Friendship Elementary School

Friendship Elementary School in Deltona, FL, is a PK-5 public school serving 429 students within the Volusia County School District, where a high percentage of families (73.66%) qualify for free or reduced lunch. Over the past decade, the school's state ranking has dropped significantly from the 59th percentile to the 28th percentile, and it now holds a 1-star rating, with academic performance consistently below both district and state averages across most subjects and grade levels.

The most pressing issue at Friendship Elementary is its chronic absenteeism rate of 38.5% for the 2023-2024 school year, which is the highest among all 10 nearby schools and far exceeds the state average of 31.4%. This directly impacts learning, as schools with lower absenteeism, such as Ivy Hawn Charter School Of The Arts (14.3%) and Timbercrest Elementary School (22.6%), achieve much higher test scores. For example, in 5th Grade Science, only 44% of Friendship students are proficient, compared to 64% in the district and 81% at nearby Volusia Pines Elementary School. Notably, the school spends $12,067 per student—more than high-performing peers like Osteen Elementary School ($10,334) and Ivy Hawn ($7,341)—suggesting that funding is not the root cause of the challenges.

Despite these struggles, there is a bright spot in 3rd Grade Math, where 62% of students are proficient, nearly matching the district average of 63%. However, the school's trajectory is declining while nearby schools like Osteen Elementary and Pride Elementary School are improving. Even Deltona Lakes Elementary School, just 1.96 miles away with a similar economic profile (63.34% free/reduced lunch), outperforms Friendship in nearly every subject and has a lower absenteeism rate (29.5%). This indicates that the school's issues are tied to its specific environment and culture, making attendance a critical focus for improvement.