Orange

The Orange County school district serves 266 schools in the Orlando area, including elementary, middle, high, and alternative schools, and is ranked in the 57th percentile statewide with a 3-star rating. The data reveals a wide performance gap, with top-tier schools like Orlando Science Middle High Charter achieving a 100% graduation rate and 90% ELA proficiency, while OCPS Academic Center For Excellence ranks in the 4th percentile with critically low test scores. High-performing schools such as Windermere High and Lake Nona High boast graduation rates above 99% and low chronic absenteeism, whereas Jones High and Oak Ridge High struggle with absenteeism rates exceeding 59% and significantly lower proficiency.

Key metrics show a district average graduation rate of 92.7%, slightly above the state average, but chronic absenteeism is a concern at 35.2%, higher than the state's 31.4%. Schools like Laureate Park Elementary and Whispering Oak Elementary excel with 5-star ratings and absenteeism below 12%, while Palmetto Elementary and Renaissance Charter School At Goldenrod face challenges with high poverty rates and low test scores. Per-student spending varies widely, from $5,850 at Innovation High to $14,912 at Pineloch Elementary, but higher spending does not guarantee success, as seen with OCPS Academic Center For Excellence spending $14,150 per student yet ranking low.

Interesting findings include a "middle school math dip" where proficiency drops from 6th to 7th grade at schools like Avalon Middle (84% to 40%) and Bridgewater Middle (77% to 68%). High graduation rates at schools like Oak Ridge High (95.9%) mask low academic proficiency, suggesting students may not be college-ready. Charter school performance is mixed, with Orlando Science Middle High Charter excelling while Renaissance Charter School At Chickasaw Trail lags. Geographic clusters show higher performance in Windermere and Lake Nona areas, while Pine Hills and downtown Orlando face more challenges.