By Ken Pozek, Jim Carchidi
July 6, 2026
Central Florida schools are coming off a successful academic year, according to Florida Department of Education School Accountability Reports. The 2025/26 assessments show marked improvements with 76% of all Florida schools earning A or B grades, up from 71% last year. The number of public schools with a D grade fell from 61 to 24. Seven received failing grades, down from nine in 2025.
No grades below a C were reported at any Orange, Seminole, or Lake County schools. In Osceola County, Highlands Elementary public school received a D while one charter school received a D and two more received failing grades.
Making the grade
School grades are calculated through point-based rankings on twelve components that include the following:
- Achievement Components: Passing rates in assessments for English Language Arts (ELA), Grade 3 ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
- Learning gains: Year to year progress in ELA, Math, Science and Social Studies with additional emphasis on the lowest-performing 25% of students in each component.
- Graduation and acceleration: High school graduation rates and student success in accelerated and advanced programs.
Each component is worth 100 points in the overall calculation. Grade scale percentages are as follows:
Elementary schools: A = 62% or higher; B = 54% to 61%; C = 41% to 53%; D = 32% to 40%; F = 31% of points or less
Middle schools: A = 64% or higher; B = 57% to 63%; C = 44% to 56%; D = 34% to 43%; F = 33% or less
High schools: A = 65% or higher; B = 60% to 64%; C = 45% to 59%; D = 35% to 44%; F = 34% or less.
Top schools
Of the top 20 non-charter schools with the biggest year-over-year improvements in 2026, 10 improved from a C to an A grade. One school jumped from a D to a B and nine went from a B to an A. The list is as follows with each respective county indicated:
C grade to A grade:
- Eccleston Elementary: Orange
- Brookshire Elementary: Orange
- East Lake Elementary: Osceola
- Catalina Elementary: Orange
- Lakeview Elementary: Osceola
- Scott Lake Elementary: Polk
- Garden Grove Elementary: Polk
- Spring Lake Elementary: Seminole
- Sunrise Elementary: Volusia
- Pineloch Elementary: Orange
D grade to B grade:
- Dixieland Elementary School: Polk
B grade to A grade:
- Lakemont Elementary: Orange
- Pride Elementary School: Volusia
- Water Spring Elementary: Orange
- Deerwood Elementary: Orange
- Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School: Polk
- Highlands Elementary School: Seminole
- Volusia Pines Elementary School: Volusia
- Umatilla High School: Lake
- Riverdale Elementary: Orange
The complete list of Florida School Accountability Reports is available here.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
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