Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

Southwest Middle School

Public Grades 6-8

1000^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,216 Florida Middle Schools

Better than 18% of Florida middle schools

Summary

Southwest Middle School in Lakeland, FL, is a public school serving 746 students in grades 6-8 within the Polk district, where 73.3% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has a consistent 1-star rating, placing it in the bottom 20% of Florida middle schools, but it shows a stark contrast between its advanced and standard curriculum performance.

The most critical issue at Southwest is an extreme chronic absenteeism rate of 52.1% (2023-2024), which is the highest among nearby schools and has more than tripled since 2019-2020. This rate far exceeds the state average of 31.4% and the district average of 39.1%. While the school excels in advanced coursework—with 79% passing Algebra 1 and 90% passing Civics on EOC exams—standard grade-level proficiency is very low, with only 35-40% of students meeting math standards and 45-49% meeting English Language Arts standards, compared to state averages around 58% and 61% respectively. This creates a "tale of two curriculums" where a select group of students thrives while the majority struggles.

Interestingly, Southwest spends $9,973 per student, which is higher than nearby high-performing schools like Lawton Chiles Middle Academy ($9,259) and Lakeland Highlands Middle School ($9,544), yet it underperforms them significantly. Lawton Chiles, just 2.52 miles away, has a 4-star rating, a chronic absenteeism rate of only 15.3%, and test scores nearly double Southwest's in most subjects. This comparison suggests that addressing the root causes of absenteeism and improving core instruction for the general student body are the most critical areas for intervention at Southwest.

746

Students ?

23.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,973

Per pupil spending ?

73.3%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2815 Eden Pkwy
Lakeland, FL 33803

(863) 499-2840

District: Polk

Feeder schools for Southwest Middle School:

Elementary:

Cleveland Court Elementary School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

42.5%

White:

29.2%

African American:

23.5%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Southwest Middle School to nearby middle schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Rebounding — 12th percentile in 2023 → 18th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is rebounding — up to 18th (2026) from a 12th-percentile low (2023)

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (46% vs 61% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (18th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (52% vs 31% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school46%

District avg48%

Florida avg61%

1,000^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Bottom 18%▼ down 9 pts since 2016

From bottom 27% (2016) to bottom 18% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

15^th of 25Middle 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	23.2	1000 of 1216	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	20.4	997 of 1205	17.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	17.8	1028 of 1196	14.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	15.3	1037 of 1177	11.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	20.5	959 of 1148	16.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.4	982 of 1136	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	19.6	910 of 1099	17.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	19.2	869 of 1035	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	27.0	758 of 1031	26.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	27.9	730 of 997	26.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	21.8	808 of 999	19.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	38.1	611 of 956	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2012	36.6	588 of 897	34.4%	★★☆☆☆
2011	41.6	567 of 891	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	43.0	531 of 839	36.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	37.6	528 of 780	32.3%	★★☆☆☆
2008	44.3	445 of 740	39.9%	★★☆☆☆
2007	44.8	437 of 736	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2006	49.6	359 of 675	46.8%	★★☆☆☆
2005	46.7	354 of 602	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2004	53.4	298 of 593	49.7%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Civics90%+13 vs state

Geometry85%+29 vs state

Algebra 179%+16 vs state

English Language Arts47%-15 vs state

Science38%-14 vs state

Math37%-21 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate Southwest Middle School and help other families decide.

Rate Southwest Middle School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near Southwest Middle School

Load more schools when map is moved

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 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 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Southwest Middle School	Public	6-8	2815 Eden Pkwy	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2840	746	32	23.3	73.3%	218 (29.2%)	175 (23.5%)	317 (42.5%)	9 (1.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	25 (3.4%)	23.2	1000^th of 1216 public middle schools	17.8%		20.4	997^th of 1205 public middle schools	17.3%	3	46.0	49.0	45.0	40.0	36.0	35.0	38.0	79.0	85.0	90.0	$9,973	$1,386	$8,587
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	400 Florida Ave N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 499-2742	704	34	20.7	43.8%	314 (44.6%)	156 (22.2%)	161 (22.9%)	48 (6.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.6%)	74.2	281^st of 1216 public middle schools	76.9%		70.3	328^th of 1205 public middle schools	72.8%	47	74.0	77.0	80.0	68.0	51.0	69.0	72.0	96.0	98.0	100.0	$9,259	$878	$8,381
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	Public	6-8	740 Lake Miriam Dr	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3500	1,118	61	18.3	52.4%	543 (48.6%)	170 (15.2%)	331 (29.6%)	39 (3.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	32 (2.9%)	48	649^th of 1216 public middle schools	46.6%		48.6	611^th of 1205 public middle schools	49.3%	38	66.0	56.0	61.0	59.0	30.0	52.0	53.0	88.0	93.0	90.0	$9,544	$1,172	$8,372
Crystal Lake Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2410 Crystal Lake Dr N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2970	753	32	23.5	83.1%	213 (28.3%)	180 (23.9%)	310 (41.2%)	11 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (0.7%)	34 (4.5%)	18.4	1051^st of 1216 public middle schools	13.6%		8	1129^th of 1205 public middle schools	6.3%	78	39.0	39.0	39.0	30.0	46.0	39.0	31.0	85.0	82.0	88.0	$11,361	$1,695	$9,665
Sleepy Hill Middle School	Public	6-8	2215 Sleepy Hill Rd	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 815-6577	886	43	20.6	76.6%	169 (19.1%)	219 (24.7%)	459 (51.8%)	17 (1.9%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.0%)	11.3	1111^th of 1216 public middle schools	8.6%		8.2	1123^rd of 1205 public middle schools	6.8%	12	38.0	38.0	31.0	29.0	27.0	33.0	23.0	79.0	85.0	83.0	$10,191	$1,465	$8,726
Lake Gibson Middle School	Public	6-8	6901 Socrum Loop Rd N	Lakeland	33809	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6151	1,149	53	21.6	69.1%	485 (42.2%)	220 (19.1%)	387 (33.7%)	23 (2.0%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (2.4%)	17.1	1062^nd of 1216 public middle schools	12.7%		18.2	1033^rd of 1205 public middle schools	14.3%	29	45.0	43.0	34.0	37.0	29.0	38.0	31.0	71.0	92.0	89.0	$9,148	$1,268	$7,880
Mulberry Middle School	Public	6-8	500 Dr Mlk Jr Ave SE	Mulberry	33860	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 701-1066	1,058	46	23.0	74.1%	391 (37.0%)	87 (8.2%)	545 (51.5%)	8 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (2.5%)	31.1	895^th of 1216 public middle schools	26.4%		29	899^th of 1205 public middle schools	25.4%	4	50.0	50.0	45.0	57.0	48.0	39.0	40.0	77.0	83.0	94.0	$9,785	$1,433	$8,353
Kathleen Middle School	Public	6-8	3627 Kathleen Pnes	Lakeland	33810	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 853-6040	742	39	19.0	80.1%	250 (33.7%)	136 (18.3%)	330 (44.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.3%)	23 (3.1%)	13.2	1100^th of 1216 public middle schools	9.5%		10.5	1107^th of 1205 public middle schools	8.1%	7	42.0	43.0	33.0	26.0	24.0	31.0	29.0	69.0	94.0	89.0	$10,631	$1,594	$9,036
Marshall Middle Magnet School	Public, Magnet	6-8	18 S Maryland Ave	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 757-9360	1,066	52	20.4	60.4%	263 (24.7%)	162 (15.2%)	581 (54.5%)	9 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	50 (4.7%)	24.2	986^th of 1216 public middle schools	18.9%		28.9	902^nd of 1205 public middle schools	25.1%	84	47.0	49.0	43.0	35.0	32.0	53.0	33.0	79.0	95.0	62.0	$9,945	$1,592	$8,352
Tomlin Middle School	Public	6-8	501 N Woodrow Wilson St	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	Yes	(813) 757-9400	1,340	59	22.5	54.0%	433 (32.3%)	93 (6.9%)	750 (56.0%)	15 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	47 (3.5%)	32.9	876^th of 1216 public middle schools	28.0%		32.7	850^th of 1205 public middle schools	29.5%	26	51.0	54.0	41.0	47.0	35.0	62.0	37.0	95.0	95.0	62.0	$8,715	$1,112	$7,603

Frequently Asked Questions about Southwest Middle School

Is Southwest Middle School a good school?

Southwest Middle School ranks in the bottom 17.8% of Florida middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of Southwest Middle School?

Students at Southwest Middle School are 42% Hispanic, 29% White, 23% African American, 3% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Southwest Middle School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 746 students attended Southwest Middle School.

What district is Southwest Middle School in?

Polk

Rate Southwest Middle School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida Middle School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Lakeland, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Southwest Middle School!

Latest Florida data All new data »

2025–26 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2026

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

2024–25 EOC, FAST & Statewide Science test scoresJun 26, 2025

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.