Deltona Lakes Elementary School

Deltona Lakes Elementary School in Deltona, FL, serves 731 students in grades PK-5 and is part of the Volusia district, with 63% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch. This school stands out for its strong foundation in early grades, particularly in 3rd grade, where 66% of students were proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) and 65% in Math in the 2025-2026 school year—matching or exceeding district and state averages. However, a notable challenge emerges in 4th grade, where ELA proficiency drops sharply by 17 percentage points to 49%, a pattern that has persisted over recent years and is a key area of concern for parents to watch.

Despite spending $12,477 per student—the highest among nearby schools—Deltona Lakes ranks in the 49th percentile statewide, which is lower than several neighbors that spend less. For example, Timbercrest Elementary, just 2 miles away, spends $10,716 per student and ranks in the 66th percentile, with stronger performance across most subjects and lower chronic absenteeism (22.6% vs. 29.5%). Similarly, Volusia Pines Elementary spends $11,307 and ranks in the 68th percentile. This suggests that Deltona Lakes may need to reassess how its resources are allocated to improve outcomes.

On a positive note, the school has shown impressive progress in 5th grade Math, where proficiency nearly doubled from 30% in 2022-2023 to 57% in 2025-2026, and 5th grade Science remains a bright spot at 56% proficiency. Chronic absenteeism, while improved from 35.7% to 29.5%, is still higher than the state average and top-performing neighbors, which likely impacts overall achievement. For parents, Deltona Lakes offers a solid start in early grades but requires attention to the 4th grade transition and attendance to help students maintain momentum.