Summary:
In zip code 32835, Orlando, FL, there are two high schools—Olympia High and Sunshine High School-Greater Orlando Campus—serving grades 9-12 and 7-12 respectively, within the Orange school district, which is ranked 30th out of 70 districts in Florida.
These two schools represent a stark contrast in educational environments. Olympia High is a large, traditional public school with 2,901 students and a strong academic reputation, earning a 3-star rating and ranking in the top 40% of Florida high schools. It boasts a high graduation rate of 95.1% and performs at or above district and state averages in subjects like US History (76% proficiency) and Biology. In contrast, Sunshine High School-Greater Orlando Campus is a much smaller school (395 students) that is ranked in the bottom 5-9% of Florida high schools with a 0-star rating. It faces severe challenges, including a very low graduation rate of 32.3%, extremely high chronic absenteeism at 77.7%, and test scores drastically below district averages—such as 5% proficiency in Algebra 1 and 0% in 9th Grade ELA.
Key findings highlight a paradox: Sunshine High actually spends more per student ($9,458) than Olympia High ($8,445), yet its outcomes are dramatically worse, suggesting challenges rooted in factors like chronic absenteeism and a high student-teacher ratio of 43.8:1. While Olympia High is the standout school in the area, it also has areas for improvement, such as a chronic absenteeism rate of 45.6% (above the state average of 31.4%) and Algebra 1 proficiency (40%) well below the district average (63%). Overall, zip code alone is not a reliable indicator of school quality, as these two schools offer vastly different experiences for families.
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