In his last full year in office (2007-08), School Superintendent Jim Paul had 20 ‘A’ schools. Of his 34 elementary schools, 19 were ‘A’ or ‘B’ schools – 56 percent. Four of his nine middle schools earned ‘A’s and two earned ‘B’s–combined two-thirds of the middle schools. Of his seven high schools, three were ‘A’ or ‘B’ schools.
His predecessor, Jim May, had 14 ‘A’ and 2 ‘B’ schools his final full year, 1999-2000. Of his 32 elementary schools, 15 were ‘A’ or ‘B’ schools – 47 percent.He had one ‘A’ and six ‘C’ middle schools and all seven high schools earned ‘C’s.
For FY 2018, Superintendent Malcolm Thomas only has eight ‘A’ schools. Of his 31 elementary schools, 11 were ‘A’ or ‘B’ schools – 34 percent. One of his nine middle schools earned an ‘A’ and one earned a ‘B’–combined 22 percent. Of his six high schools, he had one ‘A’ and one ‘B.’
The decline under Thomas has been steep. The gains made under Jim Paul have evaporated.
Thomas has improved the high school graduation rate over the past few years, but he has done it with students that entered the district’s elementary schools under the Jim Paul administration.
The next superintendent will have to figure out how to increase graduations among students that have been taught in some of the lowest performing elementary and middle schools in the state.
| Thomas | Paul | May | |
| Elementary | 2018 | 2008 | 2000 |
| HELLEN CARO | A | A | A |
| N. B. COOK | A | B | B |
| CORDOVA PARK | A | A | A |
| SCENIC HEIGHTS | A | A | B |
| A. K. SUTER | A | A | A |
| MOLINO PARK ELEMENTARY | A | A | |
| JIM ALLEN | B | A | C |
| BRATT | B | A | A |
| PINE MEADOW | B | A | A |
| R. C. LIPSCOMB | B | A | A |
| BLUE ANGELS | B | A | |
| BELLVIEW | C | B | C |
| FERRY PASS | C | C | A |
| MONTCLAIR | C | A | D |
| MYRTLE GROVE | C | C | C |
| PLEASANT GROVE | C | A | A |
| O. J. SEMMES | C | C | D |
| LINCOLN PARK | C | D | C |
| L. D. MCARTHUR | C | B | A |
| BEULAH | C | A | A |
| BRENTWOOD | D | A | A |
| ENSLEY | D | B | C |
| NAVY POINT | D | F | C |
| OAKCREST | D | D | C |
| SHERWOOD | D | A | C |
| WARRINGTON | D | C | C |
| C. A. WEIS | D | C | D |
| WEST PENSACOLA | D | D | C |
| REINHARDT HOLM | D | D | C |
| LONGLEAF | D | C | A |
| GLOBAL LEARNING ACADEMY | D | ||
| Thomas | Paul | May | |
| Middle | 2018 | 2008 | 2000 |
| BROWN BARGE | A | A | C |
| RANSOM | B | A | C |
| ERNEST WARD | C | A | C |
| J. H. WORKMAN | C | B | C |
| JIM C. BAILEY | C | A | A |
| BELLVIEW | D | C | C |
| WARRINGTON | D | D | C |
| WOODHAM | D | C | |
| FERRY PASS | I | B | B |
| Thomas | Paul | May | |
| High | 2018 | 2008 | 2000 |
| WEST FLORIDA | A | A | |
| J. M. TATE SENIOR | B | C | C |
| PENSACOLA | C | C | C |
| PINE FOREST | C | D | C |
| WASHINGTON SENIOR | C | B | C |
| NORTHVIEW | C | B | C |
| ESCAMBIA | I | D | C |
