Polk Times

Polk County School District had a decrease in student enrollment during the 2023-24 school year, according to the Florida Department of Education. Overall, there was a total of 157 students enrolled in the district in the academic year.

The most represented ethnicity among Polk County School District students was Hispanic, accounting for 40% of the student population.

Additionally, the largest portion of students in the district are enrolled in elementary school grades, making up 44% of the total enrollment.

Polk County School District covers 151 schools within Polk County, with its main office in Bartow.

Among the 151 schools in Polk County School District, Haines City Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of 2,914 students in the 2023-24 school year.

Meanwhile, Florida continues to face a teacher shortage in the 2023-24 school year. Despite some improvements, the state reported nearly 4,800 instructional vacancies at the beginning of the year. According to the Florida Department of Education, core subjects such as English, reading, and math among the areas with the highest demand for teachers.

According to the National Education Association (NEA), Florida ranked 50th in the U.S. for teacher pay in the 2022-23 school year, with salaries lower than they were a decade ago when adjusted for inflation.

Governor DeSantis's budget for the 2024-25 school year allocates nearly $38 billion for education, with $1.25 billion dedicated to teachers' salaries and other instructional personnel.

School	Total Enrollment
Haines City Senior High School	2,914
Ridge Community High School	2,666
Winter Haven Senior High School	2,553
George W. Jenkins Senior High School	2,517
Davenport High School	2,481
Bartow Senior High School	2,243
Lakeland Senior High School	2,057
Lake Gibson Senior High School	2,039
Kathleen Senior High School	1,951
Auburndale Senior High School	1,777
McKeel Academy of Technology	1,722
Lake Wales Senior High School	1,599
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy	1,573
Lake Region High School	1,554
Davenport School of the Arts	1,513
Horizons Elementary School	1,500
Shelley S. Boone Middle School	1,421
Mulberry Senior High School	1,399
Citrus Ridge A. Civics Academy	1,347
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	1,260
South McKeel Academy	1,199
Mulberry Middle School	1,176
Tenoroc High School	1,157
Lake Gibson Middle School	1,118
Loughman Oaks Elementary School	1,113
Jere L. Stambaugh Middle School	1,090
Sleepy Hill Middle School	1,087
Frostproof Middle/Senior High School	1,082
Laurel Elementary School	1,049
Lake Marion Creek Middle School	1,038
Sandhill Elementary School	1,017
Chain of Lakes Elementary School	1,008
Bartow Middle School	999
Navigator Academy of Leadership Davenport	994
Lena Vista Elementary School	963
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School	954
Crystal Lake Middle School	926
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred	911
Willow Oak School	902
Southwest Middle School	899
Walter Caldwell Elementary School	895
Lake Alfred Elementary School	880
Davenport Elementary School	880
New Beginnings High School	837
Kathleen Middle School	835
Wendell Watson Elementary School	835
Valleyview Elementary School	817
Discovery High School	812
Rochelle School of the Arts	803
Westwood Middle School	795
Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School	771
Spessard L. Holland Elementary School	769
Lake Alfred Polytech Academy	767
Sleepy Hill Elementary School	766
Alta Vista Elementary School	760
Dr. Ne Roberts Elementary School	749
Jewett School of the Arts	737
Denison Middle School	729
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy	723
Highlands Grove Elementary School	712
Eagle Lake Elementary School	697
Berkley Elementary School	696
Garden Grove Elementary School	691
R. Clem Churchwell Elementary School	686
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	671
Edward W. Bok Academy North	670
Hillcrest Elementary School	665
Eastside Elementary School	664
North Lakeland Elementary School of Choice	637
Dundee Elementary Academy	636
Palmetto Elementary School	636
Philip O'Brien Elementary School	633
Floral Avenue Elementary School	629
Bok Academy	627
Lake Shipp Elementary School	620
Clarence Boswell Elementary School	619
Jesse Keen Elementary School	614
McKeel Academy Central	610
Rosabelle W. Blake Academy	603
Elbert Elementary School	596
Griffin Elementary School	592
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet	587
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School	587
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary School	554
Frank E. Brigham Academy	551
James W. Sikes Elementary School	551
Spook Hill Elementary School	547
Polk City Elementary School	539
Bridgeprep Academy of Polk	535
Polk Avenue Elementary School	534
Bartow Elementary Academy	531
Pinewood Elementary School	530
Combee Academy of Design and Engineering	529
Lincoln Avenue Academy	522
Winston Academy of Engineering	520
Socrum Elementary School	515
Medulla Elementary School	503
Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School	499
Wahneta Elementary School	492
Kathleen Elementary School	480
Purcell Elementary School	474
Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary School	465
Polk Full Time Eschool	455
Scott Lake Elementary School	450
Crystal Lake Elementary School	448
Bethune Academy	430
Janie Howard Wilson School	430
Highland City Elementary School	415
Carlton Palmore Elementary School	413
Cleveland Court Elementary School	398
John Snively Elementary School	397
Inwood Elementary School	393
Union Academy	389
Southwest Elementary School	380
Oscar J. Pope Elementary School	378
Auburndale Central Elementary School	372
Language & Literacy Academy for Learning	341
Polk State College Collegiate High School	334
Dixieland Elementary School	325
Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School	314
Victory Ridge Academy	314
Alturas Elementary School	296
Roosevelt Academy	277
Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)	264
Mi Escuela Montessori	239
Cypress Junction Montessori	193
Magnolia Montessori Academy	178
Hartridge Academy	171
Compass Middle Charter School	161
Karen M. Siegel Academy	159
Achievement Academy	157
Ridge Technical Academy	143
Fresh Start Community School	133
Maynard A. Traviss Technical Academy	110
Lakeland Montessori School House	108
Bill Duncan Opportunity Center	85
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center	84
Gause Academy of Leadership	82
Jean O'Dell Learning Center	78
Don E. Woods Opportunity Center	65
Polk County Sheriffs Regional Detention Center	49
Transition School	41
Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy	39
Polk County Sheriff's Central Center	36
Lakeland Montessori Middle School	30
Hospital Homebound	28
Polk Virtual Instruction Program	28
Polk Halfway House	24
Pace Center for Girls	23
Polk Grad Academy	20
Ridge Teen Parent Program	10