Summary:
The city of Fort Meade, Florida, is served by two public schools within the Polk County School District: Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School (grades 6-12) and Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School (grades PK-5), with a combined enrollment of 1,324 students and a high level of economic disadvantage across both schools.
Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School stands out for its exceptional 90% proficiency rate in Civics and a near-perfect 99% graduation rate, both far exceeding district and state averages. However, this success is tempered by a 42.1% chronic absenteeism rate and volatile state rankings, which have fluctuated from the 68th percentile to the 49th and back to the 54th percentile over three years. In contrast, Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School shows a consistent pattern of below-average performance, with its state ranking dropping to the 11th percentile. A notable "5th grade slump" is evident, where proficiency in English Language Arts drops to 35% and Science to 33%, significantly below district and state averages.
Key metrics reveal that the high school spends $13,659 per student compared to the elementary school's $11,466, yet the return on investment is mixed. The high school excels in specific subjects and graduation but struggles with absenteeism and middle-grade test scores, while the elementary school underperforms across nearly all subjects. The high graduation rate alongside below-average test scores suggests a strong focus on credit recovery, raising questions about college and career readiness. Chronic absenteeism is a systemic city-wide challenge, with both schools exceeding the state average, directly impacting instructional effectiveness and academic gains.
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