Summary:
This analysis examines four elementary schools in Orlando, Florida's zip code 32804, which serve grades PK-5 (with one K-8 charter) and are part of the Orange County school district, offering a mix of traditional public and charter options with widely varying academic outcomes.
The standout schools in this area are Princeton Elementary and Orlando Science Elementary Charter, both earning 5-star ratings and ranking in the top 10% of Florida elementary schools. Princeton Elementary achieves top-tier results with moderate spending ($12,633 per student) and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (15.9%), while Orlando Science Elementary Charter spends the least ($9,970 per student) yet posts the highest ELA proficiency (85.7% average). In contrast, Lake Silver Elementary faces significant challenges with a 0-star rating, ranking in the bottom 6% of the state, despite having the highest per-student spending ($15,610) and the lowest student-teacher ratio (15.0). Orlando Science Charter School K-8 excels in advanced coursework, achieving 100% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 8th Grade Math, though its overall state rank is lower at the 84th percentile.
The most striking finding is that higher spending does not guarantee better performance—Lake Silver spends the most but performs the worst, while Orlando Science Elementary Charter spends the least and excels. Socioeconomic factors strongly correlate with outcomes, as the two top-performing schools have about 24% of students on free/reduced lunch, compared to Lake Silver's 68%. Chronic absenteeism mirrors performance, with Princeton's low rate of 15.9% contrasting sharply with Lake Silver's 30.6%. Overall, families in zip code 32804 have excellent options in Princeton and Orlando Science Elementary Charter, but should be aware of the stark disparities at Lake Silver, where additional resources have not yet translated into academic success.
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