Ivey Lane Elementary

Ivey Lane Elementary in Orlando, FL, is a small, high-poverty school serving 284 students from Pre-K through 5th grade, and it is currently in the midst of a promising academic turnaround that has seen its state ranking jump to the 48th percentile—its highest in over a decade.

The most striking differentiator for Ivey Lane is its exceptional performance in mathematics. In the 2025-2026 school year, 73% of 3rd graders and 71% of 5th graders were proficient in math, significantly outpacing both the Orange district and state averages, and ranking among the highest of nearby schools like Pine Hills Elementary and Orlo Vista Elementary. This strength extends to science, where 5th graders have outperformed the state for three consecutive years, reaching 68% proficiency. However, English Language Arts (ELA) remains a critical area for growth, with 4th-grade proficiency at just 38%—a 35-point gap behind the district. The school also invests heavily in its students, spending $16,853 per pupil, a figure comparable to high-performing Rock Lake Elementary but notably higher than many peers.

Despite these impressive gains, Ivey Lane faces significant challenges. Chronic absenteeism is alarmingly high at 43.8%, among the worst in the area and a major barrier to consistent learning, especially in reading. The school’s recent success in math and science is even more remarkable given this headwind. While high spending alone doesn't guarantee success—as seen at Washington Shores Elementary, which has similar funding but lower rankings—Ivey Lane’s focused strategy appears to be working. The key question is whether the school can replicate its math and science success in ELA while tackling its attendance crisis to sustain its upward trajectory.