The top reported proficiency rate is 62% in Math. The lowest is 49% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Umatilla Elementary School
Umatilla Elementary sits on Lake Street a few blocks from the small downtown core of Umatilla, a slow-paced, semi-rural city in Lake County that markets itself as the Gateway to the Ocala National Forest. The school serves prekindergarten through fifth grade and draws a student body that is predominantly white, with a meaningful Hispanic population and a smaller share of Black students. Roughly half of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, making economic diversity a real part of the school's character. Data on English learners and students with IEPs was not available in what we reviewed.
On the Florida state assessments, the picture is mixed and worth a close look. Math results are the clearer strength: fifth graders perform solidly, and third and fourth graders show proficiency rates in the moderate-to-good range by Florida standards. Reading tells a more complicated story. Third and fifth graders score at roughly the same level as the school's stronger math grades, but fourth-grade ELA proficiency is noticeably lower, sitting well below the other grades and below what most families would hope to see. Parents may want to ask the school directly what's happening at that grade level and what supports are in place. Fifth-grade science proficiency sits just above the midpoint, suggesting a middle-of-the-road outcome there. No multi-year trend data was available, so whether these numbers are moving up or holding steady is not something the current data answers.
A comparison against other districts in Lake County was not possible in a meaningful way, because only one district serves the county and the cohort was too small to generate a relative ranking. Chronic absenteeism and graduation rate data do not apply here given the grade band served.
The housing market around Umatilla is noticeably more affordable than the Florida state average, with typical home values running below the statewide benchmark by a meaningful margin and below national norms as well. Values have dipped slightly over the past year, which is the opposite direction from the national trend. Rental data for the immediate area was not available. For families buying in, the cost of entry is relatively accessible by Florida standards, and Umatilla's high homeownership rate reflects that. The town is growing, driven by new residential subdivisions; publicly reported sources note that recent years have seen a wave of new single-family construction, particularly in developments to the south, though permit activity softened in the most recent year tracked.
The town itself is car-dependent. State Road 19 is the spine of daily life, lined with older commercial buildings still in active use, and the broader residential areas have a sparse suburban feel. Parks anchored by Lake Umatilla provide outdoor recreation options, and the Ocala National Forest is immediately to the north for families who value that proximity. The workforce leans toward construction, public administration, and food service, and no single large private employer dominates the local economy.
At the district level, Lake County voters in 2022 renewed a dedicated school safety tax that funds safety officers, nurses, and mental health staff including counselors, social workers, and psychologists across district schools. Publicly reported sources indicate that Lake County commissioners have placed a proposed additional millage on the November 2026 ballot to fund teacher pay and recruitment, a measure families in the area will want to follow. Florida's statewide cell phone ban during instructional time also applies here, changing the classroom environment in ways some families will view favorably.
For a family drawn to an affordable, small-town setting near natural amenities, with a school that shows genuine math strength and a student body that is economically and racially diverse, Umatilla Elementary has a real case to make. The fourth-grade reading gap is the data point that deserves a direct conversation with school staff before enrolling.
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