Summary:
Zip code 32703 in Apopka, Florida, is home to three high schools serving grades 9-12 within the Orange County Public Schools district, ranging from a large traditional public school to a small charter and a tiny alternative academy.
Wekiva High is the standout traditional performer, with 2,148 students and the highest state ranking in the area (34th percentile). It boasts an exceptional 96.9% graduation rate, well above the district and state averages, though its chronic absenteeism rate of 55.6% is high. In contrast, Sheeler High Charter faces severe challenges, with a 37.8% graduation rate, 76.8% chronic absenteeism, and a critically high student-teacher ratio of 41.6:1, leading to single-digit proficiency in Algebra 1 and 10th Grade ELA. Randall Academy is a unique outlier with only 15 students and a 3.7:1 student-teacher ratio, spending $37,253 per student—nearly four times more than the other schools—yet its limited test data and 66.7% absenteeism make its academic effectiveness hard to gauge.
A key takeaway is that all three schools have chronic absenteeism rates dramatically higher than the district average of 35.2%, suggesting a community-wide issue. While Wekiva High and Randall Academy achieve strong graduation rates, their high absenteeism likely depresses test scores. Sheeler High Charter’s crisis highlights how a high student-teacher ratio can drive poor outcomes, and Randall Academy’s high spending does not clearly translate into superior results, emphasizing that resource allocation matters more than raw expenditure.
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