Schools
St. Johns County Schools Report Another Year of Growth for 26-27 School Year
The district added 441 students over last year’s first-day count, signaling continued growth at a more measured pace.
By Colleen Jones
St. Johns County Schools continued to grow at a steady pace for back to school, just not at the sharp trajectory the district has shouldered in recent years.
The total student count for the St. Johns County School District on Aug.10 was 48,093, an increase of 441 students or 0.93%, over the first day number of 47,652 for the 2025-26 school year.
The high school student count for the 2026-27 school year was 16,533 with 2,125 students at Bartram Trail High School; 2,341 at Beachside High School; 2,325 at Creekside High School; 1,177 at Pedro Menendez High School; 2,346 at Allen D. Nease High School; 1,838 at Ponte Vedra High School; 1,650 at St. Augustine High School; and 2,731 at Tocoi Creek High School.
Middle school attendance totaled 6,250 with student headcounts ranging from 603 at Sebastian Middle School to 1,225 at Pacetti Bay Middle School. The other first day totals were Alice B. Landrum Middle School with 841; Fruit Cove Middle School with 1,094; R. J. Murray Middle School with 754, Gamble Rogers Middle School with 767; and Switzerland Point Middle School with 966.
The district’s K-8 schools counted14,683 students. Liberty Pines Academy had a first day headcount of 1,503; Patriot Oaks Academy with 1,136; Valley Ridge Academy with 953; Freedom Crossing Academy with 1,043; Palm Valley Academy with 1,269; Mill Creek Academy with 1,618; Pine Island Academy with 1,151; Trout Creek Academy with 1,316; Lakeside Academy with 1,516; Hallowes Cove Academy with 1,214; Magnolia Oaks Academy with 1,240; and Sabal Crest Academy with 724.
The elementary school population totaled 9,663. This count only includes approximately 25% of all kindergarten students since most schools stagger the kindergarten start date over a four-day period. Another 964 students attended the district’s charter and alternative schools.
Also, for the start of schools, the district opened two newly constructed campuses: Magnolia Oaks Academy, in the SilverLeaf community, and Sabal Crest Academy, in Nocatee.