Summary
Mila Elementary School in Merritt Island, FL, is a small school serving 382 students in grades PK through 6, and it is part of the Brevard County School District. While the school has historically been a 2-star institution, it has faced significant challenges in recent years, dropping to a 1-star rating for the past four consecutive years and currently ranking in the 24th percentile statewide. A major concern is chronic absenteeism, with 25.7% of students missing too many days in the 2023-2024 school year—a rate far higher than nearby top-performing schools like Robert L. Stevenson Elementary (6.3%) and Lewis Carroll Elementary (15.1%).
Academically, Mila struggles across most grade levels, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math for grades 3-5 consistently below district averages. For example, only 35% of 3rd graders are proficient in Math compared to the district's 66%, and just 38% of 4th graders meet ELA standards versus the district's 61%. However, there is a notable bright spot: 6th graders consistently perform well, achieving 74% proficiency in ELA and 71% in Math in the most recent school year, suggesting a particularly effective teaching team at that level. Despite these challenges, Mila spends $18,217 per student—the highest of any nearby school—yet sees lower results than schools like Tropical Elementary, which spends $12,700 less per student and achieves much higher test scores.
Interestingly, Mila has the smallest class sizes in the area, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 11.3:1, compared to 15:1 at the high-performing Robert L. Stevenson. This paradox of high spending and small classes not translating into academic gains suggests the school may be directing resources toward addressing poverty-related challenges, as 68.59% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. On a positive note, there is a slight upward trend, with the school's state ranking improving from the 20th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 24th percentile in 2025-2026, and some test scores, like 5th-grade Science, jumping from 37% to 58% proficiency. This indicates that recent interventions may be starting to have a small, positive effect.
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