Summary:
This analysis examines the two public middle schools in zip code 32837 (Orlando, FL), Freedom Middle and Hunters Creek Middle, which serve grades 6 through 8 within the Orange school district.
Hunters Creek Middle is the clear standout, consistently outperforming Freedom Middle across nearly every metric. Hunters Creek holds a strong 4-star state ranking (73rd percentile), while Freedom Middle ranks much lower at 1-2 stars (27th percentile). Academic proficiency gaps are stark: in the 2025-2026 school year, Hunters Creek achieved 72% average math proficiency versus 41% at Freedom Middle, and 66% average ELA proficiency versus 50%. Hunters Creek also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (29.1% vs. 38.1%) and a smaller percentage of students eligible for free/reduced lunch (23.56% vs. 35.57%). Notably, both schools have nearly identical per-student spending (around $10,200) and student-teacher ratios (about 19.5:1), indicating the performance gap stems from factors beyond financial resources or class sizes.
A key takeaway is that math is a major challenge at Freedom Middle, particularly in 7th grade where only 28% of students are proficient. However, both schools excel in advanced math courses (Algebra 1 and Geometry EOCs), with 80-100% proficiency, showing that students in advanced tracks are well-prepared. While Hunters Creek Middle has maintained a stable, high ranking for three years, Freedom Middle has seen its ranking decline from the 33rd to the 27th percentile, a concerning trend. For families in this zip code, the choice between these two schools represents a significant difference in academic environment and outcomes.
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