantial retiree population and a tourism economy anchored by Northrop Grumman's aerospace work and Flagler Health+ on the healthcare side. The city has a downtown redesign underway on King Street and a wave of new multifamily housing moving through permitting. For a family considering this school, the surrounding community is genuinely urban by Florida standards, which matches the school's walkable location, and the county's growth trajectory means the infrastructure conversation is not finished.
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