— Homes in the attendance zone
Orange Center Elementary School
Grades K–5 · Orange County Public Schools · Orlando, FL
Rating
4/10
GreatSchools
Grades
K–5
Enrollment
306
Student : Teacher
16:1
Homes in the Orange Center Elementary School zone
Want the short list?
Live inventory filtered to this attendance boundary is rolling out alongside MLS integration. I can send a custom zone-filtered list in 24 hours — with honest notes on each home's schools, flood zones, and typical monthly all-in.
“Orange Center Elementary is an OCPS STEM magnet school in west Orlando serving Grades K-5, now in the process of becoming Central Florida's first public-private charter school through a partnership with Lift Orlando.”
Orange Center Elementary sits in the Orange Center neighborhood of west Orlando, roughly a mile from downtown and adjacent to the 32805 zip code corridor that runs along S. Orange Blossom Trail. The STEM magnet draws students from across the county by application — no transportation provided — and the school is known for its hands-on science and engineering focus. A January 2026 parent vote (82% in favor) and April 2026 school board approval set the school on a path to become Florida's first public-private charter school under Lift Orlando, with a K-8 STEAM academy expansion planned for 2029-2030.
Academic programs
- STEM Magnet — district-wide open application, Grades K-5
- Project Lead The Way (PLTW) — engineering design curriculum
- Gifted & Talented program
- Coding and Robotics
- Beginning Orchestra
- Chess
- Gardening / environmental science
- National Honor Society chapter
How to enroll
Orange Center is a district-wide STEM magnet school — any Orange County resident entering Grades K-5 may apply. The application window typically runs November through February for the following school year. Apply via the OCPS School Choice portal at ocps.net. Note: no transportation is provided; families arrange their own. A parent contract committing to the student code of conduct and attendance policy is required at enrollment. Students currently zoned for Orange Center retain guaranteed enrollment priority under the 2026 charter conversion.
What makes it stand out
The school's defining trait going forward is the Lift Orlando charter conversion — approved unanimously by the OCPS School Board in April 2026. Under the Neighborhood Schools Initiative, the school will integrate high-quality STEAM academics with wraparound services (early learning, afterschool, health care, and family housing resources) for the 32805 corridor. The model is guided by national partners including Purpose Built Communities and Harlem Children's Zone. By 2029-2030, the plan is to expand to a full K-8 STEAM academy.
Extracurriculars
- Robotics club
- Chess team
- Beginning orchestra
- Gardening program
- Coding lab
Frequently asked about Orange Center Elementary School
What neighborhoods are zoned for Orange Center Elementary?
The attendance zone covers the Orange Center community in west Orlando — roughly the area bounded by W. Colonial Drive to the north, S. Orange Blossom Trail to the east, W. Michigan Street / Holden Avenue to the south, and S. Kirkman Road to the west. Because Orange Center is a STEM magnet school, students from anywhere in Orange County may also apply by application, not just those in the zone. Zone-specific address lookup is at ocps.net/find-my-school.
How do I apply to the Orange Center STEM magnet?
Any Orange County resident entering grades K-5 can apply via the OCPS School Choice portal. Applications open in November and close in February for the following school year. The school does not provide transportation, so families need to arrange daily pick-up and drop-off. A parent participation contract is required. Zoned students receive enrollment priority, particularly under the April 2026 charter conversion, but out-of-zone magnet seats are also available.
What are home prices near Orange Center Elementary?
The 32805 zip code — which covers most of the attendance zone — currently has a median home price around $270K based on early 2026 data, with average days on market near 69 days. This makes the area one of the more affordable Orlando zip codes for families, with a mix of 1950s-60s ranch homes and some newer infill construction. For a zone-filtered list of current listings, ask Ben directly.
Is Orange Center Elementary safe?
Orange Center operates with standard OCPS security protocols — school resource officer, controlled campus access during the school day, and ID badge requirements. The surrounding Orange Center and west Orlando corridor has historically faced economic challenges; 76% of enrolled students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The Lift Orlando charter partnership was specifically designed to address wraparound community needs, including health care and housing supports for families in the 32805 zip code.
How does Orange Center Elementary compare to other OCPS elementary STEM schools?
Orange Center is the only dedicated STEM magnet elementary school in Orange County Public Schools, which makes direct peer comparison difficult. Other OCPS elementaries offer Project Lead The Way or magnet strands, but none are fully structured around a STEM identity the way Orange Center is. The school's GreatSchools rating of 4/10 reflects standardized test performance relative to state benchmarks — it does not capture the STEM-program depth or the community-integration mission that sets Orange Center apart.
Homes zoned for Orange Center Elementary School?
Tell me what you're looking for and I'll send a tailored list inside the attendance boundary — with honest notes on each one.