Summary:
There are four elementary schools serving students in Orlando's 32806 zip code, including three K-8 schools within the Orange County district and one PK-5 charter school under the Osceola County district, with enrollment ranging from 206 to over 1,000 students.
Blankner K-8 stands out as the top performer, earning a 4-star rating and ranking in the top 13% of Florida elementary schools, with the lowest chronic absenteeism rate (17.6%) and the lowest percentage of economically disadvantaged students (26.2%). In contrast, Ucp Osceola Charter School faces significant challenges, with a 0-star rating, a 61.9% chronic absenteeism rate, and 64.6% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, despite spending the most per student at $23,064. Pershing School and Lake Como School both earned 3-star ratings, with Pershing excelling in advanced subjects like Geometry (100% proficiency) and Civics (93% proficiency), while Lake Como falls in the middle with a 29.8% absenteeism rate and 44.5% economic disadvantage.
A key takeaway is that higher spending does not guarantee better outcomes, as Ucp Osceola's high funding correlates with the lowest performance. Chronic absenteeism strongly tracks with academic results across all schools, and a notable "7th grade math slump" appears consistently across the three K-8 schools, suggesting a curriculum-wide issue rather than a school-specific problem. The zip code also reveals a district divide, with Orange County schools performing at or above state averages while the Osceola County charter school lags significantly behind.
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