Summary:
This analysis examines five elementary schools (serving grades PK-5) in zip code 32807, Orlando, FL, all within the Orange school district, which together serve a high-poverty community where chronic absenteeism is a systemic challenge.
Azalea Park Elementary is the standout performer, earning a 2-star rating and ranking in the 49th percentile—the highest in the area—while serving a student body where 70% qualify for free/reduced lunch. It is the only school to consistently score at or above district and state averages, with 5th-grade math proficiency (67%) exceeding both. In contrast, Ucp Downtown Charter is a specialized school ranking in the 0th percentile with near-zero proficiency rates, the highest chronic absenteeism (53.9%), and the highest per-student spending ($21,927), reflecting its unique mission serving students with disabilities. Engelwood Elementary showed the most improvement, with double-digit gains in 3rd and 4th-grade ELA, while Forsyth Woods Elementary saw its state ranking drop from the 33rd to the 20th percentile. Cheney Elementary falls in the middle of the pack.
Key takeaways: High poverty does not preclude high performance, as Azalea Park proves. Spending is not correlated with performance—the lowest-spending school (Engelwood at $12,844) showed the most improvement, while the highest-spending school (Ucp Downtown) had the lowest scores. Chronic absenteeism is a systemic issue, with all five schools exceeding the state average of 31.4%, and the two lowest-performing schools have the highest rates. Engelwood and Forsyth Woods, both 1-star schools with similar demographics, are on diverging trajectories, suggesting school-level factors drive change. Ucp Downtown Charter should not be compared academically to traditional schools due to its specialized population.
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