Sumter County Schools & Education
Sumter County, Florida
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataSchool Score
46/100
Percentile-style score
Score Band
Midrange Signal
Graduation Rate
88.0%
National avg 87.5%
Education Statistics
Graduation Rate
88.0%
National avg 87.5%
State avg 89.8%
Per-Pupil Spending
$7,548
National avg $13,239
State avg $6,118
School Score
46/100
Percentile-style score
State avg 36/100
State Score Position
#13
of 67 counties by score
Education Data Brief: Sumter County
Measured School Summary
Sumter County performs at an average level with a school score of 46/100 and a solid graduation rate of 88.0%.
Funding Context
At $7,548 per pupil, Sumter County operates with limited funding, which may constrain staffing, materials, and extracurricular offerings.
Neighbor Context
Its school score is 28% above the Florida average, and its graduation rate trails the state average by 1.8 percentage points, while per-pupil spending is 23% higher than the state norm.
School Data Brief
How to read Sumter 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
12 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
46/100
Mixed county signal. Ranks #13 of 67 Florida counties with school score data.
Completion
88.0%
1.8 pts below the state average
Funding context
$7,548
$1,430 above the state average
School coverage
12
1 district represented in the county school list.
Start with measured county context
This county needs a closer look at district mix, school level, and local context. Compare the score, graduation rate, and spending together rather than treating any single metric as final.
Check the local school mix
Sumter County has 12 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 Sumter 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
SUMTER carries most of the listed public-school system, with 12 of 12 schools. Start there, then verify whether your target address sits inside that district slice.
State position
#13
of 67 Florida counties with school score data. The county score is 10 points above 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.
SUMTER
Elementary to high school visible
9,404 students
12 listed schools in this county slice.
District reality check
SUMTER is the largest listed district slice, with 12 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 Sumter 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 Sumter 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.
Twelve Schools Supporting a Specialized District
Sumter County manages a compact network of 12 public schools, including four elementary and two high schools. This single-district system serves 9,404 students across a mix of traditional and alternative settings. The small number of schools allows for a focused administrative approach.
The Villages Charter School Influence
The Sumter district oversees 9,404 students, but a single charter school makes a massive impact. The Villages Charter School enrolls 3,473 students, accounting for over a third of the county's total student body. While there is only one charter school, it represents 8.3% of the county's institutions.
A Rural and Town-Centered Learning Experience
Education in Sumter is predominantly rural, with seven of the 12 schools located in country settings. The Villages Charter School is the largest by far, while traditional schools like Wildwood Middle/High serve around 843 students. The average school size is 855 students, providing a mix of large-scale charter and community-focused rural schools.
School Overview
Total Schools
12
in Sumter County
Reported Enrollment
9,404
12 schools reporting
School Districts
1
district
Charter Schools
1
8% of total
School Level Breakdown
1 School District in Sumter County
12 Public Schools in Sumter County
Sorted by reported enrollment. Dedicated profile pages are available for 3 high-enrollment schools; every NCES public school remains listed here.
NCES 2022-23 public school data and FY 2022 school-finance dataLevel
Showing 12 of 12 matching schools
| School Name | Profile | District | Location | Grades | Type / Flags | Reported Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VILLAGES CHARTER SCHOOL | Profile | SUMTER | THE VILLAGES, 32162City: Small | PK–12 | Charter | 3,473 |
| SOUTH SUMTER HIGH SCHOOL | Profile | SUMTER | BUSHNELL, 33513Town: Distant | 7–12 | High | 1,045 |
| WILDWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Profile | SUMTER | WILDWOOD, 34785Suburb: Midsize | PK–5 | Primary | 940 |
| SOUTH SUMTER MIDDLE SCHOOL | Record | SUMTER | WEBSTER, 33597Rural: Distant | 6–8 | Middle | 897 |
| WILDWOOD MIDDLE/ HIGH SCHOOL | Record | SUMTER | WILDWOOD, 34785Rural: Fringe | 6–12 | High | 843 |
| BUSHNELL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | SUMTER | BUSHNELL, 33513Town: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 760 |
| WEBSTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | SUMTER | WEBSTER, 33597Rural: Distant | PK–5 | Primary | 748 |
| LAKE PANASOFFKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | Record | SUMTER | LAKE PANASOFFKEE, 33538Rural: Fringe | PK–5 | Primary | 584 |
| SUMTER PREP ACADEMY | Record | SUMTER | WILDOOD, 34785Suburb: Midsize | 1–12 | Alternative | 94 |
| SUMTER COUNTY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM | Record | SUMTER | BUSHNELL, 33513Rural: Fringe | KG–12 | Virtual | 12 |
| SUMTER VIRTUAL FRANCHISE | Record | SUMTER | BUSHNELL, 33513Rural: Fringe | KG–12 | Virtual | 8 |
| CONTRACTED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES | Record | SUMTER | BUSHNELL, 33513Rural: Fringe | PK–12 | Special Education | 0 |
VILLAGES CHARTER SCHOOL
SUMTER
THE VILLAGES, 32162 / City: Small
SOUTH SUMTER HIGH SCHOOL
SUMTER
BUSHNELL, 33513 / Town: Distant
WILDWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SUMTER
WILDWOOD, 34785 / Suburb: Midsize
LAKE PANASOFFKEE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
SUMTER
LAKE PANASOFFKEE, 33538 / Rural: Fringe
SUMTER COUNTY VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAM
SUMTER
BUSHNELL, 33513 / Rural: Fringe
CONTRACTED RESIDENTIAL SERVICES
SUMTER
BUSHNELL, 33513 / Rural: Fringe
Education Funding Detail
Annual Per-Pupil Expenditure
$7,548
State avg $6,118
Compare Nearby Counties
Review Sumter County against other counties using the same NCES-backed metrics.
Open CompareBrowse Public Schools
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 Sumter County?
What is the graduation rate in Sumter County?
How much does Sumter County spend per student?
Frequently Asked Questions
Schools in Sumter County, Florida — FAQ
What does the school system look like in Sumter County, Florida?
Sumter County manages a compact network of 12 public schools, including four elementary and two high schools. This single-district system serves 9,404 students across a mix of traditional and alternative settings. The small number of schools allows for a focused administrative approach.
What are the major school districts in Sumter County, Florida?
The Sumter district oversees 9,404 students, but a single charter school makes a massive impact. The Villages Charter School enrolls 3,473 students, accounting for over a third of the county's total student body. While there is only one charter school, it represents 8.3% of the county's institutions.
What is the school experience like in Sumter County?
Education in Sumter is predominantly rural, with seven of the 12 schools located in country settings. The Villages Charter School is the largest by far, while traditional schools like Wildwood Middle/High serve around 843 students. The average school size is 855 students, providing a mix of large-scale charter and community-focused rural schools.
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.