Schools in Winter Garden
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS), which serves Winter Garden, earned an "A" district grade from the Florida Department of Education for the third consecutive year in 2025-26. Within Winter Garden specifically, families choose between OCPS zoned schools like West Orange High School and well-regarded private options like Foundation Academy.
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Learn moreDistrict-Level Performance Is Strong and Improving
OCPS earned an "A" district grade for 2025-26, its third consecutive "A," per the Florida Department of Education (reported by West Orange Times & Observer). Within the district, 101 traditional schools earned an "A" rating in 2025-26, up from 96 the prior year, and 78% of schools received an "A" or "B" rating (up from 76% the year before); no OCPS schools received a "D" or "F" rating.
West Orange High School: Mixed but Generally Above-Average
West Orange High School, serving 2,752 students in grades 9-12, ranks in the top 50% of Florida public high schools (Public School Review) with a four-year graduation rate of 88-94.3% over recent years, above district and state averages. On 2024-25 state assessments, math proficiency was 40% (below the Florida average of 52%) while reading/language arts proficiency was 60% (above the state average of 52%); Biology 1 and U.S. History proficiency ran notably higher at 80% and 83% respectively. One concern: chronic absenteeism has run 30.9-35.8% over recent years, significantly above the state average -- worth noting alongside the otherwise favorable academic figures.
Foundation Academy: A Strong Private Option With Local Campuses
Foundation Academy, a Christian private school ranked in the top 20% of Florida private schools (Private School Review), serves about 1,110 students PreK-12 across three campuses, including the Plant Street campus in downtown Winter Garden (PreK-5) and the Tilden campus in south Winter Garden (grades 6-12). It reports a 100% graduation rate, 100% college placement since 2010, Blue Ribbon School recognition in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and average standardized test scores of an 1,220 SAT and 26 ACT.
Verify School Zoning Before Buying
Because Winter Garden spans multiple OCPS attendance zones and sits near the growing Horizon West corridor (which has its own newer, highly rated schools), always confirm the exact zoned elementary, middle, and high school for a specific address using the OCPS school locator before buying or renting -- zoning can vary meaningfully within the city.
Key takeaways
- Orange County Public Schools earned its third consecutive "A" district grade for 2025-26 from the Florida Department of Education, with 78% of district schools rated "A" or "B" and none rated "D" or "F."
- West Orange High School ranks in the top 50% of Florida high schools with above-average graduation rates (88-94.3%), but chronic absenteeism (30.9-35.8%) runs well above the state average -- a real caveat alongside the otherwise strong figures.
- Foundation Academy, a private Christian school with a downtown Winter Garden campus, ranks in the top 20% of Florida private schools with a 100% graduation rate and Blue Ribbon recognition in 2023-2025.
- Always verify the specific zoned schools for an address using the OCPS locator -- Winter Garden spans multiple attendance zones near the fast-growing Horizon West corridor.
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