Audubon Elementary School

Audubon Elementary School in Merritt Island, FL, is a mid-sized elementary school serving 416 students in grades PK-6 within the Brevard school district, and it stands out as a solid, above-average performer on an upward trajectory. The school has earned a 4-star rating (74th percentile statewide) for the 2025-2026 school year, a significant jump from the 65th percentile the year prior, and it serves a moderately diverse population with 45% of students qualifying for free/reduced lunch. This success is particularly notable because Audubon outperforms schools with similar or higher poverty rates, such as Cape View Elementary School (53% free/reduced lunch, 34th percentile) and Mila Elementary School (69% free/reduced lunch, 24th percentile), showing that the school is effectively supporting its students to achieve above-average results despite economic challenges.

One of Audubon’s most dramatic differentiators is its success in reducing chronic absenteeism. While many nearby schools struggle with rates in the mid-20% range—like Mila Elementary at 25.7% and Cambridge Elementary Magnet School at 24.7%—Audubon has achieved a remarkable turnaround, dropping its chronic absenteeism rate from a high of 25.9% in 2020-2021 to just 16.5% in 2023-2024. This is significantly better than the district average (21.1%) and nearly half the state average (31.4%), and this improvement strongly correlates with the school’s recent academic gains. Academically, math is a clear strength, with proficiency rates in grades 3-6 (ranging from 66% to 81%) consistently exceeding district and state averages, while English Language Arts performance is more mixed, with 4th grade (58%) being a notable weak point that falls below both averages.

Audubon is part of what could be called the "Merritt Island Divide," where school performance is highly localized. It sits geographically between the elite, top-1% Robert L. Stevenson Elementary School (98th percentile) and struggling schools like Endeavour Elementary School (2nd percentile) and Golfview Elementary Magnet School (6th percentile), but it holds its own as a strong above-average option. The school spends $14,695 per student, which is higher than high-performing peers like Lewis Carroll Elementary School ($11,099) and Robert L. Stevenson ($10,717), suggesting that its academic results are not solely a product of high funding. Overall, Audubon is on a clear positive trajectory, with its highest rank in years and a strong upward trend that paints a picture of a school successfully implementing positive changes.