Combee Academy Of Design And Engineering

Combee Academy Of Design And Engineering is a public elementary school (PK-5) in Lakeland, FL, serving 479 students within the Polk district, and has achieved a remarkable turnaround from a historically low-performing school to a solidly above-average one.

Combee Academy stands out because it is the highest-performing high-poverty school in its immediate area, with 76.2% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Its academic performance dramatically exceeds that of nearby schools with similar demographics. For example, Philip O'Brien Elementary School (80.3% poverty) ranks in the 3rd percentile, and Crystal Lake Elementary School (79.9% poverty) also ranks in the 3rd percentile, while Combee Academy ranks in the 68th percentile. The school's math proficiency rates are particularly impressive—76% in 3rd grade, 71% in 4th, and 69% in 5th—which are significantly higher than all nearby high-poverty schools. For instance, 5th-grade math proficiency at Combee (69%) is more than double that of North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice (27%) and Oscar J. Pope Elementary School (5th percentile).

While chronic absenteeism (38.3%) remains a challenge, the school achieves strong results despite this, suggesting effective in-class interventions. Combee Academy's "Design and Engineering" theme appears to be a highly effective academic model, outperforming other magnet schools like Rochelle School Of The Arts (49th percentile, 59.6% poverty) and Mi Escuela Montessori (29th percentile, 48.4% poverty). The school also demonstrates spending efficiency, using its $13,559 per student budget more effectively than higher-spending, lower-performing peers like Crystal Lake Elementary ($14,049). This consistent upward trajectory—from the 4th percentile in 2016 to the 68th percentile in 2026—makes Combee Academy a standout success story in Lakeland.