Poinciana Academy Of Fine Arts

Poinciana Academy Of Fine Arts is a public elementary school in Kissimmee, FL, serving 558 students in grades PK-5 within the Osceola school district, where 77.6% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school has historically ranked in the bottom 15-20% of Florida elementary schools, with a current state ranking at the 16th percentile, and faces significant challenges that set it apart from nearby schools.

The most pressing issue is chronic absenteeism, which affects 39.9% of students—far higher than the district average of 34.9% and much worse than nearby Bellalago Charter Academy (23.7%). This attendance crisis is strongly linked to low academic performance, particularly in math, where only 34% of 4th graders and 43% of 5th graders are proficient, compared to state averages of 65% and 62%. Despite spending $14,892 per student—more than the district average and significantly more than Bellalago Charter Academy ($10,536)—the school's results remain low, suggesting resource allocation issues. Interestingly, the school's fine arts focus does not provide an academic advantage, as its test scores are consistently among the lowest in the area.

There is a glimmer of hope in 5th grade, where 54% of students are proficient in English Language Arts (close to the district average of 56%) and 49% are proficient in science (nearly matching the district average of 51%), showing notable improvement from previous years. The school's closest neighbor, Koa Elementary School, faces similar challenges with comparable poverty rates and absenteeism, indicating these issues are reflective of the broader neighborhood. Meanwhile, charter schools like Bellalago Charter Academy and Mater Brighton Lakes achieve better results with lower absenteeism, suggesting that school culture and engagement strategies may be key to improvement.