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Wahneta Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1786^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 20% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Wahneta Elementary School is a public school in Winter Haven, FL, serving 491 students in grades PK-5 within the Polk district, where over 81% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school has historically ranked in the bottom quartile of Florida elementary schools, but it shows some promising signs of improvement, particularly in science, where 5th-grade proficiency jumped to 58% in 2025-2026—9 points above the district average and nearly matching the state average. This is a bright spot compared to nearby schools like Chain Of Lakes Elementary School (50%) and South Pointe Elementary (44%).

However, Wahneta faces a significant challenge with chronic absenteeism, which affects 42.9% of students—far higher than the state average of 31.4% and dramatically above top-performing neighbors like Frank E. Brigham Academy (13.5%) and Cypress Junction Montessori (23.8%). This absenteeism rate is among the highest in the area, comparable to Elbert Elementary School (50.1%) and Eagle Lake Elementary School (46.5%), and it strongly correlates with lower academic performance overall. While the school spends slightly more per student ($11,455) than some higher-performing peers like Garden Grove Elementary School ($10,412), this funding hasn't yet translated into broad academic gains, especially in English Language Arts, where scores lag 10-20 points behind the state average.

Despite these hurdles, Wahneta is on an upward trajectory, with its state percentile rank rising from the 10th percentile in 2015-2016 to the 20th percentile recently. The dramatic improvement in 5th-grade science—from 24% to 58% in three years—suggests that targeted efforts can yield results. For parents, this school offers a dedicated staff and a potential model for growth, but addressing chronic absenteeism will be key to unlocking further progress. The inconsistent math performance, where 5th-grade math (55%) beats the district average but 3rd and 4th grades fall short, highlights areas where the school is working to stabilize.

491

Students ?

17.5

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,455

Per pupil spending ?

81.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

205 4th St E
Winter Haven, FL 33880

(863) 291-5392

District: Polk

Students who attend Wahneta Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Westwood Middle School
High:	Lake Region High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

85.9%

White:

9.4%

African American:

3.7%

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Compare Wahneta Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 10th percentile in 2016 → 20th in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 10 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (48% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (20th percentile)

!High chronic absenteeism (40% vs 29% Florida)

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school48%

District avg53%

Florida avg62%

1,786^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 20%▲ up 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 10% (2016) to bottom 20% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

50^th of 86Elementary 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	25.1	1786 of 2240	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	26.5	1741 of 2258	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	27.0	1709 of 2256	24.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	24.5	1756 of 2240	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	21.0	1824 of 2219	17.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	18.9	1864 of 2247	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	31.2	1561 of 2182	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	30.3	1512 of 2118	28.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	30.8	1479 of 2112	30.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	14.4	1881 of 2087	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	26.4	1585 of 2064	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	21.8	1682 of 2029	17.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2012	30.4	1433 of 1984	27.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	29.1	1517 of 1985	23.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	24.6	1542 of 1919	19.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	19.5	1573 of 1847	14.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	18.9	1534 of 1789	14.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	12.3	1649 of 1786	7.7%	☆☆☆☆☆
2006	21.5	1382 of 1688	18.1%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Science58%~ state avg

Math52%-13 vs state

English Language Arts41%-19 vs state

★

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Schools Near Wahneta Elementary School

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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 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 (2025)	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 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th 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
Wahneta Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	205 4th St E	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5392	491	28	17.5	81.5%	46 (9.4%)	18 (3.7%)	422 (85.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	25.1	1786^th of 2240 public elementary schools	20.3%		26.5	1741^st of 2258 public elementary schools	22.9%	45	37.0	41.0	45.0				52.0	48.0	55.0				58.0					$11,455	$1,756	$9,698
John Snively Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	848 Snively Ave	Eloise	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5325	396	24	16.5	82.3%	59 (14.9%)	106 (26.8%)	214 (54.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.8%)	44.8	1276^th of 2240 public elementary schools	43.0%		32.3	1579^th of 2258 public elementary schools	30.1%	303	65.0	64.0	49.0				64.0	66.0	45.0				50.0					$12,458	$1,967	$10,490
Pinewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1400 Gilbert St	Eagle Lake	33839	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 298-7977	740	43	17.2	73.0%	215 (29.1%)	191 (25.8%)	308 (41.6%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (2.6%)	32.2	1614^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.9%		29.1	1671^st of 2258 public elementary schools	26.0%	57	53.0	56.0	53.0				48.0	41.0	56.0				55.0					$10,165	$1,472	$8,692
Chain Of Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7001 State Highway 653	Winter Haven	33884	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 326-5388	1,007	56	17.9	55.6%	309 (30.7%)	221 (21.9%)	379 (37.6%)	56 (5.6%)	4 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	35 (3.5%)	47.9	1197^th of 2240 public elementary schools	46.6%		50.7	1099^th of 2258 public elementary schools	51.3%	98	61.0	62.0	60.0				60.0	68.0	55.0				50.0					$10,953	$1,557	$9,395
Eagle Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	400 Crystal Beach Rd	Eagle Lake	33839	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5357	644	34	18.9	75.2%	201 (31.2%)	137 (21.3%)	267 (41.5%)	6 (0.9%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	27 (4.2%)	7.5	2178^th of 2240 public elementary schools	2.8%		10.4	2139^th of 2258 public elementary schools	5.3%	39	43.0	36.0	30.0				41.0	31.0	20.0				33.0					$11,515	$2,072	$9,444
Lake Shipp Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	250 Camellia Dr	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5384	576	28	20.5	77.6%	137 (23.8%)	204 (35.4%)	189 (32.8%)	9 (1.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	35 (6.1%)	22.1	1871^st of 2240 public elementary schools	16.5%		18.5	1962^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	13.1%	91	60.0	37.0	41.0				69.0	28.0	33.0				42.0					$10,113	$1,362	$8,751
South Pointe Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	9525 State Hwy 653	Winter Haven	33884	Polk County	Polk	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(863) 317-8317	689	32	21.5	68.8%	182 (26.4%)	172 (25.0%)	300 (43.5%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	29 (4.2%)	39.3	1418^th of 2240 public elementary schools	36.7%		35.9	1474^th of 2258 public elementary schools	34.7%	56	45.0	64.0	55.0				62.0	69.0	47.0				44.0					$9,426	$1,159	$8,267
Garden Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4599 Cypress Gardens Rd	Winter Haven	33884	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5396	652	31	21.0	74.4%	219 (33.6%)	189 (29.0%)	208 (31.9%)	7 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (4.3%)	37.2	1471^st of 2240 public elementary schools	34.3%		32.7	1566^th of 2258 public elementary schools	30.6%	95	51.0	55.0	56.0				60.0	63.0	52.0				47.0					$10,412	$1,399	$9,013
Frank E. Brigham Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	601 Avenue C SE	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 291-5300	547	31	17.6	51.9%	221 (40.4%)	143 (26.1%)	143 (26.1%)	18 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.0%)	86	234^th of 2240 public elementary schools	89.6%		88.9	200^th of 2258 public elementary schools	91.1%	34	85.0	78.0	79.0				92.0	88.0	78.0				63.0					$11,639	$1,220	$10,419
Cypress Junction Montessori	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	220 5th St SW	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 259-1490	317	17	18.3		162 (51.1%)	32 (10.1%)	107 (33.8%)	5 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (3.5%)	33.5	1572^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	29.8%		41.2	1323^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	41.4%	249	83.0	74.0	59.0	45.0	57.0	35.0	56.0	44.0	24.0	32.0	50.0	15.0	34.0	53.0	39.0	60.0	43.0	$9,035	$517	$8,517

Frequently Asked Questions about Wahneta Elementary School

How many students attend Wahneta Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 491 students attended Wahneta Elementary School.

Is Wahneta Elementary School a good school?

Wahneta Elementary School ranks in the bottom 20.3% of Florida elementary schools.

What district is Wahneta Elementary School in?

Polk

What is the racial makeup of Wahneta Elementary School?

Students at Wahneta Elementary School are 86% Hispanic, 9% White, 4% African American.

What schools do graduates of Wahneta Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Wahneta Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Westwood Middle School
High : Lake Region High School

Rate Wahneta Elementary School!

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Latest Florida data All new data »

2024–25 attendance dataAug 18, 2026

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

2024–25 school spending dataMar 20, 2026

2024–25 graduation ratesJan 13, 2026

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.