INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — The School District’s implementation of five-year strategic plans with focus areas improving the overall school experience appears to be paying off.
School District of Indian River County officials recently learned the district earned its third-consecutive “A” rating. This achievement boosts the School District’s ranking from ninth last year to fifth out of Florida’s 67 school districts, officials said.
“We are setting the standard for the state,” said Dr. David K. Moore, Superintendent of Schools. “With all schools earning an A or B, record-breaking performance across key measures, and our students learning faster than ever, this success reflects the unparalleled commitment of our entire SDIRC community. As an all-choice school district, we are serving as a beacon of hope for all other public-school districts — proving what can be done when you have an unwavering commitment to putting students first.”
The announcement comes after the Florida Department of Education released the Spring 2025 statewide assessment and school grade results. Officials said 100 percent of Indian River County public schools, which does not include charter or private schools, earned either an “A” or a “B” rating.
“Since 2018, the District has quadrupled the number of A-rated schools, from just 4 to 16 today,” School District officials said in a statement. “Sebastian River High School and Vero Beach High School stand as the only A-rated high schools in Indian River County.”
Since the 2018-2019 school year, the School District of Indian River County has climbed from the 38th ranking now to the fifth ranking. Here are some key growth highlights:
- Overall District Percentage of Points: Highest ever at 71%, ranked 5th up from 38th in 2018-2019).
- English Language Arts (ELA) Achievement (Grades 3–10): Highest since 2011, ranked 10th (up from 30th in 2018-2019).
- ELA Grade 3 Achievement: Ranked 2nd.
- ELA Learning Gains: Highest since 2014, ranked 7th.
- ELA Bottom Quartile Gains: Highest since 2014, ranked 1st.
- Math Achievement: Highest since 2011, ranked 14th (up from 34th in 2018-2019).
- Math Bottom Quartile Gains: Ranked 4th (up from 25th in 2018-2019).
- Science Achievement: Highest ever, ranked 5th (up from 37th in 2018-2019).
- Social Studies Achievement: Highest ever, ranked 8th (up from 46th in 2018-2019).
- Middle School Acceleration: Ranked 2nd (up from 56th in 2018-2019).
- High School Graduation Rate: Tied highest ever, ranked 4th.
- High School College & Career Acceleration: Highest ever, ranked 5th (up from 21st in 2018-2019).
“These outcomes underscore the SDIRC’s commitment to delivering on its unified mission: Transforming education to inspire and empower all students to maximize their full potential,” School District officials said. “The District’s success reflects the alignment of high-quality instruction, data-driven supports, strong leadership, and community collaboration.”
Under Moore’s leadership, the School District implemented the ACHIEVE 2025 District Plan, which focused on improving academic success; safety, culture and climate; communication and engagement; talent development and support; along with organizational and fiscal responsibility. The plan was in effect from 2020 to 2025.
School District leaders are working on implementing the next five-year strategic plan. The new plan is expected to take effect from 2025 to 2030.
