Area Schools

Whiting Field Area

Naval Air Station Whiting Field is located in Santa Rosa County, Florida. Santa Rosa County District Schools (SRCDS) offers 2 Pre-K centers, 17 elementary level schools, 7 middle schools, 6 high schools, 1 K-12 combination school, 1 technical college, 2 K-8 schools, 1 virtual school and 1 adult school. There are approximately 5,500 military students attending Santa Rosa County Public Schools.

Please contact the School Liaison to inquire and get clarification on the school districts process/policy regarding School Choice.

Public Schools Serving the Military Housing and Community Neighborhoods in Whiting Field

Bennett C. Russell Elementary (PK-5): 3740 Excalibur Way; (850) 983-7000

Hobbs Middle (6-8): 5317 Glover Lane; (850) 983-5630

Milton High (9-12): 5445 Stewart Street; (850) 983-5600

Families selecting non-military housing, can find their school zone here.

Learn more about how Santa Rosa County supports military families here.

Purple Star Schools

All schools within Santa Rosa County School District have earned the Purple Star School of Distinction Designation. The purpose of the Purple Star School of Distinction Designation is to recognize schools that support the unique needs of military families, help military-connected students navigate critical challenges and provide resources for military-connected students when transitioning to a new school environment.

Dress Code

None of the schools in Santa Rosa County require school uniforms. However, each school has their own dress code policy. Families should review the school's "Student Handbook" on the school's website to learn about their dress code policies.

Transportation

The eligibility of students to receive school transportation services has been defined to include the following:

Grades K – 5: up to 1/2 mile (Kindergarten parents/guardians need to be at the bus stop location with photo ID for drop-off and pick-up).
Grades 6 – 12: up to 1 mile

If you have bus transportation concerns, please submit the Bus Stop Info Request Form for your area: North End, Milton Area, Pace Area (incl. Bagdad and T.R. Jackson) or South End. If you have additional questions, contact the Transportation department here.

Private Schools

The Florida Department of Education does not oversee private schools, but it does maintain a comprehensive database of private schools. There are 17 private schools in the Whiting Field area. An area directory may be found here.

Private school addresses, phone numbers, school administrators, grade span, programs offered, and enrollment by grade can be found on the Florida Department of Education's Private School Directory, which lists private schools that meet General Requirements for Florida Private Schools.

Homeschooling

Families who choose to homeschool their child(ren) have three (3) statutory requirements. To learn more details, please click here. For homeschool events hosted by our program, please contact the School Liaison.

Immunizations

For more information about school immunization requirements and resources, visit the Florida Department of Health.

Choosing a School

We know the importance of choosing a school that best meets the needs of your military child(ren). Even though School Liaisons are unable to make direct recommendations for schools, we are available to help you acquire information and research the schools within NRSE. We can provide overall information on districts as well as help you determine what schools you might be zoned to once you have a residence. Academic, demographic, and fiscal information on Florida schools can be found using the following resources: Florida Schools Report Card.

Out of Zone Student Transfer

Families interested in attending a school outside of their assigned neighborhood school should reach out to the School Liaison to learn of Florida state policies and procedures.

Military Interstate Compact

The Military Interstate Compact (MIC) is an article of laws to help make transition easier for children of military families so that they may be afforded the same opportunities for educational success as other children and are not penalized or delayed in achieving their educational goals. The MIC provides support with placement, enrollment, extracurricular activities, senior moves and more! The MIC only covers students enrolled in U.S. Public Schools and DoDEA Schools. It does not apply to students enrolled in private schools, homeschools or international schools. Additional information can be found at: www.mic3.net.