Asian enrollment rises in Polk County schools during 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 21, 2025

There were 1,404 Asian students enrolled in Polk County schools in the 2023-24 school year, a 2.2% increase from the 1,374 Asian 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, Asian students comprised 1.2% of the student body to be the least represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 159 schools in Polk County, Bartow Senior High School recorded the highest enrollment of Asian students in the 2023-24 school year, with a total of 97 students, making up 4.3% 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 Asian Students Enrolment	Total Enrollment
Haines City Senior High School	1.5%	2,914
Ridge Community High School	1.4%	2,666
Winter Haven Senior High School	1.7%	2,553
George W. Jenkins Senior High School	3.2%	2,517
Davenport High School	1.7%	2,481
Bartow Senior High School	4.3%	2,243
Lakeland Senior High School	1.7%	2,057
Lake Gibson Senior High School	1.4%	2,039
Kathleen Senior High School	1.1%	1,951
Auburndale Senior High School	1%	1,777
McKeel Academy of Technology	3.5%	1,722
Lake Wales Senior High School	1.8%	1,599
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy	3.1%	1,573
Lake Region High School	0.7%	1,554
Davenport School of the Arts	1.7%	1,513
Horizons Elementary School	1.3%	1,500
Shelley S. Boone Middle School	0.8%	1,421
Citrus Ridge A. Civics Academy	1%	1,347
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	3.3%	1,260
South McKeel Academy	5.8%	1,199
Lake Gibson Middle School	1.9%	1,118
Loughman Oaks Elementary School	1.4%	1,113
Bella Citta Elementary School	1.7%	1,111
Sleepy Hill Middle School	1.7%	1,087
Laurel Elementary School	1.4%	1,049
Sandhill Elementary School	1.2%	1,017
Chain of Lakes Elementary School	5.9%	1,008
Navigator Academy of Leadership Davenport	1.2%	994
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School	1.6%	954
Davenport Elementary School	1.3%	880
Lake Alfred Elementary School	1.5%	880
Valleyview Elementary School	7.1%	817
Scott Lake Elementary School	3.3%	777
Spessard L. Holland Elementary School	2.2%	769
Dr. Ne Roberts Elementary School	1.3%	749
Jewett School of the Arts	1.4%	737
Highlands Grove Elementary School	3.7%	712
Berkley Elementary School	1.4%	696
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	6.6%	671
Edward W. Bok Academy North	3.6%	670
Lake Shipp Elementary School	1.8%	620
McKeel Academy Central	2.1%	610
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet	3.2%	587
Frank E. Brigham Academy	3.6%	551
Bartow Elementary Academy	2.3%	531
Lincoln Avenue Academy	5.6%	522
Winston Academy of Engineering	3.7%	520
Cleveland Court Elementary School	3.8%	398
Union Academy	3.6%	389
Polk State College Collegiate High School	5.4%	334
Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School	6.4%	314