ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The votes are in, and the message from parents is loud and clear. Families at Orange Center Elementary have decided to convert the school into a charter school. However, this will not be a traditional charter.
It would be a joint partnership between Orange County Public Schools and Lift Orlando, with both operating the school together, rather than a “School of Hope,” which allows a separate charter operator to run a school inside a public campus.
“One hundred eighty-five said yes, and 32 said no—an overwhelming majority wanting to see this school become a charter school,” one speaker said. “Now, several parents and staff are excited to see what the future will hold for their school.”
Cheers filled the school cafeteria Thursday night as Saleema Simmons, her children, and several other families celebrated the landslide vote.
“I’m excited about all the new changes that we haven’t seen yet. I’m excited about what’s to come,” said Simmons, a parent at Orange Center Elementary.
For Jaime Byrne, the approval opens the door for her first grader to stay at the same school through eighth grade. “By the time she hits fifth grade, it will already be K–8 and established—not just guinea pigs. We’re lucky,” Byrne said.
Arbitrators counted a total of 225 votes publicly Thursday in the school’s cafeteria.
185 votes for “yes” and 32 votes for “no.” Others were disqualified due to improper signatures or sealing.
Nearly 71% of the 318 eligible households participated, well above the 50% required by state law. Mark Shamley, community impact vice president with Lift Orlando, called the result a blueprint for the future.
“I think it’s going to be a model of how collaborations can take place between a place-based organization and the school district,” Shamley said.
OCPS and Lift Orlando say the partnership will allow Orange Center to remain a public school while both sides work together. The decision comes after a charter school just six minutes away — Legends Academy — permanently closed, displacing more than 200 students due to financial challenges.
Superintendent Maria Vazquez says she does not expect that to happen here.
“Their enrollment has actually increased over the past several years, and that is something we cannot say about neighboring schools and many of the schools in our district,” Vazquez said.
Lift Orlando plans to submit a charter application to the state and finalize other legal documents. The goal is for the Neighborhood School Initiative to take over by the summer. That group will include district leaders, Lift Orlando officials, and parents.