Creating a great school takes more than dedicated educators. It also requires stability, trust, and a shared vision. At Orange Center Elementary in Orlando’s West Lakes neighborhood, building and sustaining long-term progress required a strong foundation that could endure over time. Research has consistently shown that frequent changes in school leadership can disrupt student achievement, teacher retention, and overall school improvement.
For more than a decade, Lift Orlando has worked alongside residents and partners to create pathways to prosperity in the Communities of West Lakes and surrounding neighborhoods. As a Community Quarterback Organization in the Purpose Built Communities Network, Lift Orlando has long recognized that educational opportunity is essential to helping children and families thrive.
When the opportunity arose to rethink the future of Orange Center Elementary, Lift Orlando saw the chance to build something that reflected the aspirations of the community it serves.
Building a Shared Vision
Rather than pursuing change alone, Lift Orlando joined forces with Orange County Public Schools, educators, families, residents, and community partners to imagine what a school designed around long-term student success could look like.
The process formally took shape in July 2024, when Lift Orlando and Orange County Public Schools reached a verbal agreement to explore transitioning Orange Center Elementary into a public charter school. As the work evolved, Lift Orlando established the Neighborhood Schools Initiative to lead the transition and provide dedicated oversight for the school. Over the following two years, the Neighborhood Schools Initiative worked alongside Orange County Public Schools and community partners to guide governance development, community engagement, and an extensive school redesign process, creating a model that reflected both the needs of students and the aspirations of neighborhood families.
To provide dedicated leadership and oversight, Lift Orlando established the Neighborhood Schools Initiative, a nonprofit created to oversee the academy’s operations and support its long-term success while ensuring the school remains deeply connected to the community it serves.
The transition is about more than a new name. It represents a new approach to supporting students through stable leadership, innovative instruction, and strong community partnerships.
Students and families will benefit from:
- An expanded STEAM-focused curriculum that prepares students for future opportunities
- Wraparound supports that address academic, social, and family needs
- A community-centered campus designed to strengthen connections between school and neighborhood
- Greater flexibility to innovate while remaining accountable for student outcomes
- Continued collaboration with Orange County Public Schools to ensure students receive a high-quality public education
Turning Vision into Reality
Transforming a neighborhood school required thoughtful planning, deep collaboration, and meaningful community engagement.
Following months of conversations with families, educators, and community stakeholders, 82 percent of participating families voted in favor of the transition in January 2026, demonstrating strong support for the new vision.
Just a few months later, the Orange County Public Schools Board unanimously approved the school’s charter for the 2026–2027 school year in April 2026, paving the way for Orange Center STEAM Academy to welcome students when it opens in August 2026.
The academy also plans to expand in the future to serve students through eighth grade, creating greater continuity for neighborhood families as children progress through their educational journey.
The Power of Partnership
While Lift Orlando has led this work locally, the transformation reflects the power of partnership at every level.
Through the Purpose Built Communities Network, Lift Orlando received strategic support throughout the planning and implementation process, including governance development, project management, leadership capacity, strategic alignment, and connections to national partners such as Transcend. These resources helped strengthen the foundation needed to bring the community’s vision to life while allowing local leaders to remain at the forefront of the work.
The journey to Orange Center STEAM Academy demonstrates what is possible when residents, educators, nonprofit leaders, and public institutions work toward a shared goal.
As students walk through the doors of Orange Center STEAM Academy this August, they won’t simply be entering a new school. They’ll be stepping into a community-driven vision for educational excellence. This vision is one shaped by families, supported by partners, and championed by Lift Orlando.
When communities come together around great schools, they’re not just improving educational outcomes. They’re helping create stronger neighborhoods where every child has the opportunity to thrive.
