Hispanic students made up 41.8% of Polk County schools enrollment in 2023-24 school year

Manny Diaz, Jr. Commissioner of education at Florida Department of Education | https://www.flbog.edu/member/21325/

By Polk Times

Feb 20, 2025

There were 48,098 Hispanic students enrolled in Polk County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 3.2% increase from the 46,602 Hispanic students in the previous school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Polk County welcomed a total of 115,142 students during the 2023-24 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 41.8% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 159 schools in Polk County, Haines City Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 1,712 students, making up 58.8% of the school's total student body.

Gov. DeSantis has approved an education budget of over $28 billion for the 2024-25 school year. The new budget includes more than $1 billion earmarked exclusively for teacher salaries to better address the teacher shortage the state faces.

A 2024 WalletHub study ranked Florida 49th in the nation for teacher salaries when adjusted for cost of living, making it one of the lowest in the U.S.

Ethnicities in Polk County in 2023-24 School Year

Enrollment in Polk County Schools During 2023-24 School Year

School name	% of Hispanic Students Enrolment	Total Enrollment
Haines City Senior High School	58.8%	2,914
Ridge Community High School	64%	2,666
Winter Haven Senior High School	32.8%	2,553
George W. Jenkins Senior High School	30%	2,517
Davenport High School	59.5%	2,481
Bartow Senior High School	30.5%	2,243
Lakeland Senior High School	29.1%	2,057
Lake Gibson Senior High School	32.3%	2,039
Kathleen Senior High School	41.8%	1,951
Auburndale Senior High School	33.9%	1,777
McKeel Academy of Technology	21.9%	1,722
Lake Wales Senior High School	34%	1,599
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy	42.4%	1,573
Lake Region High School	46.2%	1,554
Davenport School of the Arts	53.3%	1,513
Horizons Elementary School	63.6%	1,500
Shelley S. Boone Middle School	63.7%	1,421
Mulberry Senior High School	49%	1,399
Citrus Ridge A. Civics Academy	58.6%	1,347
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	28%	1,260
South McKeel Academy	20.4%	1,199
Mulberry Middle School	52.8%	1,176
Tenoroc High School	41.1%	1,157
Lake Gibson Middle School	33.9%	1,118
Loughman Oaks Elementary School	58.7%	1,113
Bella Citta Elementary School	61.7%	1,111
Jere L. Stambaugh Middle School	39.3%	1,090
Sleepy Hill Middle School	47.6%	1,087
Frostproof Middle/Senior High School	46.3%	1,082
Laurel Elementary School	51.1%	1,049
Lake Marion Creek Middle School	54%	1,038
Sandhill Elementary School	59.4%	1,017
Chain of Lakes Elementary School	33.7%	1,008
Bartow Middle School	30.8%	999
Navigator Academy of Leadership Davenport	77.6%	994
Lena Vista Elementary School	39.3%	963
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School	43.8%	954
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred	47.6%	911
Willow Oak School	57.4%	902
Walter Caldwell Elementary School	36%	895
Davenport Elementary School	64%	880
Lake Alfred Elementary School	45.9%	880
Crystal Lake Middle School	42.7%	865
Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary School	46.4%	856
Fred G. Garner Elementary School	39.2%	840
New Beginnings High School	48.3%	837
Wendell Watson Elementary School	30.8%	835
Kathleen Middle School	40%	835
Westwood Middle School	47.2%	829
Valleyview Elementary School	21.7%	817
Discovery High School	49.5%	812
Rochelle School of the Arts	24.7%	803
Scott Lake Elementary School	25.7%	777
Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School	52%	771
Spessard L. Holland Elementary School	28.9%	769
Lake Alfred Polytech Academy	44.5%	767
Sleepy Hill Elementary School	43%	766
Alta Vista Elementary School	65.3%	760
Dr. Ne Roberts Elementary School	35.4%	749
Southwest Middle School	39.5%	745
Jewett School of the Arts	23.3%	737
Denison Middle School	39.4%	729
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy	59.3%	723
Highlands Grove Elementary School	27%	712
Eagle Lake Elementary School	40.6%	697
Berkley Elementary School	21.7%	696
Pinewood Elementary School	43.8%	692
Garden Grove Elementary School	32.7%	691
R. Clem Churchwell Elementary School	36.6%	686
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	19.8%	671
Edward W. Bok Academy North	34%	670
Eastside Elementary School	67.4%	668
McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy	44.1%	666
Hillcrest Elementary School	25.7%	665
North Lakeland Elementary School of Choice	43.6%	637
Dundee Elementary Academy	50.6%	636
Philip O'Brien Elementary School	34.3%	633
Floral Avenue Elementary School	31.5%	629
Bok Academy	30.8%	627
Berkley Accelerated Middle School	23.1%	627
Lake Shipp Elementary School	31.9%	620
Clarence Boswell Elementary School	39.6%	619
Jesse Keen Elementary School	73%	614
McKeel Academy Central	22.1%	610
Rosabelle W. Blake Academy	27%	603
Elbert Elementary School	35.6%	596
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet	25%	587
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School	55.4%	587
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary School	34.3%	554
James W. Sikes Elementary School	34.3%	551
Frank E. Brigham Academy	26.1%	551
Spook Hill Elementary School	35.5%	547
Polk City Elementary School	30.2%	539
Bridgeprep Academy of Polk	65.2%	535
Polk Avenue Elementary School	43.6%	534
Bartow Elementary Academy	20.3%	531
Combee Academy of Design and Engineering	34.6%	529
Lincoln Avenue Academy	19.5%	522
Winston Academy of Engineering	30.8%	520
Socrum Elementary School	30.9%	515
Medulla Elementary School	39%	503
Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School	57.9%	499
Winter Haven Elementary 21c	37.4%	494
Wahneta Elementary School	86.2%	492
Kathleen Elementary School	33.8%	480
Purcell Elementary School	47.3%	474
Palmetto Elementary School	68.3%	473
Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary School	18.1%	465
Polk Full Time Eschool	36.5%	455
Bethune Academy	34.9%	430
Janie Howard Wilson School	42.1%	430
Crystal Lake Elementary School	43.5%	425
Highland City Elementary School	30.4%	415
Carlton Palmore Elementary School	26.9%	413
Griffin Elementary School	40.4%	411
Cleveland Court Elementary School	27.9%	398
John Snively Elementary School	57.2%	397
Inwood Elementary School	29%	393
Union Academy	21.6%	389
Southwest Elementary School	38.2%	380
Oscar J. Pope Elementary School	55.8%	378
Auburndale Central Elementary School	40.1%	372
Language & Literacy Academy for Learning	45.2%	341
Polk State College Collegiate High School	21.9%	334
James E. Stephens Elementary School	32.3%	328
Dixieland Elementary School	45.5%	325
Victory Ridge Academy	41.4%	314
Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School	29.9%	314
Alturas Elementary School	23%	296
Roosevelt Academy	46.9%	277
Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)	36.4%	264
Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Charter High School	27.2%	254
Mi Escuela Montessori	53.1%	239
Cypress Junction Montessori	23.8%	193
Magnolia Montessori Academy	23%	178
Hartridge Academy	33.9%	171
Compass Middle Charter School	41.6%	161
Karen M. Siegel Academy	46.5%	159
Achievement Academy	40.1%	157
Hospital Homebound	37.7%	151
Ridge Technical Academy	45.5%	143
Fresh Start Community School	43.6%	133
Maynard A. Traviss Technical Academy	35.5%	110
Lakeland Montessori School House	27.8%	108
Bill Duncan Opportunity Center	14.1%	85
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center	21.4%	84
Gause Academy of Leadership	37.8%	82
Jean O'Dell Learning Center	46.2%	78
Don E. Woods Opportunity Center	49.2%	65
Pace Center for Girls	17.5%	57
Polk County Sheriffs Regional Detention Center	30.6%	49
Transition School	41.5%	41
Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy	41%	39
Lakeland Montessori Middle School	40%	30
Polk Virtual Instruction Program	35.7%	28