Elementary Schools in Hendry

The six elementary schools in Hendry County, serving grades PK-5, are located in a district ranked 59th out of 70 in Florida, with all schools facing high levels of economic disadvantage as indicated by free/reduced lunch rates above 62%.

Among these schools, Central Elementary School in Clewiston stands out as the top performer, consistently earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the 65th percentile statewide. It leads the district in science proficiency (71%) and has the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (26.3%). In contrast, Country Oaks Elementary School in Labelle is the only school yet to achieve a 3-star rating, remaining in the bottom 40% of Florida elementary schools. The most dramatic story is Labelle Elementary School, which made a remarkable turnaround from the 8th percentile (0 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 58th percentile (3 stars) in 2025-2026, despite having the highest chronic absenteeism rate (37.4%) and highest spending per student ($13,485). A clear geographic divide exists: the three Clewiston schools (Central, Westside, and Eastside) consistently outperform the three Labelle schools (Country Oaks, Edward A. Upthegrove Elementary, and Labelle Elementary) in nearly every metric.

Key takeaways for parents: Math is a district-wide strength, with all schools outperforming state averages in several grade levels, while English Language Arts remains a significant weakness. Chronic absenteeism is a major barrier, with the district average (33.8%) exceeding the state average (31.4%), and schools with lower absenteeism, like Central and Upthegrove, show more consistent improvement. Interestingly, higher spending per student does not guarantee better performance, as Labelle Elementary spends the most but has volatile results, while Country Oaks spends the least and ranks lowest. This suggests that factors like instructional quality and community support are critical to a school's success.