Mill Creek Elementary School

Mill Creek Elementary School in Kissimmee, FL, serves 610 students in grades PK through 5 and is part of the Osceola school district, which ranks in the bottom 20% of Florida districts. After a challenging period during the pandemic that saw its state ranking drop to the 5th percentile, the school has shown a notable rebound to the 21st percentile in the most recent data, suggesting recent efforts may be gaining traction.

A standout strength at Mill Creek is its 3rd grade math performance, where 69% of students are proficient—higher than both the district and state averages. This outpaces nearby schools like Boggy Creek Elementary (52%) and Ventura Elementary (62%). However, the school faces a significant challenge in retaining that momentum: proficiency rates drop sharply from 69% in 3rd grade math to just 30% in 5th grade math, a decline far steeper than at comparable schools like Cypress Elementary, where 5th grade math proficiency actually exceeds 3rd grade. Chronic absenteeism is also a concern, with 37.3% of students missing significant school time, higher than at better-performing nearby schools such as Cypress (28.0%) and Boggy Creek (27.7%).

Interestingly, Mill Creek spends $12,549 per student—more than the state average—yet this funding hasn't translated into top-tier results, especially when compared to Renaissance Charter School at Tapestry, which spends less but ranks higher. The contrast with Oakshire Elementary, just 2.8 miles away in the higher-performing Orange district, highlights how district resources can shape outcomes. For parents, Mill Creek offers a promising start in early math but raises questions about how the school supports students as they move into upper grades.