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Laurel Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1888^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 16% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Laurel Elementary School in Poinciana, FL, is a large Title I school serving 1,126 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Polk County School District, which ranks in the bottom 13th percentile statewide.

The most significant challenge facing Laurel Elementary is an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate, which reached 54.2% in the 2023-2024 school year. This rate is dramatically higher than the district average of 39.1% and far exceeds nearby schools like Bellalago Charter Academy (23.7%) and Sandhill Elementary School (46.4%). This persistent absenteeism is likely the primary driver of the school's low academic performance, which has historically earned it a 1-star rating. Despite these challenges, there is a notable bright spot: Laurel's 5th-grade math proficiency rate of 54% in 2025-2026 actually surpassed the Polk district average (51%) and outperformed all other comparable Polk County schools, including Eastside Elementary School (41%) and Alta Vista Elementary School (33%).

Interestingly, Laurel operates with a lower per-student budget ($9,235) than its peers, such as Palmetto Elementary School ($10,849) and Deerwood Elementary School ($14,353), suggesting the school is doing more with fewer resources. The data also reveals a clear performance gap between Polk County schools and those in the neighboring Osceola County district. For example, Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering (Osceola) achieved a 2-star rating with 65% proficiency in 5th-grade English Language Arts, compared to Laurel's 44%. While all schools in the area serve a high percentage of economically disadvantaged students, the wide variation in outcomes shows that poverty alone does not determine a school's success. For Laurel, the path to improvement will require a focused effort to reduce chronic absenteeism and replicate its math success across other subjects.

1,126

Students ?

20.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,235

Per pupil spending ?

78.2%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1851 Laurel Ave
Poinciana, FL 34759

(863) 427-1375

District: Polk

Students who attend Laurel Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Lake Marion Creek Middle School
High:	Haines City Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

47.3%

African American:

42.2%

White:

7.1%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 15th percentile in 2016 → 16th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (46% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (16th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (54% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school46%

District avg53%

Florida avg62%

1,888^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 16%▬ steady since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

58^th of 86Elementary Schools in the Polk

61^st of 70Polk among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	21.6	1888 of 2240	15.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	30.3	1637 of 2258	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	24.6	1777 of 2256	21.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	16.7	1990 of 2240	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.0	1790 of 2219	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	14.2	2013 of 2247	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	5.8	2122 of 2182	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	10.7	1983 of 2118	6.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	15.2	1906 of 2112	9.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	18.9	1764 of 2087	15.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	12.8	1908 of 2064	7.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	23.1	1651 of 2029	18.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	30.0	1448 of 1984	27.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	25.2	1580 of 1985	20.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	34.6	1349 of 1919	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math52%-12 vs state

English Language Arts45%-16 vs state

Science34%-26 vs state

1.0

1 rating

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3★0

2★0

1★1

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Schools Near Laurel Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Laurel Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1851 Laurel Ave	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-1375	1,126	55	20.4	78.2%	80 (7.1%)	475 (42.2%)	533 (47.3%)	13 (1.2%)	6 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	18 (1.6%)	21.6	1888^th of 2240 public elementary schools	15.7%		30.3	1637^th of 2258 public elementary schools	27.5%	251	47.0	43.0	44.0				53.0	49.0	54.0				34.0						$9,235	$1,318	$7,918
Palmetto Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	315 Palmetto St	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-6012	479	25	19.1	73.7%	34 (7.1%)	118 (24.6%)	314 (65.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.1%)	12.9	2083^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	7.0%		12.8	2088^th of 2258 public elementary schools	7.5%	5	33.0	41.0	37.0				47.0	41.0	39.0				45.0						$10,849	$1,479	$9,369
Chestnut Elementary School For Science And Engineering	Public	PK, KG-5	4300 Chestnut St	Kissimmee	34759	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 870-4862	729	47	15.6	67.4%	75 (10.3%)	178 (24.4%)	453 (62.1%)	5 (0.7%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.7%)	11 (1.5%)	42.9	1319^th of 2240 public elementary schools	41.1%		29.2	1670^th of 2258 public elementary schools	26.0%	351	50.0	58.0	65.0				62.0	51.0	60.0				54.0						$12,086	$1,243	$10,843
Sandhill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1801 Tyner Rd	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 419-3166	1,111	59	18.8	68.5%	166 (14.9%)	249 (22.4%)	653 (58.8%)	10 (0.9%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	29 (2.6%)	13.5	2072^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	7.5%		12.9	2082^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	7.8%	10	38.0	46.0	51.0				31.0	38.0	37.0				36.0						$10,021	$1,611	$8,411
Koa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5000 Koa St	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 518-1161	714	46	15.5	68.8%	55 (7.7%)	207 (29.0%)	411 (57.6%)	8 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	30 (4.2%)	20.8	1901^st of 2240 public elementary schools	15.1%		13.6	2065^th of 2258 public elementary schools	8.5%	164	42.0	46.0	50.0				41.0	55.0	42.0				44.0						$12,484	$1,738	$10,747
Bridgeprep Academy Osceola County	Public, Charter	K-8	4851 Koa St	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 588-7976	837	36	23.2	83.0%	58 (6.9%)	301 (36.0%)	441 (52.7%)	17 (2.0%)	3 (0.4%)	6 (0.7%)	11 (1.3%)	12.5	2090^th of 2240 public elementary schools	6.7%		13.5	2069^th of 2258 public elementary schools	8.4%	21	39.0	47.0	51.0	46.0	43.0	61.0	32.0	40.0	26.0	30.0	29.0	41.0	28.0	52.0	61.0		91.0	77.0	$7,788	$408	$7,379
Poinciana Academy Of Fine Arts	Public	PK, KG-5	4201 Rhododendron Ave	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 343-4500	558	36	15.7	77.6%	36 (6.5%)	184 (33.0%)	313 (56.1%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	20 (3.6%)	21.6	1887^th of 2240 public elementary schools	15.8%		19.2	1935^th of 2258 public elementary schools	14.3%	48	50.0	37.0	54.0				44.0	34.0	43.0				49.0						$14,892	$2,305	$12,587
Deerwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3701 Marigold Ave	Kissimmee	34758	Osceola County	Osceola	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 870-2400	422	33	12.7	73.5%	29 (6.9%)	119 (28.2%)	262 (62.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (2.4%)	26	1763^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	21.3%		20.3	1898^th of 2258 public elementary schools	15.9%	135	41.0	49.0	53.0				47.0	58.0	52.0				44.0						$14,353	$1,584	$12,769
Eastside Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1820 Johnson Ave E	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 421-3254	725	34	21.3	77.0%	47 (6.5%)	179 (24.7%)	492 (67.9%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	14.6	2048^th of 2240 public elementary schools	8.6%		12.8	2084^th of 2258 public elementary schools	7.7%	36	36.0	45.0	36.0				47.0	50.0	41.0				38.0						$11,092	$1,550	$9,541
Bellalago Charter Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	3651 Pleasant Hill Rd	Kissimmee	34746	Osceola County	Osceola	Yes	No	No	Yes	(407) 933-1690	1,108	66	16.9	47.9%	212 (19.1%)	262 (23.6%)	536 (48.4%)	39 (3.5%)	3 (0.3%)	6 (0.5%)	50 (4.5%)	36.2	1497^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.2%		39.3	1378^th of 2258 public elementary schools	39.0%	119	60.0	60.0	54.0	60.0	62.0	55.0	53.0	47.0	55.0	55.0	36.0	50.0	43.0	49.0	80.0	96.0	93.0	68.0	$10,536	$651	$9,885

Frequently Asked Questions about Laurel Elementary School

Is Laurel Elementary School a good school?

Laurel Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.7% of Florida elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Laurel Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Laurel Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Lake Marion Creek Middle School
High : Haines City Senior High School

How many students attend Laurel Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,126 students attended Laurel Elementary School.

What district is Laurel Elementary School in?

Polk

What is the racial makeup of Laurel Elementary School?

Students at Laurel Elementary School are 47% Hispanic, 42% African American, 7% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.