Summary:
Zip code 32763 in Orange City, FL, is home to two public elementary schools—Manatee Cove Elementary School and Orange City Elementary School—both serving grades PK-5 as part of the Volusia County School District, which holds a 3-star rating and ranks in the 51st percentile statewide.
Manatee Cove Elementary stands out as the higher-performing school in the area, with a larger enrollment of 787 students and a state ranking that has fluctuated but reached the 48th percentile in 2024-2025 before dropping to the 27th percentile. It outperforms Orange City Elementary in most academic metrics, including 4th-grade ELA (55% vs. 45%) and 4th-grade math (60% vs. 51%), and posted an impressive 72% proficiency in 3rd-grade math in 2024-2025. Orange City Elementary, with 594 students, has consistently ranked in the bottom 28% of Florida elementary schools over three years, earning a 1-star rating. Despite spending $10,737 per student—$523 more than Manatee Cove—and having a lower student-teacher ratio of 14.1:1, it underperforms academically, likely due to a higher poverty rate (66.84% free/reduced lunch) and elevated chronic absenteeism (35.2% vs. the state average of 31.4%).
Chronic absenteeism is a critical concern for both schools, exceeding the state average and directly impacting learning. Performance varies by grade level; for instance, Orange City Elementary outperformed Manatee Cove in 3rd-grade ELA (55% vs. 48%) and math (56% vs. 53%), while Manatee Cove excelled in 4th grade. Manatee Cove’s 3rd-grade math spike in 2024-2025 highlights its potential, though its subsequent drop to 53% warrants attention. Overall, Manatee Cove offers a stronger academic trajectory, while Orange City Elementary faces systemic challenges that resources alone have not overcome.
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