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Southwest Middle School

Public Grades 6-8

997^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,205 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 17% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Southwest Middle School is a public middle school located in Lakeland, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 745 students. The school is part of the Polk School District, which is ranked 61 out of 67 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Southwest Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Florida middle schools, with a ranking between 910 and 1037 over the past several years, and has maintained a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southwest Middle School faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 30.9% to 52.1% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the Polk district and state averages. The school's test scores are also generally lower than the Polk district and Florida state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, the school's proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math were 39-46% and 17-43%, respectively, compared to the Polk district averages of 44-53% and 33-50%, and the Florida state averages of 55-60% and 50-60%. Additionally, Southwest Middle School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 60.3% to 72.48% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the Polk district average.

When comparing Southwest Middle School to other nearby schools in the Polk district, it generally performs worse on key metrics such as test scores and chronic absenteeism. For example, Lakeland Highlands Middle School and Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, which are both within a few miles of Southwest Middle School, have significantly higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates. The data also shows that Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, a public magnet school, significantly outperforms Southwest Middle School and other nearby schools on various metrics, including test scores and school ranking, suggesting that the magnet school model may be more effective in improving student outcomes.

746

Students ?

23.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,973

Per pupil spending ?

73.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2815 Eden Pkwy
Lakeland, FL 33803

(863) 499-2840

District: Polk

Feeder schools for Southwest Middle School:

Elementary:

Cleveland Court Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.5%

White:

29.2%

African American:

23.5%

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Compare Southwest Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 19th percentile in 2014 → 17th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (38% vs 58% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (17th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (52% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school38%

District avg43%

Florida avg58%

997^th of 1,205

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 17%▼ down 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 27% (2016) to bottom 17% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

14^th of 24Middle Schools in the Polk

61^st of 67Polk among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2025	20.4	997 of 1205	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.8	1028 of 1196	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.3	1037 of 1177	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.5	959 of 1148	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.4	982 of 1136	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.6	910 of 1099	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.2	869 of 1035	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	27.0	758 of 1031	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	27.9	730 of 997	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.8	808 of 999	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	38.1	611 of 956	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	36.6	588 of 897	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	41.6	567 of 891	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	43.0	531 of 839	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	37.6	528 of 780	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	44.3	445 of 740	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	44.8	437 of 736	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2006	49.6	359 of 675	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2005	46.7	354 of 602	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	53.4	298 of 593	49.7%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Civics87%+16 vs state

Geometry75%+20 vs state

Algebra 168%+8 vs state

English Language Arts43%-14 vs state

Science29%-20 vs state

Math28%-28 vs state

★

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Schools Near Southwest Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				FAST English Language Arts (2025)			FAST Math (2025)			Statewide Science Science (2025)	EOC Algebra 1 (2025)	EOC Geometry (2025)	EOC Civics (2025)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Middle School	Public	6-8	2815 Eden Pkwy	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2840	746	32	23.3	73.3%	218 (29.2%)	175 (23.5%)	317 (42.5%)	9 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.4%)	20.4	997^th of 1205 public middle schools	17.3%		17.8	1028^th of 1196 public middle schools	14.0%	31	46.0	39.0	44.0	43.0	17.0	20.0	29.0	68.0	75.0	87.0	$9,973	$1,386	$8,587
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	400 Florida Ave N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 499-2742	704	34	20.7	43.8%	314 (44.6%)	156 (22.2%)	161 (22.9%)	48 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.6%)	70.3	328^th of 1205 public middle schools	72.8%		76.4	245^th of 1196 public middle schools	79.5%	83	73.0	73.0	76.0	67.0	34.0	56.0	63.0	89.0	92.0	100.0	$9,259	$878	$8,381
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	Public	6-8	740 Lake Miriam Dr	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3500	1,118	61	18.3	52.4%	543 (48.6%)	170 (15.2%)	331 (29.6%)	39 (3.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	32 (2.9%)	48.6	611^th of 1205 public middle schools	49.3%		50.5	583^rd of 1196 public middle schools	51.3%	28	59.0	57.0	60.0	51.0	37.0	36.0	54.0	78.0	93.0	95.0	$9,544	$1,172	$8,372
Crystal Lake Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2410 Crystal Lake Dr N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2970	753	32	23.5	83.1%	213 (28.3%)	180 (23.9%)	310 (41.2%)	11 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	34 (4.5%)	8	1129^th of 1205 public middle schools	6.3%		14.5	1057^th of 1196 public middle schools	11.6%	72	27.0	32.0	26.0	23.0	16.0	14.0	18.0	56.0	53.0	72.0	$11,361	$1,695	$9,665
Sleepy Hill Middle School	Public	6-8	2215 Sleepy Hill Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6577	886	43	20.6	76.6%	169 (19.1%)	219 (24.7%)	459 (51.8%)	17 (1.9%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.0%)	8.2	1123^rd of 1205 public middle schools	6.8%		14.8	1056^th of 1196 public middle schools	11.7%	67	33.0	24.0	24.0	22.0	17.0	21.0	20.0	54.0	89.0	76.0	$10,191	$1,465	$8,726
Lake Gibson Middle School	Public	6-8	6901 Socrum Loop Rd N	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6151	1,149	53	21.6	69.1%	485 (42.2%)	220 (19.1%)	387 (33.7%)	23 (2.0%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (2.4%)	18.2	1033^rd of 1205 public middle schools	14.3%		19.5	1004^th of 1196 public middle schools	16.1%	29	45.0	33.0	35.0	35.0	23.0	33.0	30.0	79.0	96.0	77.0	$9,148	$1,268	$7,880
Mulberry Middle School	Public	6-8	500 Dr Mlk Jr Ave SE	Mulberry	33860	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 701-1066	1,058	46	23.0	74.1%	391 (37.0%)	87 (8.2%)	545 (51.5%)	8 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (2.5%)	29	899^th of 1205 public middle schools	25.4%		26.8	904^th of 1196 public middle schools	24.4%	5	52.0	37.0	45.0	51.0	35.0	30.0	38.0	55.0	84.0	88.0	$9,785	$1,433	$8,353
Kathleen Middle School	Public	6-8	3627 Kathleen Pnes	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6040	742	39	19.0	80.1%	250 (33.7%)	136 (18.3%)	330 (44.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	23 (3.1%)	10.5	1107^th of 1205 public middle schools	8.1%		14.3	1061^st of 1196 public middle schools	11.3%	46	33.0	26.0	29.0	29.0	21.0	23.0	23.0	69.0	90.0	71.0	$10,631	$1,594	$9,036
Marshall Middle Magnet School	Public, Magnet	6-8	18 S Maryland Ave	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 757-9360	1,066	52	20.4	60.4%	263 (24.7%)	162 (15.2%)	581 (54.5%)	9 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (4.7%)	28.9	902^nd of 1205 public middle schools	25.1%		32.9	824^th of 1196 public middle schools	31.1%	78	50.0	44.0	40.0	32.0	24.0	55.0	32.0	78.0	89.0	47.0	$9,945	$1,592	$8,352
Tomlin Middle School	Public	6-8	501 N Woodrow Wilson St	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 757-9400	1,340	59	22.5	54.0%	433 (32.3%)	93 (6.9%)	750 (56.0%)	15 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (3.5%)	32.7	850^th of 1205 public middle schools	29.5%		31.5	847^th of 1196 public middle schools	29.2%	3	48.0	44.0	40.0	43.0	25.0	51.0	45.0	74.0	100.0	51.0	$8,715	$1,112	$7,603

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Middle School

What district is Southwest Middle School in?

Polk

How many students attend Southwest Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 746 students attended Southwest Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Middle School?

Students at Southwest Middle School are 42% Hispanic, 29% White, 23% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

Is Southwest Middle School a good school?

Southwest Middle School ranks in the bottom 17.3% of Florida middle schools.

Rate Southwest Middle School!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.