Summary:
Alturas, Florida, is home to a single public school, Alturas Elementary School, a small, rural school serving grades PK through 5 with 274 students in the Polk County district.
Alturas Elementary School is a standout within its district, consistently outperforming the Polk County average in nearly every subject and grade level, despite the district ranking in the bottom 20% of Florida. The school’s strongest subject is Mathematics, with 4th and 5th graders scoring 71% and 67% proficient in 2025-2026, respectively, exceeding both district and state averages. However, the school faces a critical challenge with a chronic absenteeism rate of 47.1%, which is significantly higher than the district (39.1%) and state (31.4%) averages. This paradox suggests that while regularly attending students receive an effective education, a large portion of the student body is missing substantial school, likely dragging down the school’s overall state ranking, which has declined from the 60th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 49th percentile in 2025-2026.
Key metrics include a student-teacher ratio of 14.4:1, per-student spending of $13,971, and a high free/reduced lunch rate of 75.91%, indicating a high-poverty population. While the school excels in math, English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency is more inconsistent, with 5th graders lagging behind the state average (54% vs. 61%). Additionally, a vulnerable 3rd grade cohort showed a significant drop in math proficiency from 61% to 47% between 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. Despite high spending, the school’s declining state rank raises questions about resource allocation, making it a school with strong potential but clear areas needing targeted intervention, particularly in attendance and ELA support.
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