Country Oaks Elementary School

Country Oaks Elementary School in Labelle, FL, serves 935 students in grades PK-5 and is part of the Hendry district, a high-poverty area where 62% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This school stands out for its strong and consistent math performance across all elementary grades, particularly in 5th grade where 62% of students are proficient—matching the state average and outperforming the district. It has also shown dramatic improvement in English Language Arts (ELA), with 3rd grade proficiency jumping from 33% to 61% over three years, now exceeding the state average. This upward trend is not seen in nearby schools like Labelle Elementary, which has higher spending but a more uneven academic profile.

Despite these gains, Country Oaks faces a persistent challenge with chronic absenteeism, which was 34.3% in 2023-2024—far higher than the district average and a key factor holding back further improvement. In contrast, West Glades School, just 4 miles away in the Glades district, has a much lower absenteeism rate of 23.5% and significantly higher test scores, serving as a benchmark for what is achievable in the area. Country Oaks operates with relatively low per-student spending ($9,932) compared to peers like Labelle Elementary ($13,485), yet it is showing stronger academic improvement, suggesting effective instructional strategies are in place despite resource constraints.

The school’s ranking has recovered from a low point in 2022-2023 (18th percentile) to the 38th percentile, earning a 2-star rating. While it still lags behind the state average in most subjects, the consistent improvement in math and ELA indicates a clear upward trajectory. The primary obstacle to reaching the next level is tackling chronic absenteeism, which remains the single biggest barrier to sustaining this momentum and closing the gap with top-performing schools in the region.