Chestnut Elementary School For Science And Engineering

Chestnut Elementary School For Science And Engineering in Kissimmee, FL, is a public school serving 729 students from Pre-K through 5th grade within the Osceola County School District, where 67% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This school is in the midst of a remarkable turnaround, jumping from the 17th percentile statewide in 2022-2023 to the 41st percentile in 2025-2026—its highest ranking in nearly a decade. This 24-percentile-point improvement is the largest positive swing among all nearby schools, making Chestnut a standout for academic momentum in the area.

One of Chestnut’s biggest strengths is its upper elementary math program. In the most recent testing year, 5th-grade math proficiency reached 60%, which is significantly higher than the district average of 49% and nearly matches the state average of 62%. This outperforms many neighboring schools, such as Koa Elementary School (42%) and Palmetto Elementary School (39%). Interestingly, Chestnut achieves these results while spending less per student ($12,086) than lower-performing nearby schools like Poinciana Academy Of Fine Arts ($14,892) and Deerwood Elementary School ($14,353), suggesting efficient use of resources.

Despite its name, Chestnut’s 5th-grade science proficiency (54%) falls below the state average (60%) and is lower than Reedy Creek Elementary School (61%), a school without a specialized science focus. The school also faces a persistent challenge with chronic absenteeism, which stood at 37.1% in 2023-2024—higher than the state average of 31.4%. Still, Chestnut’s recent gains are impressive, especially when compared to its closest neighbor, Palmetto Elementary (just 0.45 miles away in the Polk district), which ranks in the 7th percentile. This shows that strong school leadership can drive improvement even in high-poverty areas.