Palmetto Elementary School

Palmetto Elementary School in Poinciana, FL, is a small Title I school serving 479 students in grades PK-5 within the Polk County School District, which ranks in the bottom 20% of Florida districts.

The most critical challenge at Palmetto Elementary is an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 51.5% for the 2023-2024 school year, which is dramatically higher than the state average of 31.4% and significantly worse than nearby schools. For example, Reedy Creek Elementary School in the neighboring Osceola County district has a much lower absenteeism rate of 38.3% and far higher test scores, despite serving a similar percentage of students from low-income families. This absenteeism issue directly impacts academic performance, as Palmetto consistently scores below district and state averages in every subject and grade level. For instance, only 33% of 3rd graders were proficient in English Language Arts, compared to 53% for the Polk district and 60% statewide. Even more telling, Chestnut Elementary School for Science and Engineering, located just 0.45 miles away in Osceola County, has a 37.1% absenteeism rate and significantly higher math scores, suggesting the problem is tied to school-specific culture and support systems rather than just demographics.

Despite spending over $10,800 per student—more than some higher-performing nearby schools like Mater Brighton Lakes ($8,953) and Bellalago Charter Academy ($10,536)—Palmetto has not seen proportional academic gains. The school has a 0-star rating and ranks in the 7th percentile of all Florida elementary schools. While there was a slight improvement in 3rd-grade math proficiency (47%), overall performance remains stagnant, with 4th and 5th-grade math scores showing inconsistent trends. The data strongly indicates that the school's primary struggle is getting students into the classroom consistently, which undermines all other efforts to improve learning outcomes.