D
Polk County School District
Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 17 towns
Serves Lakeland, Winter Haven, Haines City, Bartow, Auburndale, Lake Wales, Davenport, Lake Alfred, Dundee, Fort Meade, Mulberry, Eagle Lake, Frostproof, Polk City, Lake Hamilton, Hillcrest Heights and Highland Park.
Students
116,440
Schools
166
Spent per student
$12,447
FL $13,006
Students per teacher
19:1
Free or reduced lunch
65%
Debt
$263.6M
fiscal 2024
What stands out about Polk County School District
- School Grade D: better than 12% of Florida districts
- Math proficiency 9 pts below the state
- Reading / language arts 9 pts below the state
- 19 students per teacher
- Enrollment up 11.8% since 2020
- Debt of $263.6M, about $2,264 per student
Where would my kid go?
The school path for Progress.
PK–52 elementary schoolsHillsborough County School District
6–8Progress Village Middle MagnetHillsborough County School District
9–12Spoto High SchoolHillsborough County School District
Test scores vs. FL
2020–21Math proficiency39%
State average 47.9%
Reading / language arts43%
State average 52%
Graduation rate (4-year)87%
State average 90.3%
Where the money goes
fiscal 2024$12,447 per student · 4% below FL
Spending
Classroom instruction 61%Support & administration 33%Other 6%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 37%State 44%Federal 19%
U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.
Enrollment over time
104,158’20
110,048’21
114,389’22
115,919’23
116,440’24
Up 11.8% since 2020.
Students
Hispanic 43%White 31%Black 21%Two or more races 3%Asian 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%
Schools in the district
166 public schools.
Horizons Elementary School
C1,543 students19:1
Bella Citta
1,459 students24:1
Davenport School of the Arts
A1,440 students17:1
South McKeel Academy
A1,200 students17:1
Loughman Oaks Elementary School
C1,179 students21:1
Laurel Elementary School
C−1,126 students20:1
Sandhill Elementary School
C−1,111 students19:1
Citrus Ridge A Civics Academy
C1,108 students17:1
Lake Alfred Elementary School
C+1,059 students19:1
Chain of Lakes Elementary School
A−1,007 students18:1
Willow Oak School
996 students16:1
Navigator Academy of Leadership Davenport
C977 students17:1
Davenport Elementary
C938 students25:1
Lena Vista Elementary School
C+915 students20:1
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School
B−899 students16:1
Walter Caldwell Elementary School
C−887 students16:1
Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary School
C853 students19:1
Spessard L Holland Elementary
B−843 students17:1
Fred G. Garner Academy
C−817 students18:1
Mater Academy Davenport
815 students17:1
Valleyview Elementary School
A783 students15:1
Alta Vista Elementary School
C780 students17:1
Wendell Watson Elementary School
B−764 students17:1
Rochelle School of the Arts
B+762 students15:1
Jewett School of the Arts
B−746 students17:1
Pinewood Elementary School
B−740 students17:1
Scott Lake Elementary School
A−735 students16:1
Eastside Elementary School
C−725 students21:1
Sleepy Hill Elementary School
C+711 students16:1
DR. Ne Roberts Elementary School
C+697 students21:1
Berkley Elementary School
A−696 students18:1
Highlands Grove Elementary School
A−691 students15:1
South Pointe Elementary
689 students22:1
Hillcrest Elementary School
B+667 students16:1
R. Clem Churchwell Elementary School
B−662 students16:1
North Lakeland Elementary School of Choice
C658 students17:1
Dundee Elementary Academy
B657 students16:1
Garden Grove Elementary School
B−652 students21:1
Eagle Lake Elementary School
B−644 students19:1
Philip O'Brien Elementary School
C−625 students20:1
Jesse Keen Elementary School
D621 students21:1
Bridgeprep Academy of Polk
613 students20:1
McKeel Academy Central
A610 students16:1
Clarence Boswell Elementary School
C+600 students15:1
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School
C593 students17:1
Floral Avenue Elementary School
C585 students15:1
Lake Shipp Elementary School
C576 students21:1
Spook Hill Elementary School
C−574 students17:1
Rosabelle W. Blake Academy
C+562 students18:1
Elbert Elementary School
C549 students19:1
Frank E. Brigham Academy
A547 students18:1
Polk City Elementary School
C+545 students18:1
Winston Academy of Engineering
A−536 students17:1
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary
C+531 students17:1
Bartow Elementary Academy
A−524 students15:1
Polk Avenue Elementary School
C523 students17:1
Socrum Elementary School
C+523 students18:1
Lincoln Avenue Academy
A+512 students15:1
James W. Sikes Elementary School
C+502 students14:1
Wahneta Elementary School
C−491 students18:1
Medulla Elementary School
C+488 students17:1
Combee Academy of Design and Engineering
C+479 students13:1
Palmetto Elementary School
C−479 students19:1
Janie Howard Wilson School
C+462 students16:1
Dale R Fair Babson Park Elementary
A−453 students16:1
Kathleen Elementary School
C453 students16:1
Purcell Elementary School
C438 students18:1
Crystal Lake Elementary School
D437 students16:1
Griffin Elementary School
C−431 students23:1
Bethune Academy
B430 students22:1
Inwood Elementary School
D423 students20:1
Highland City Elementary School
B−414 students15:1
Carlton Palmore Elementary School
B−402 students15:1
John Snively Elementary
C+396 students17:1
Southwest Elementary School
B−376 students12:1
Cleveland Court Elementary School
A374 students14:1
Auburndale Central Elementary School
C−371 students22:1
Oscar J. Pope Elementary School
C−365 students19:1
Dixieland Elementary School
C+344 students17:1
James E. Stephens Academy
D336 students15:1
Cypress Junction Montessori
B+317 students18:1
Mi Escuela Montessori
275 students13:1
Alturas Elementary School
B274 students14:1
Hartridge Academy
A200 students18:1
Magnolia Montessori Academy
A+182 students11:1
Lakeland Montessori School House
A+129 students14:1
Rcma Mulberry Community Academy
107 students15:1
Elementary - N Lakeland
0 students
Scenic Terrace K-8
0 students
Shelley S. Boone Middle School
D1,329 students27:1
Lake Gibson Middle School
C+1,149 students22:1
Lakeland Highlands Middle School
B1,118 students18:1
Mulberry Middle School
C1,058 students23:1
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred
B−1,039 students22:1
Jere L. Stambaugh Middle
D1,013 students22:1
Lake Marion Creek Middle School
D1,013 students20:1
Sleepy Hill Middle School
C−886 students21:1
Bartow Middle School
C881 students19:1
Crystal Lake Middle School
D753 students24:1
Southwest Middle School
C−746 students23:1
Kathleen Middle School
C−742 students19:1
Lake Alfred Polytech Academy
C+734 students20:1
Edward W Bok Academy North
B−726 students20:1
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy
B725 students20:1
Westwood Middle School
D712 students16:1
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
A704 students21:1
Denison Middle School
D684 students24:1
Bok Academy
B−640 students21:1
Berkley Accelerated
A622 students20:1
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet
B566 students22:1
Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School
C+506 students20:1
Union Academy
A−382 students19:1
Mater Academy Davenport Middle School
334 students28:1
Compass Middle Charter School
D−168 students19:1
McLaughlin Academy of Excellence
C−758 students24:1
Haines City Senior High School
D3,105 students25:1
Davenport High School
2,731 students26:1
Winter Haven Senior High School
C−2,648 students24:1
Ridge Community High School
D2,632 students23:1
George W. Jenkins Senior High
C2,469 students21:1
Bartow Senior High School
C2,276 students22:1
Lakeland Senior High School
C+1,985 students19:1
Lake Gibson Senior High School
D1,973 students21:1
Kathleen Senior High School
D1,861 students24:1
Auburndale Senior High School
C−1,770 students24:1
McKeel Academy of Technology
A1,750 students24:1
Lake Wales Senior High School
C1,597 students22:1
Lake Region High School
D1,568 students23:1
Mulberry Senior High School
C−1,451 students23:1
Tenoroc High School
D1,141 students24:1
Frostproof Middle/Senior High
C998 students15:1
New Beginnings High School
D−997 students66:1
Discovery High School
C898 students20:1
Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School
C+731 students16:1
Polk State College Collegiate High School
D−343 students69:1
Chain of Lakes Collegiate High
340 students49:1
Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Collegiate High Scho
D−296 students33:1
Roosevelt Academy
D−279 students13:1
Maynard A Traviss Technical Academy
D151 students22:1
Fresh Start Community School
105 students21:1
Ridge Technical Academy
D−103 students13:1
Gause Academy of Leadership
D−97 students6:1
Bill Duncan Opportunity Center
D87 students7:1
Don E Woods Opportunity Center
D82 students7:1
Pace Center for Girls
D−59 students10:1
Transition School
50 students
Polk County Sheriff's Central Center
D−45 students23:1
Polk Grad Academy
14 students
Ridge Teen Parent Program
11 students
Polk Virtual Franchise
0 students0:1
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy
A−1,581 students18:1
Polk Full Time Eschool
B−429 students
Language & Literacy Academy for Learning
D332 students26:1
Victory Ridge Academy
C−321 students13:1
Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)
D−215 students10:1
Karen M. Siegel Academy
B+175 students9:1
Achievement Academy
157 students7:1
Hospital Homebound
151 students76:1
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center
C−84 students6:1
Jean O'Dell Learning Center
B−81 students5:1
Polk County Sheriffs Regional Detention Center
D−58 students19:1
Polk Virtual Instruction Program
17 students
Gibbons Street PK Center
0 students
Haines City Headstart Center
0 students
Winter Haven Head Start
0 students
Navigator Academy of Leadership High School
0 students
Towns served
Nearby districts
Compare spending and schools next door.
District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES directory and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: EDFacts via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. Neighbor ratings are opinions.