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Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred

Q: Is Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred a good school?

Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred ranks 615 th of 1205 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades 6-8

615^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,205 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 49% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred is a public charter middle school serving 911 students in grades 6-8 in Lake Alfred, Florida, which is part of the Polk County School District. Despite the district's low ranking of 61 out of 67 districts in the state and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, Discovery Academy consistently outperforms the district and state averages on standardized tests across multiple subjects and grade levels.

For example, in the 2024-2025 school year, 84% of Discovery Academy students were proficient or better in Algebra 1 EOC, compared to just 39% in Polk County and 60% statewide. Similarly, 100% of Discovery Academy students were proficient or better in Geometry EOC, compared to 38% in the district and 55% across Florida. This strong academic performance is particularly noteworthy given that Discovery Academy serves a high-need student population, with 64.95% to 75.41% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in recent years.

While Discovery Academy does have high chronic absenteeism rates like many schools in the district, ranging from 30.9% to 39.1% in recent years, it is still lower than the district average of 31.4%. The school also spends significantly more per student, ranging from $7,941 to $12,842 per student in recent years, compared to the state average of around $8,000-$9,000. This investment in resources may be contributing to the school's academic success. Interestingly, Discovery Academy is located very close to another middle school, Lake Alfred Polytech Academy, which has similar demographics and performance, presenting potential opportunities for collaboration and resource-sharing.

1,039

Students ?

21.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,375

Per pupil spending ?

66.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1000 Buena Vista Dr N
Lake Alfred, FL 33850

(863) 295-5955

District: Polk

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

48.6%

White:

29.1%

African American:

17.6%

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At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 49th percentile in 2014 → 49th in 2025

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school58%

District avg43%

Florida avg58%

615^th of 1,205

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 49%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From top 47% (2016) to bottom 49% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

8^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	48.3	615 of 1205	49.0%	★★☆☆☆
2024	42.8	689 of 1196	42.4%	★★☆☆☆
2023	37.8	729 of 1177	38.1%	★★☆☆☆
2022	43.3	632 of 1148	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	54.3	494 of 1136	56.5%	★★★☆☆
2019	52.0	525 of 1099	52.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	46.5	559 of 1035	46.0%	★★☆☆☆
2017	55.2	454 of 1031	56.0%	★★★☆☆
2016	52.5	464 of 997	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2014	49.5	508 of 999	49.1%	★★☆☆☆
2013	56.5	414 of 956	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2012	60.7	353 of 897	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2011	54.6	449 of 891	49.6%	★★☆☆☆
2010	48.8	462 of 839	44.9%	★★☆☆☆
2009	42.0	501 of 780	35.8%	★★☆☆☆
2008	36.4	512 of 740	30.8%	★★☆☆☆
2007	36.7	503 of 736	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2006	37.2	454 of 675	32.7%	★★☆☆☆
2005	31.7	446 of 602	25.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2004	35.3	415 of 593	30.0%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Geometry100%+45 vs state

Algebra 184%+24 vs state

Civics82%+11 vs state

English Language Arts57%~ state avg

Science54%+5 vs state

Math48%-8 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

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1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Excellent school, feels like a private school, my child is an A STudent at this school, teachers are young and involved, principal and counselors are readily available for concerns, very safe environment to learn in Close Quote

Schools Near Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred

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 Biology 1 (2025)	EOC US History (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 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	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred	Public, Charter	6-8	1000 Buena Vista Dr N	Lake Alfred	33850	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 295-5955	1,039	48	21.6	66.8%	302 (29.1%)	183 (17.6%)	505 (48.6%)	10 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (3.6%)	48.3	615^th of 1205 public middle schools	49.0%		42.8	689^th of 1196 public middle schools	42.4%	74	64.0	48.0	58.0			46.0	43.0	59.0	54.0	84.0	100.0			82.0	$8,375	$544	$7,830
Lake Alfred Polytech Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	925 Buena Vista Dr N	Lake Alfred	33850	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 295-5988	734	36	20.3	72.8%	214 (29.2%)	153 (20.8%)	341 (46.5%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	20 (2.7%)	33.1	847^th of 1205 public middle schools	29.7%		32	843^rd of 1196 public middle schools	29.5%	4	56.0	42.0	42.0			60.0	21.0	42.0	39.0	79.0				88.0	$10,216	$1,349	$8,867
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet	Public, Magnet	6-8	601 Martin Luther King Jr Blv	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 291-5320	566	26	21.7	58.3%	198 (35.0%)	194 (34.3%)	133 (23.5%)	22 (3.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (3.0%)	64.8	391^st of 1205 public middle schools	67.6%		57	489^th of 1196 public middle schools	59.1%	98	77.0	60.0	62.0			73.0	53.0	56.0	51.0	79.0	97.0			95.0	$10,438	$1,224	$9,214
Jere L. Stambaugh Middle	Public	6-8	226 Main St N	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-5494	1,013	46	22.0	75.8%	369 (36.4%)	196 (19.3%)	405 (40.0%)	7 (0.7%)	2 (0.2%)	3 (0.3%)	31 (3.1%)	19.3	1016^th of 1205 public middle schools	15.7%		13.8	1068^th of 1196 public middle schools	10.7%	52	45.0	37.0	30.0			48.0	35.0	20.0	28.0	67.0	86.0			81.0	$9,690	$1,501	$8,188
Westwood Middle School	Public	6-8	3520 Avenue J NW	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-5484	712	44	16.1	77.2%	123 (17.3%)	233 (32.7%)	322 (45.2%)	4 (0.6%)	6 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.4%)	19.9	1005^th of 1205 public middle schools	16.6%		11.6	1094^th of 1196 public middle schools	8.5%	89	37.0	36.0	38.0			61.0	23.0	20.0	29.0	75.0	100.0			85.0	$12,030	$1,699	$10,331
Denison Middle School	Public	6-8	400 Avenue A SE	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5353	684	28	24.4	75.4%	128 (18.7%)	265 (38.7%)	270 (39.5%)	7 (1.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (1.9%)	16.1	1054^th of 1205 public middle schools	12.5%		14.2	1063^rd of 1196 public middle schools	11.1%	9	36.0	35.0	33.0			30.0	29.0	35.0	26.0	68.0	100.0			80.0	$10,243	$1,529	$8,714
Berkley Accelerated	Public, Charter	6-10	5316 Berkley Rd	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 984-2400	622	31	20.0	30.7%	421 (67.7%)	30 (4.8%)	145 (23.3%)	9 (1.4%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.3%)	73.2	290^th of 1205 public middle schools	75.9%		76.9	240^th of 1196 public middle schools	79.9%	50	81.0	70.0	66.0	80.0	78.0	90.0	73.0	24.0	36.0	91.0	53.0	88.0	85.0	85.0	$7,956	$318	$7,638
Daniel Jenkins Academy Of Technology Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	701 Ledwith Ave	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 421-3267	506	25	20.2	72.5%	39 (7.7%)	162 (32.0%)	292 (57.7%)	4 (0.8%)	4 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	4 (0.8%)	52.4	557^th of 1205 public middle schools	53.8%		51.7	564^th of 1196 public middle schools	52.8%	7	58.0	54.0	60.0			59.0	35.0	51.0	61.0	85.0	76.0			98.0	$10,514	$1,479	$9,034
Shelley S. Boone Middle School	Public	6-8	225 22nd St S	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 421-3302	1,329	50	26.5	64.7%	149 (11.2%)	372 (28.0%)	773 (58.2%)	14 (1.1%)	2 (0.2%)	7 (0.5%)	12 (0.9%)	12	1095^th of 1205 public middle schools	9.1%		13.5	1072^nd of 1196 public middle schools	10.4%	23	33.0	28.0	27.0			38.0	14.0	28.0	25.0	76.0	93.0			70.0	$8,790	$1,170	$7,619
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	5555 Lake Trask Rd	Dundee	33838	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 419-3088	725	36	20.1	72.0%	138 (19.0%)	140 (19.3%)	421 (58.1%)	10 (1.4%)	1 (0.1%)	3 (0.4%)	12 (1.7%)	51	577^th of 1205 public middle schools	52.1%		58.5	465^th of 1196 public middle schools	61.1%	112	60.0	60.0	54.0			52.0	19.0	65.0	50.0	81.0	94.0			98.0	$9,865	$1,162	$8,703

Frequently Asked Questions about Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred

What district is Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred in?

Polk

Is Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred a good school?

Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred ranks 615^th of 1205 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,039 students attended Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred.

What is the racial makeup of Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred?

Students at Discovery Academy Of Lake Alfred are 49% Hispanic, 29% White, 18% African American, 4% Two or more races.

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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.