Orange County Public Schools in Horizon West faced significant overcrowding issues in the 2021-2022 school year, but signs show improvement already occurring for the 2022-2023 school.
OCPS opened up three new schools in Horizon West to relieve overcrowding; Panther Lake Elementary, Hamlin Elementary, and Hamlin Middle.
As a result of the new schools and students being re-zoned to better balance enrollment, portables have been reduced at many schools in Horizon West. In total, OCPS has removed 94 portables throughout Horizon West for the 2022-2023 school year.
Portable breakdown by school:
| School | 2021-2022 (Total) | Projected for 2022-2023 (Total) | Notes |
| Bay Lake Elementary | 0 | 0 | No change |
| Castleview Elementary | 0 | 0 | No change |
| Independence Elementary | 4 | 6 | adding 2 for 2022-23 |
| Hamlin Elementary | 0 | 0 | No change |
| Keenes Crossing Elementary | 24 | 11 | Removing 13 in 2022-23 |
| Panther Lake Elementary | 0 | 0 | no change |
| Summerlake Elementary | 14 | 0 | removing 14 in 2022-23 |
| Sunset Park Elementary | 13 | 4 | removing 9 in 2022-23 |
| Water Spring Elementary | 17 | 17 | no change |
| Bridgewater Middle | 83 | 13 | removing 70 for 2022-23 |
| Hamlin Middle | 0 | 0 | no change |
| Horizon West Middle | 10 | 10 | no change |
| Water Spring Middle | 0 | 2 | adding 2 for 2022-23 |
| Windermere High School | 12 | 12 | no change |
| Horizon High | 0 | 8 | adding 8 for 2022-23 |
| Total | 177 | 83 |
The reduction in portables is a significant step forward by OCPS to improve the school environment for each child in Horizon West. The most significant reduction is at Bridgewater Middle, which removed 70 portables and has suffered from the worst overcrowding issues.
Independence Elementary and Water Spring Middle are both receiving 2 additional portables. Water Spring Elementary now stands with the highest number of portables out of all schools at 17. A new relief elementary school, Site 47-E-W-4, is on-schedule for 2024 inside of Waterleigh.
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