Elementary Schools in Volusia

This analysis examines 48 elementary schools in the Volusia County school district, which serves students from pre-kindergarten through 5th grade across a diverse range of communities, from beachside towns to inland suburbs.

The district’s standout performers are Coronado Beach Elementary School and Ormond Beach Elementary School, both 5-star schools ranking in the 96th percentile or higher statewide. Sweetwater Elementary School also earns 5 stars with remarkable consistency across all grade levels. In contrast, Holly Hill Elementary and Turie T. Small Elementary School are 0-star schools facing significant challenges, including chronic absenteeism rates near 50%. Sunrise Elementary School is a rising star, jumping from the 9th percentile to the 40th percentile over three years. A key finding is that higher spending does not guarantee better results: Ivy Hawn Charter School Of The Arts spends the least per student ($7,341) yet is a high-performing 4-star school, while Edgewater Public School spends the most ($15,062) but earns only 3 stars.

Chronic absenteeism is a critical district-wide issue, averaging 34.1%, but top schools like Debary Elementary School (16.5%) and Cypress Creek Elementary School (17.4%) keep rates far lower. The two highest-ranked schools are also among the smallest, suggesting smaller environments may boost achievement. The Reading Edge Academy presents a paradox: despite the lowest poverty rate (8.84%) and low spending, it is a 1-star school, contrasting sharply with the efficient model of Ivy Hawn. Most schools fall in the 2- to 3-star range, but performance varies widely within that group, from Timbercrest Elementary School (66th percentile) to South Daytona Elementary School (20th percentile).