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Orlando Area Schools
Public Schools – Early Education
Lake County
Lake County Public Schools is comprised of 38,000 students and 51 schools, including technical and specialty schools. Throughout the county in recent years, attendance has been an especially high priority — and with excellent results. Thanks to increases since 1999, average daily attendance at all schools exceeds 90 percent. New construction projects include Mascotte Elementary, Minneola Charter Conversion, Lake Hills and East Ridge, while renovations continue at most schools. Through a program called Exploratory Teachers, high school students can provide peer and cross-school tutoring.
Orange County
The Orange County Public School district teaches roughly 177,771 students at 161 elementary, middle and high schools, plus several alternative exceptional education schools. The district is the fifth largest in Florida and the 12th largest in the nation. Not coincidentally, a major facilities-expansion program is underway. Students come from 169 countries and speak 133 different languages and dialects. School Match, the nation’s largest school-selection consulting firm, has named the district a winner of the “What Parents Want” award. Only 15 percent of districts nationwide receive that honor. Also, Child magazine cited Orange County’s extensive variety of magnet programs as one of the reasons Orlando is the “fifth best city in the nation” to raise a family. Of the county’s 8,574 graduates in 2,082 received scholarships totaling $13.7 million.
Osceola
County
Osceola County Public Schools, accommodating more than 52,000 students, is the second fastest-growing school district in Florida. Each year, the student count increases by 1,500. There are 45 schools, including special education and vocational/technical facilities. A total of 17 schools in the district have earned the distinction of Five Star School by the Florida Department of Education for their efforts in community involvement. Celebration School has received similar notoriety as the only all encompassing K-12 school in Florida. Celebration School represents a unique public-private collaboration involving the Celebration Co. and Stetson University. With approximately 93,000 students, the school district is the eighth largest in Florida and among the 40th largest nationally. The district is the largest employer in Osceola County , with roughly 11,500 employees, half of whom are teachers.
Seminole County
Seminole County Public Schools ranks 11th statewide, serving more than 67,351 students at 59 schools and three special/alternative centers. In all, 113 countries are represented with 93 different languages spoken. For the past 25 years, Seminole district scores on the Scholastic Achievement Test have exceeded state and national averages. Money
magazine has identified Seminole as one of the top 100 school districts in the nation for offering high-tech education in a moderately priced community. The district has spent more than $450 million on renovation and construction of new schools in the past 10 years. In the past five years, more than $39 million has been spent on technology for the schools and classrooms.
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