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Southwood Elementary

Q: Is Southwood Elementary a good school?

Southwood Elementary ranks 863 rd of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

863^rd

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 61% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Southwood Elementary is a public school in Orlando, FL, serving 481 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Orange school district. This school has a clear strength in early literacy, with 79% of 3rd graders proficient in English Language Arts (ELA) in the 2025-2026 school year—a rate that is 16 points above the district average and 19 points above the state average. This makes Southwood a standout for early reading skills, outperforming nearby schools like Endeavor Elementary (70%) and Wetherbee Elementary (74%) in this specific area.

However, the school faces a significant challenge in maintaining that momentum as students move into upper grades. Proficiency rates drop sharply from 3rd to 5th grade—a 22-point decline in ELA (from 79% to 57%) and a 24-point decline in math (from 79% to 55%). This pattern is more pronounced at Southwood than at top-performing neighbors like Endeavor, which keeps scores more consistent across all grade levels. On a positive note, 5th-grade science scores are a bright spot, with 63% of students proficient, matching or exceeding several nearby schools like Hunters Creek Elementary (74%) and Wyndham Lakes Elementary (74%).

Chronic absenteeism has been a persistent issue, though it has improved from 35.1% in 2021-2022 to 25.5% in 2023-2024. This rate is higher than at Wetherbee (21.5%) but lower than the district average (35.2%). Interestingly, Southwood spends more per student ($13,498) than several higher-performing nearby schools, such as Endeavor ($12,422) and Wetherbee ($10,309), suggesting that funding alone isn't the key to improving upper-grade results. For parents, Southwood offers a strong start in early literacy and science, but it's worth asking the school about its plans to support consistent academic growth through 5th grade.

481

Students ?

15.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,498

Per pupil spending ?

47.6%

Free/discounted lunch ?

12600 Bisted Dr
Orlando, FL 32824

(407) 858-2230

District: Orange

Students who attend Southwood Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	South Creek Middle
High:	Cypress Creek High

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

57.2%

African American:

17.7%

White:

14.3%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 65th percentile in 2016 → 61st in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Florida median (61st percentile)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school65%

District avg65%

Florida avg62%

863^rd of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Top 39%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From top 35% (2016) to top 39% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

71^st of 161Elementary Schools in the Orange

30^th of 70Orange among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	60.4	863 of 2240	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	68.1	686 of 2258	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	57.5	910 of 2256	59.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.0	771 of 2240	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	67.5	679 of 2219	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	59.0	890 of 2247	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2019	62.0	791 of 2182	63.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.1	798 of 2118	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2017	54.8	934 of 2112	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2016	64.1	730 of 2087	65.0%	★★★☆☆
2014	60.1	816 of 2064	60.5%	★★★☆☆
2013	46.6	1079 of 2029	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2012	60.0	793 of 1984	60.0%	★★★☆☆
2011	55.3	945 of 1985	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2010	45.6	1125 of 1919	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2009	43.2	1121 of 1847	39.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	34.8	1246 of 1789	30.4%	★★☆☆☆
2007	42.5	1090 of 1786	39.0%	★★☆☆☆
2006	49.6	872 of 1688	48.3%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

English Language Arts69%+8 vs state

Math63%~ state avg

Science63%+3 vs state

5.0

1 rating

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4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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Schools Near Southwood Elementary

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Biology 1 (2026)	EOC US History (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12600 Bisted Dr	Orlando	32824	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 858-2230	481	32	15.0	47.6%	69 (14.3%)	85 (17.7%)	275 (57.2%)	36 (7.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.4%)	14 (2.9%)	60.4	863^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	61.5%		68.1	686^th of 2258 public elementary schools	69.6%	177	79.0	72.0	57.0				79.0	58.0	55.0				63.0							$13,498	$879	$12,618
Wetherbee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	701 E Wetherbee Rd	Orlando	32824	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 850-5130	939	56	16.7	30.6%	124 (13.2%)	126 (13.4%)	568 (60.5%)	103 (11.0%)	7 (0.7%)	5 (0.5%)	6 (0.6%)	73.5	542^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	75.8%		69.7	649^th of 2258 public elementary schools	71.3%	107	74.0	69.0	69.0				75.0	73.0	68.0				71.0							$10,309	$724	$9,585
Meadow Woods Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	500 Rhode Island Woods Cir	Orlando	32824	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	Yes	(407) 858-3140	571	39	14.6	59.4%	34 (6.0%)	97 (17.0%)	420 (73.6%)	11 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (1.6%)	30.4	1656^th of 2240 public elementary schools	26.1%		41.9	1297^th of 2258 public elementary schools	42.6%	359	57.0	53.0	44.0				67.0	41.0	47.0				44.0							$14,310	$1,960	$12,351
Endeavor Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	13501 Balcombe Rd	Orlando	32837	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 251-2560	593	37	16.0	34.9%	100 (16.9%)	44 (7.4%)	406 (68.5%)	26 (4.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.5%)	77.5	443^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	80.2%		76.5	488^th of 2258 public elementary schools	78.4%	45	70.0	64.0	79.0				75.0	76.0	75.0				76.0							$12,422	$853	$11,569
Oakshire Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	14501 Oakshire Blvd	Orlando	32824	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 251-2500	465	30	15.5	48.4%	35 (7.5%)	41 (8.8%)	366 (78.7%)	15 (3.2%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	4 (0.9%)	55.7	997^th of 2240 public elementary schools	55.5%		62.3	818^th of 2258 public elementary schools	63.8%	179	56.0	59.0	68.0				67.0	59.0	64.0				68.0							$12,056	$782	$11,274
John Young Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	12550 Marsfield Ave	Orlando	32837	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 858-3120	617	41	15.0	47.0%	94 (15.2%)	58 (9.4%)	380 (61.6%)	60 (9.7%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.0%)	18 (2.9%)	44.1	1292^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	42.3%		54.4	1006^th of 2258 public elementary schools	55.4%	286	63.0	57.0	52.0				69.0	52.0	56.0				55.0							$13,097	$1,052	$12,045
Waterbridge Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	11100 Galvin Dr	Orlando	32837	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 858-3190	644	35	18.4	40.7%	82 (12.7%)	82 (12.7%)	455 (70.7%)	15 (2.3%)	2 (0.3%)	2 (0.3%)	6 (0.9%)	44.2	1291^st of 2240 public elementary schools	42.4%		36.9	1448^th of 2258 public elementary schools	35.9%	157	57.0	51.0	52.0				69.0	58.0	61.0				58.0							$10,515	$578	$9,937
Wyndham Lakes Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	14360 Wyndham Lakes Blvd	Orlando	32824	Orange County	Orange	No	No	No	No	(407) 251-2347	592	40	14.8	42.4%	74 (12.5%)	101 (17.1%)	377 (63.7%)	20 (3.4%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.0%)	55.7	993^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	55.7%		53.7	1020^th of 2258 public elementary schools	54.8%	27	65.0	62.0	73.0				58.0	53.0	60.0				74.0							$13,167	$936	$12,231
Sally Ride Elementary	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	9601 11th Ave	Orlando	32824	Orange County	Orange	No	Yes	No	Yes	(407) 858-3100	399	29	13.7	63.7%	59 (14.8%)	56 (14.0%)	254 (63.7%)	13 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.5%)	15 (3.8%)	22.2	1865^th of 2240 public elementary schools	16.7%		30.3	1639^th of 2258 public elementary schools	27.4%	226	53.0	46.0	39.0				52.0	45.0	44.0				50.0							$14,836	$1,821	$13,014
Renaissance Charter School At Hunters Creek	Public, Charter	K-8	4140 Town Center Blvd	Orlando	32837	Orange County	Orange	Yes	No	No	No	(321) 206-3103	1,501	86	17.4	55.0%	119 (7.9%)	65 (4.3%)	1,264 (84.2%)	43 (2.9%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (0.4%)	56.9	960^th of 2240 public elementary schools	57.1%		54.8	994^th of 2258 public elementary schools	56.0%	34	57.0	64.0	71.0	61.0	69.0	69.0	72.0	56.0	68.0	65.0	66.0	61.0	65.0	57.0	92.0	98.0	98.0	100.0	84.0	$8,601	$266	$8,335

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwood Elementary

What district is Southwood Elementary in?

Orange

What is the racial makeup of Southwood Elementary?

Students at Southwood Elementary are 57% Hispanic, 18% African American, 14% White, 7% Asian, 3% Two or more races.

How many students attend Southwood Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 481 students attended Southwood Elementary.

Is Southwood Elementary a good school?

Southwood Elementary ranks 863^rd of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What schools do graduates of Southwood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Southwood Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : South Creek Middle
High : Cypress Creek High

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2024–25 attendance dataNewAug 18, 2026

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.