Hernando County Schools & Education
Hernando County, Florida
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
35/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Lower Signal
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
92.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 89.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$5,296
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,118
School Score
35/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 36/100
State Score Position
#36
of 67 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Hernando County
Measured School Summary
Despite a lower school score of 35/100, Hernando County maintains a strong graduation rate of 92.0%, suggesting effective student support systems.
Funding Context
At $5,296 per pupil, Hernando County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 2% below the Florida average, and its graduation rate exceeds the state average by 2.2 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 13% lower than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Hernando County before comparing districts
County-level education data is best used as a screening layer. It summarizes the local school environment, then points you toward the district and school records that matter for local review.
Local context that changes the interpretation
31 public schools and 1 district are represented below. Use those school and district records to confirm whether the county-level context fits the neighborhoods you are actually considering.
Overall screen
35/100
Lower measured signal. Ranks #36 of 67 Florida counties with school score data.
Completion
92.0%
2.2 pts above the state average
Funding context
$5,296
$822 below the state average
School coverage
31
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
The county-level signal is lower, so review individual schools and local records before interpreting the score. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Hernando County has 31 public schools across 1 district, so school-level fit can vary inside the county.
Verify local rules
Use this page as county-level context, then confirm attendance zones, transportation, special programs, and current school boundaries with local districts.
What Hernando County school data means before you move
County averages are useful for screening, but parents choose addresses, grade pathways, and district rules. This brief turns the public data into the checks that matter before you sign a lease or mortgage.
Dominant-district county
HERNANDO carries most of the listed public-school system, with 32 of 31 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#36
of 67 Florida counties with school score data. The county score is roughly in line with the state average.
Data confidence
Usable
3 of 5 county signals are present, and 100% of listed schools report enrollment. Compare schools, then verify missing fields locally.
K-12 continuity check
These are the largest visible district slices in the county data. They show whether elementary, middle, and high school records appear together or whether a family needs to investigate transition points.
HERNANDO
Elementary to high school visible
24,058 students
31 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
HERNANDO is the largest listed district slice, with 32 schools. County pages do not prove address assignment, so verify boundaries with local district tools.
What the data cannot tell you
NCES records do not confirm current attendance zones, private-school options, transfer approvals, program capacity, transportation, or whether a listed school is available to a specific address.
Questions to ask before choosing an address
Which district actually serves the addresses we are considering in Hernando County?
Which attendance zones, transfer rules, and transportation policies apply inside the local district?
What changes at the elementary-to-middle and middle-to-high transitions in the district pathway we would likely use?
Which charter, magnet, or virtual options require a lottery, application window, separate transportation plan, or address eligibility check?
Are the largest listed schools the ones our address can actually attend, or are they only county-level context?
Education Overview
About Schools in Hernando County, Florida
This context is screened for neutral school-data wording and should be read alongside the current metrics on this page. It is not school advice.
A Substantial Suburban Education Network
Hernando County operates 31 public schools, including 14 elementary, six middle, and seven high schools. A single district manages the education of 24,058 students across a mix of traditional and specialized academic facilities. This infrastructure supports a growing population with a heavy emphasis on K-8 and suburban campus models.
District-Led Growth with Charter Options
The Hernando School District oversees the vast majority of local education, though three charter schools now account for nearly 10% of the county's campuses. Frank W. Springstead High School is the largest traditional campus, serving 1,896 students. Other major hubs include Winding Waters K-8 and Explorer K-8, each housing over 1,600 students.
Suburban Focus with Large K-8 Campuses
The school experience here is predominantly suburban, with 22 schools located in residential neighborhoods and nine in rural areas. Large K-8 campuses like Challenger School of Science and Math define the local character, where the average school enrollment sits at 830 students. This mix offers families the continuity of long-term placement in single-campus settings from kindergarten through middle school.
School Overview
Total Schools
31
in Hernando County
Reported Enrollment
24,058
31 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
3
10% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Hernando County
31 Public Schools in Hernando County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 11 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 20 of 31 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRANK W. SPRINGSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34609Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,896 |
| WINDING WATERS K-8 | Profile | HERNANDO | WEEKI WACHEE, 34614Rural: Fringe | PK–8 | Primary | 1,622 |
| EXPLORER K-8 | Profile | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34608Suburb: Midsize | PK–8 | Primary | 1,617 |
| CHALLENGER K-8 SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND MATH | Profile | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34609Suburb: Midsize | KG–8 | Primary | 1,477 |
| WEEKI WACHEE HIGH SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | WEEKI WACHEE, 34614Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,435 |
| CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34613Rural: Fringe | 9–12 | High | 1,426 |
| HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34601Suburb: Midsize | 6–12 | High | 1,299 |
| NATURE COAST TECHNICAL HIGH | Profile | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34604Suburb: Midsize | 9–12 | High | 1,298 |
| POWELL MIDDLE SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34609Suburb: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 1,004 |
| PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34613Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 991 |
| JOHN D. FLOYD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Profile | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34609Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 948 |
| SUNCOAST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34609Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 899 |
| SPRING HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34609Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 893 |
| FOX CHAPEL MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34606Suburb: Midsize | 6–8 | Middle | 862 |
| DELTONA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | SPRING HILL, 34606Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 843 |
| D. S. PARROTT MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34601Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 835 |
| CHOCACHATTI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34604Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 783 |
| EASTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34602Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 737 |
| WEST HERNANDO MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34613Rural: Fringe | 6–8 | Middle | 695 |
| MOTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | HERNANDO | BROOKSVILLE, 34601Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 679 |
FRANK W. SPRINGSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL
HERNANDO
SPRING HILL, 34609 / Suburb: Midsize
WINDING WATERS K-8
HERNANDO
WEEKI WACHEE, 34614 / Rural: Fringe
EXPLORER K-8
HERNANDO
SPRING HILL, 34608 / Suburb: Midsize
CHALLENGER K-8 SCHOOL OF SCIENCE AND MATH
HERNANDO
SPRING HILL, 34609 / Suburb: Midsize
WEEKI WACHEE HIGH SCHOOL
HERNANDO
WEEKI WACHEE, 34614 / Rural: Fringe
CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
HERNANDO
BROOKSVILLE, 34613 / Rural: Fringe
HERNANDO HIGH SCHOOL
HERNANDO
BROOKSVILLE, 34601 / Suburb: Midsize
NATURE COAST TECHNICAL HIGH
HERNANDO
BROOKSVILLE, 34604 / Suburb: Midsize
POWELL MIDDLE SCHOOL
HERNANDO
BROOKSVILLE, 34609 / Suburb: Midsize
PINE GROVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HERNANDO
BROOKSVILLE, 34613 / Rural: Fringe
JOHN D. FLOYD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HERNANDO
SPRING HILL, 34609 / Suburb: Midsize
SPRING HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HERNANDO
SPRING HILL, 34609 / Suburb: Midsize
CHOCACHATTI ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
HERNANDO
BROOKSVILLE, 34604 / Suburb: Midsize
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$5,296
State avg $6,118
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Hernando County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
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See school-level enrollment, grade ranges, school type, and district affiliation.
View SchoolsFrequently Asked Questions
Which Florida counties have the highest graduation rates?
What is per-pupil spending like in Florida?
How should I read the school score in Hernando County?
What is the graduation rate in Hernando County?
How much does Hernando County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Hernando County, Florida — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Hernando County, Florida?
Hernando County operates 31 public schools, including 14 elementary, six middle, and seven high schools. A single district manages the education of 24,058 students across a mix of traditional and specialized academic facilities. This infrastructure supports a growing population with a heavy emphasis on K-8 and suburban campus models.
What are the major school districts in Hernando County, Florida?
The Hernando School District oversees the vast majority of local education, though three charter schools now account for nearly 10% of the county's campuses. Frank W. Springstead High School is the largest traditional campus, serving 1,896 students. Other major hubs include Winding Waters K-8 and Explorer K-8, each housing over 1,600 students.
What is the school experience like in Hernando County?
The school experience here is predominantly suburban, with 22 schools located in residential neighborhoods and nine in rural areas. Large K-8 campuses like Challenger School of Science and Math define the local character, where the average school enrollment sits at 830 students. This mix offers families the continuity of long-term placement in single-campus settings from kindergarten through middle school.
Counties with Similar School Profile
Data Sources
Education data sourced from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey. School scores are derived composite metrics based on available NCES graduation-rate and school-finance signals.
Data is informational only. Coverage varies by county and reporting year. Not for use as the sole basis for educational decisions.