Elementary Schools in Seminole

The Seminole County Public School District in Florida serves 42 elementary schools, offering a high-quality education for students from kindergarten through 5th grade, with some schools extending to 6th grade, across a diverse range of communities from affluent areas like Heathrow to higher-poverty regions like Sanford.

Standout schools in the district include Choices In Learning Charter, which is a clear academic outlier ranking in the 99th percentile statewide with 96% of 5th graders proficient in math and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate at 7.4%. Other top performers are Sabal Point Elementary School and Heathrow Elementary School, both ranking in the 95th percentile with strong math scores and low free/reduced lunch rates. At the other end, Pine Crest Elementary School and Wicklow Elementary School face significant challenges, ranking in the 14th and 19th percentiles respectively, with high free/reduced lunch rates above 86% and low test scores. Notably, Hamilton Elementary School shows strong improvement, jumping from the 52nd to the 74th percentile over three years.

Key metrics reveal a stark socioeconomic achievement gap, as schools with free/reduced lunch rates below 30% consistently rank in the top 15% of the state, while those above 80% rank in the bottom 20%. Chronic absenteeism is a critical warning sign, with the district average (25.3%) below the state average (31.4%), but struggling schools like Ucp Seminole Child Development (52.5%) and Idyllwilde Elementary School (36.3%) far exceed it. Per-student spending shows an inverse correlation with performance, as the highest-spending schools like Wicklow ($14,475) are among the lowest-performing, while the lowest-spending schools like Choices In Learning ($8,954) are top performers. A district-wide "5th Grade Math Slump" is evident, with proficiency dropping significantly from 3rd to 5th grade, and the 6th-grade math scores should be interpreted cautiously as they likely reflect advanced students taking the test early.