Wakulla is a small, rural county located in the panhandle of Florida. It covers an area of 607 square miles with 89% of the land classified as commercial forest land, over one-half of which is a national forest and a wildlife refuge. As of 2021, county statistics show a population of 33,739. Wakulla is a bedroom community to Florida’s capital of Tallahassee, and the majority of Wakulla residents who work are employed there. Of those employed in Wakulla, the top four industries in rank order are education; retail; health care; and combined accommodations and food service. 

With Wakulla County public schools not only as the most prolific employer, but also as the overwhelming choice of schooling by Wakulla parents, trust in Wakulla’s public education system is of paramount importance for students, parents, educators, businesses, and community members, most of whom are involved with the school system in some capacity. Meeting that challenge requires continuous thoughtful planning, focused implementation, and valid assessment of the outcomes. Using the input from all stakeholders in the decision-making process holds the Wakulla County school system to its primary long-range goals of preparing students for successful employment and involved citizenship.  

Wakulla County School District has four elementary schools, two middle schools, one high school, one charter school, and The Wakulla Institute, which encompasses drop-out prevention programs and a virtual school. As of September 2022, the total population for pre-school through adult education is approximately 5,700 students.