The top reported proficiency rate is 60% in Science. The lowest is 51% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Moore Haven Elementary School
Moore Haven Elementary School is the sole elementary school serving pre-kindergarten through fifth grade in Moore Haven, a small rural county-seat town on the southwest shore of Lake Okeechobee. The school sits within the Glades County School District, one of Florida's smallest districts, and draws students from a community whose economy runs on agriculture, cattle, and sugar production, with government and education as the main institutional employers in town.
The student body is ethnically diverse, with Hispanic students making up a majority, white students a substantial share, and Black students a smaller but meaningful portion. A meaningful share of families qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting an economic context where local median household income runs well below Florida averages and poverty rates are publicly reported as notably high. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in what was provided.
State FAST assessment results for the 2024-25 school year give a mixed picture. In reading and language arts, proficiency runs near or just below half in fourth grade, with third and fifth grade somewhat higher. Math results follow a similar pattern, with third and fifth grade performing in the upper half of Florida's proficiency range, while fourth grade falls considerably lower. Fifth-grade science results land roughly in line with third and fifth grade math and reading. Trend data across years was not available, so whether these scores reflect improvement, stability, or decline is unclear; a parent asking about trajectory would want to raise that directly with the school. Because the comparison universe in Glades County contains only this one district, a meaningful peer comparison could not be generated.
The most pressing context for any family evaluating this school is the district's financial situation. Publicly reported news coverage describes Glades County School District as having entered a state-declared financial emergency in 2026, after its reserves dropped below the threshold Florida requires. The state has appointed a financial oversight board. Heading into the current school year the district had already eliminated dozens of positions and cut substantially from its budget, with declining enrollment cited as a contributing driver of the fiscal stress. A half-cent sales tax measure is headed to Glades County voters in November 2026; if approved, it would fund facility upgrades, technology, and security, and would sunset after a fixed period. The outcome of that vote will bear directly on conditions at this school. A parent would want to ask school and district staff specifically how budget decisions have affected staffing and programs at Moore Haven Elementary, since the data here does not break that down to the school level.
Housing in the Moore Haven area is well below Florida's statewide median and national median home values, making it one of the more affordable places to buy in the state in absolute terms, though the local income picture means affordability is relative. Home values have softened slightly year over year, consistent with broader Florida trends. Rental data for this specific area was not available. The town is car-dependent with no fixed-route public transit, and U.S. 27 serves as the main artery in and out.
Moore Haven itself is a quiet, small-town environment built around the river and the lake. The civic core includes the historic county courthouse, the public library on Riverside Drive, and a river walk along the Caloosahatchee. The Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail passes through town. By public accounts it is a calm, low-activity place with limited commercial activity, which shapes the day-to-day environment for families living there.
Program details for the school were not available in the data provided, so what enrichment, intervention, or specialty offerings exist beyond the core curriculum cannot be characterized here.
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