Summary
Sunrise Elementary in Orlando, FL, is a mid-sized school serving 456 students in grades PK through 5 within the Orange district, and it has a strong track record of ranking in the top 20-25% of Florida elementary schools over the past decade. One of its standout features is exceptional early literacy and math performance, with 85% of 3rd graders proficient in both English Language Arts and Math in the 2025-2026 school year—significantly outpacing district and state averages. However, the school shows a "3rd grade peak" phenomenon, where proficiency drops in 4th and 5th grades, such as 5th grade ELA falling to 67% and Math to 70%, which is more pronounced than at high-performing peers like Timber Lakes Elementary (82% ELA, 80% Math in 5th grade) or Avalon Elementary (78% ELA, 80% Math in 5th grade).
Sunrise Elementary serves a relatively affluent student body, with only 24.12% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch in 2024-2025—the second-lowest rate among nearby schools, just behind Avalon Elementary at 19.17%. This rate has dropped dramatically from 36.89% two years prior, suggesting a demographic shift in the attendance zone. The school also enjoys a favorable student-teacher ratio of 13.8:1 and spends $15,359 per student, which is notably higher than top-performing rivals like Avalon ($12,399) and Timber Lakes ($11,306), yet it does not achieve the highest test scores in the area, raising questions about spending efficiency. Additionally, Sunrise maintains low chronic absenteeism at 16.5%, well below the district's 35.2% and state's 31.4%, which is a hallmark of a healthy school environment.
Despite its strong performance, Sunrise Elementary shows a slight downward trend in some test scores, such as 5th grade Science dropping from 74% to 66% over recent years, even as its state ranking improved to the 81st percentile. This suggests its relative success may partly stem from other schools declining faster. The school also highlights a stark socioeconomic divide in the area, as it is located just 1.27 miles from Camelot Elementary (42.57% free/reduced lunch) and 1.84 miles from Stone Lakes Elementary (28.36%), while schools with higher poverty rates like Lawton Chiles Elementary (65.21%) and Bonneville Elementary (62.4%) are only about 3.4 miles away and have significantly lower test scores and higher chronic absenteeism.
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