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Bill Duncan Opportunity Center

Public Grades 6-12

759^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 838 Florida High Schools

Better than 9% of Florida high schools

Summary

Bill Duncan Opportunity Center in Lakeland, FL, is a small alternative school serving 87 students in grades 6-12 within the Polk district, designed for students who have struggled in traditional academic settings. The school stands out for its exceptionally high per-student spending of $36,884—3.6 to 5 times more than nearby traditional high schools like Lakeland Senior High School ($9,937) and George W. Jenkins Senior High ($9,219)—and a very low student-teacher ratio of 7.2:1, compared to 19:1 to 23:1 at those schools. This intensive investment reflects the high needs of its population, with 87.36% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, but traditional metrics like test scores and graduation rates remain extremely low, including a 0.0% graduation rate in recent years.

Chronic absenteeism is the most significant barrier to progress at Bill Duncan, with rates reaching 79% in prior years, though they dropped to 46.3% in 2023-2024—a sign of improvement. This is much higher than other alternative schools like Pace Center For Girls (52.6%) and Fresh Start Community School (71.6%), but the recent decline suggests interventions are working. Academic proficiency is also very low, with only 5% of students proficient in Geometry and 13% in 10th Grade ELA, starkly contrasting with the nearby Polk State College Collegiate High School, which achieves 100% proficiency in those subjects despite spending just $7,367 per student.

Despite the bleak data, there are encouraging signs, such as Biology 1 proficiency rising from 10% to 36% and 9th Grade ELA from 14% to 21% in recent years. The school’s primary value lies in re-engaging students who have dropped out or are at risk, offering credit recovery and alternative pathways rather than a traditional four-year graduation timeline. While comparisons to other alternative schools like Polk Grad Academy (70.6% graduation rate) highlight the extreme challenges, the drop in absenteeism is the most hopeful metric, as it is foundational for any future academic gains.

Students ?

7.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$36,884

Per pupil spending ?

87.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

3333 Winter Lake Rd
Lakeland, FL 33803

(863) 499-2860

District: Polk

Racial breakdown:

African American:

39.1%

Hispanic:

34.5%

White:

24.1%

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Compare Bill Duncan Opportunity Center to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 16th percentile in 2023 → 9th in 2026

Strengths

✓Small classes — about 7 students per teacher

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (11% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (9th percentile)

!Graduation rate below the Florida average (0% vs 90%)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school11%

District avg50%

Florida avg62%

Middle school

1,204^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 1%▼ down 3 pts since 2016

From bottom 4% (2016) to bottom 1% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

759^th of 838

Florida public high schools ?

Bottom 9%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

23^rd of 25High 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)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	1.3	1204 of 1216	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	2.3	1188 of 1205	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	4.5	1145 of 1196	4.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	4.0	1136 of 1177	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2022	4.3	1117 of 1148	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.3	1018 of 1099	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	2.6	1025 of 1035	1.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	2.6	1017 of 1031	1.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	4.0	956 of 997	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	2.2	979 of 999	2.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	2.3	935 of 956	2.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	3.7	853 of 897	4.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	4.0	837 of 891	6.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	2.1	816 of 839	2.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	4.2	734 of 780	5.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	3.0	709 of 740	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2007	2.3	718 of 736	2.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	3.7	645 of 675	4.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	7.8	558 of 602	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	4.0	571 of 593	3.7%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	3.6	759 of 838	9.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2025	2.9	778 of 844	7.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	7.1	695 of 807	13.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	9.8	662 of 792	16.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	7.1	667 of 774	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	4.4	681 of 746	8.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	9.2	623 of 734	15.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	7.4	616 of 714	13.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	4.0	645 of 693	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	2.7	663 of 687	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	5.1	581 of 648	10.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	22.2	462 of 606	23.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	19.9	503 of 622	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	6.0	574 of 620	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2009	5.1	553 of 587	5.8%	☆☆☆☆☆
2008	8.4	517 of 577	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	8.4	500 of 563	11.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	5.0	457 of 477	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2005	6.4	451 of 487	7.4%	☆☆☆☆☆
2004	31.6	360 of 484	25.6%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Biology 136%-38 vs state

US History19%-55 vs state

Algebra 114%-49 vs state

English Language Arts12%-49 vs state

Math8%-51 vs state

Geometry5%-51 vs state

Science3%-49 vs state

★

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Schools Near Bill Duncan Opportunity Center

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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 Biology 1 (2026)	EOC US History (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 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th 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 Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Bill Duncan Opportunity Center	Public	6-12	3333 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 499-2860	87	12	7.2	87.4%	21 (24.1%)	34 (39.1%)	30 (34.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.3%)	3.6	759^th of 838 public high schools	9.4%		2.9	778^th of 844 public high schools	7.8%	19	12.0	18.0	5.0	21.0	13.0	9.0	7.0	8.0	3.0	14.0	5.0	36.0	19.0	$36,884	$2,110	$34,775
Maynard A Traviss Technical Academy	Public	6-12	3225 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2700	151	7	21.5	62.9%	75 (49.7%)	23 (15.2%)	46 (30.5%)	3 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (2.6%)								(n/a)													71.0	$7,824	$742	$7,082
Polk State College Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	10-12	3425 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 669-2322	343	5	68.6		220 (64.1%)	24 (7.0%)	74 (21.6%)	18 (5.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.0%)	92.7	7^th of 838 public high schools	99.2%		95	2^nd of 844 public high schools	99.8%	5					100.0						96.0	100.0	100.0	$7,367	$00	$7,367
Polk State Lakeland Gateway To College Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	11-12	3425 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 669-2322	296	9	32.8		98 (33.1%)	93 (31.4%)	90 (30.4%)	4 (1.4%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (3.4%)								(n/a)													64.0	$5,954	$04	$5,951
Fresh Start Community School	Public	10-12	910 Lowry Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 419-3486	105	5	21.0	67.6%	18 (17.1%)	30 (28.6%)	55 (52.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)								(n/a)
Polk Grad Academy	Public	9-12	910 Lowry Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 413-2948	14	0		85.7%	6 (42.9%)	5 (35.7%)	3 (21.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
George W. Jenkins Senior High	Public	9-12	6000 Lakeland Highlands Rd	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3566	2,469	115	21.4	47.0%	1,133 (45.9%)	408 (16.5%)	757 (30.7%)	68 (2.8%)	6 (0.2%)	4 (0.2%)	93 (3.8%)	45.3	403^rd of 838 public high schools	51.9%		44.8	400^th of 844 public high schools	52.6%	3				61.0	59.0					33.0	34.0	72.0	75.0	$9,219	$914	$8,305
Lakeland Senior High School	Public	9-12	726 Hollingsworth Rd	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 499-2900	1,985	103	19.2	56.8%	770 (38.8%)	506 (25.5%)	594 (29.9%)	35 (1.8%)	5 (0.3%)	5 (0.3%)	70 (3.5%)	44.8	413^th of 838 public high schools	50.7%		44.4	406^th of 844 public high schools	51.9%	7				62.0	63.0					34.0	38.0	70.0	72.0	$9,937	$1,447	$8,490
Pace Center For Girls	Public	6-12	213 Tyler Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 688-5596	59	6	9.8	83.1%	22 (37.3%)	10 (16.9%)	19 (32.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (11.9%)								(n/a)														$8,066	$54	$8,011
Tenoroc High School	Public	9-12	4905 Saddle Creek Rd	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 614-9183	1,141	48	23.7	72.7%	403 (35.3%)	214 (18.8%)	478 (41.9%)	10 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.4%)	31 (2.7%)	20.5	663^rd of 838 public high schools	20.9%		22	652^nd of 844 public high schools	22.7%	11				37.0	42.0					20.0	21.0	47.0	68.0	$10,140	$1,312	$8,828

Frequently Asked Questions about Bill Duncan Opportunity Center

What is the racial makeup of Bill Duncan Opportunity Center?

Students at Bill Duncan Opportunity Center are 39% African American, 34% Hispanic, 24% White, 2% Two or more races.

What district is Bill Duncan Opportunity Center in?

Polk

How many students attend Bill Duncan Opportunity Center?

In the 2024-25 school year, 87 students attended Bill Duncan Opportunity Center.

Is Bill Duncan Opportunity Center a good school?

Bill Duncan Opportunity Center ranks in the bottom 9.4% of Florida high schools.

Rate Bill Duncan Opportunity Center!

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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.