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North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice

Public Grades PK, KG-5

2112^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 6% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice is a public elementary school (PK-5) in Lakeland, FL, serving 658 students within the Polk school district, and it faces significant challenges, including a 0-star rating and a 77.5% rate of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

The school's most pressing issue is an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 45.9%, which is dramatically higher than the state average of 31.4% and far exceeds nearby schools like Lincoln Avenue Academy (16.5%) and Lakeland Montessori School House (0.9%). This attendance crisis is a primary driver of low academic performance, with proficiency rates in 5th-grade math (27%) and science (40%) falling well below district and state averages. For context, just 1.5 miles away, Lincoln Avenue Academy achieves 84% proficiency in 3rd-grade ELA, compared to North Lakeland's 37%. Despite these struggles, there are small bright spots: 3rd-grade math proficiency improved to 52% in 2025-2026, and 4th-grade math has shown a consistent upward trend over the past three years.

Interestingly, the school's "Of Choice" designation does not appear to translate into differentiated academic outcomes compared to high-performing magnet schools in the area. Per-student spending ($11,087) is in line with higher-performing peers like McKeel Academy Central ($10,138), suggesting that financial resources are not the primary issue. Instead, the data strongly indicates that addressing chronic absenteeism is the foundational challenge that must be solved before academic interventions can be effective. For parents considering this school, the key takeaway is that while the school faces significant hurdles, targeted efforts to improve attendance and pockets of progress in math offer potential pathways for improvement.

658

Students ?

17.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,087

Per pupil spending ?

77.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

410 Robson St W
Lakeland, FL 33805

(863) 499-2850

District: Polk

Students who attend North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice usually attend:

High:

Lake Gibson Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

45.9%

African American:

28.4%

White:

20.8%

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Compare North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 28th percentile in 2016 → 6th in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (38% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (6th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (46% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school38%

District avg53%

Florida avg62%

2,112^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 6%▼ down 23 pts since 2016

From bottom 28% (2016) to bottom 6% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

80^th of 86Elementary Schools in the Polk

61^st of 70Polk 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
2026	11.6	2112 of 2240	5.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	6.2	2204 of 2258	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	13.2	2081 of 2256	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	12.8	2087 of 2240	6.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	19.3	1872 of 2219	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	23.1	1743 of 2247	22.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	25.1	1712 of 2182	21.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	34.5	1424 of 2118	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2017	27.3	1568 of 2112	25.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	30.5	1496 of 2087	28.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	20.1	1752 of 2064	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	27.8	1545 of 2029	23.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	30.1	1446 of 1984	27.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	30.5	1487 of 1985	25.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	34.5	1350 of 1919	29.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	35.4	1294 of 1847	29.9%	★★☆☆☆
2008	44.3	1063 of 1789	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2007	55.0	842 of 1786	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	33.6	1163 of 1688	31.1%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math42%-22 vs state

Science40%-20 vs state

English Language Arts34%-26 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Thursday, April 25, 2019

This school is a joke. The teachers do not care for these children. All it is for them is a paycheck. Close Quote

Schools Near North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	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 (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th 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
North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice	Public	PK, KG-5	410 Robson St W	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2850	658	38	17.3	77.5%	137 (20.8%)	187 (28.4%)	302 (45.9%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	28 (4.3%)	11.6	2112^th of 2240 public elementary schools	5.7%		6.2	2204^th of 2258 public elementary schools	2.4%	92	37.0	28.0	36.0				52.0	46.0	27.0				40.0					$11,087	$1,972	$9,115
Rochelle School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	1501 Martin L King Jr Ave	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2810	762	51	14.9	59.6%	270 (35.4%)	255 (33.5%)	193 (25.3%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (5.2%)	50	1141^st of 2240 public elementary schools	49.1%		45.8	1209^th of 2258 public elementary schools	46.5%	68	64.0	57.0	63.0	66.0	72.0	75.0	53.0	57.0	75.0	50.0	71.0	61.0	58.0	72.0	93.0	96.0	100.0	$12,785	$1,466	$11,319
Idea Lakeland	Public, Charter	K-6	1775 Interstate Dr	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Idea Public Schools	Yes	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(904) 993-1520	452	24	18.8	81.9%	84 (18.6%)	133 (29.4%)	226 (50.0%)	6 (1.3%)	3 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12.3	2093^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	6.6%					(n/a)	41.0	42.0	44.0	38.0	52.0		29.0	31.0	31.0	30.0	49.0		51.0				81.0
Lincoln Avenue Academy	Public, Magnet	K-5	1330 Lincoln Ave N	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 499-2955	512	35	14.6	37.7%	205 (40.0%)	141 (27.5%)	103 (20.1%)	30 (5.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (6.1%)	91.1	109^th of 2240 public elementary schools	95.1%		92.7	85^th of 2258 public elementary schools	96.2%	24	84.0	88.0	83.0				80.0	94.0	83.0				80.0					$11,620	$1,182	$10,438
Griffin Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3315 Kathleen Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6020	431	19	22.6	80.7%	80 (18.6%)	156 (36.2%)	168 (39.0%)	5 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (4.6%)	34	1560^th of 2240 public elementary schools	30.4%		21.4	1864^th of 2258 public elementary schools	17.4%	304	53.0	46.0	49.0				59.0	53.0	55.0				56.0					$10,784	$1,581	$9,202
Lakeland Montessori School House	Public, Charter	K-8	1124 Lake Parker Ave N	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 413-0003	129	10	13.5	5.4%	78 (60.5%)	3 (2.3%)	41 (31.8%)	4 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.8%)	2 (1.6%)	67.6	690^th of 2240 public elementary schools	69.2%		84.8	296^th of 2258 public elementary schools	86.9%	394	100.0	80.0	73.0		92.0		100.0	60.0	55.0		100.0		45.0					$13,957	$329	$13,629
Elementary - N Lakeland	Public	PK, KG-5	3315 Kathleen Road	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(863) 853-6020	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Sleepy Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2285 Sleepy Hill Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6768	711	45	15.8	80.0%	180 (25.3%)	172 (24.2%)	317 (44.6%)	6 (0.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (4.8%)	32.3	1612^th of 2240 public elementary schools	28.0%		24.7	1790^th of 2258 public elementary schools	20.7%	178	49.0	48.0	52.0				48.0	64.0	55.0				52.0					$11,576	$1,844	$9,732
McKeel Academy Central	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	411 Florida Ave N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 499-1287	610	37	16.4	36.4%	354 (58.0%)	84 (13.8%)	129 (21.1%)	14 (2.3%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	26 (4.3%)	92.3	87^th of 2240 public elementary schools	96.1%		90.7	150^th of 2258 public elementary schools	93.4%	63	92.0	78.0	78.0	85.0			93.0	93.0	93.0	90.0			86.0					$10,138	$649	$9,489
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	110 Leelon Rd	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6044	531	32	16.5	71.4%	196 (36.9%)	136 (25.6%)	168 (31.6%)	9 (1.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (4.0%)	42.4	1337^th of 2240 public elementary schools	40.3%		28.9	1678^th of 2258 public elementary schools	25.7%	341	57.0	42.0	51.0				63.0	59.0	67.0				60.0					$11,696	$1,889	$9,806

Frequently Asked Questions about North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice

What district is North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice in?

Polk

How many students attend North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice?

In the 2024-25 school year, 658 students attended North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice.

What is the racial makeup of North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice?

Students at North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice are 46% Hispanic, 28% African American, 21% White, 4% Two or more races.

Is North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice a good school?

North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice ranks in the bottom 5.7% of Florida elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice attend?

Students who attend North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice usually go on to attend:

High : Lake Gibson Senior High School

Rate North Lakeland Elementary School Of Choice!

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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.