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Walter Caldwell Elementary School

Q: Is Walter Caldwell Elementary School a good school?

Walter Caldwell Elementary School ranks 1499 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1499^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 33% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Walter Caldwell Elementary School in Auburndale, FL, is a PK-5 public school serving 887 students within the Polk district, and it is currently showing a promising upward trend after years of low performance, now ranking in the 33rd percentile statewide.

This school is a standout for its strong and consistent improvement, especially when compared to nearby schools that are declining. For example, while Lena Vista Elementary and Inwood Elementary have dropped to the 7th and 6th percentiles respectively, Walter Caldwell has climbed from a low of the 12th percentile in 2017-2018 to its current 33rd percentile. A major bright spot is the school’s 5th grade, which outperforms the district average in both Math (60% proficient) and ELA (58% proficient). Additionally, 59% of 5th graders are proficient in Science, nearly matching the state average and far exceeding nearby schools like Lake Alfred Elementary (47%) and Clarence Boswell Elementary (34%).

Despite these gains, the school faces challenges, including a chronic absenteeism rate of 35.6%, though this has improved significantly from a peak of 45.9%. The school also serves a high-poverty population, with over 72% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. Interestingly, Walter Caldwell is improving while its closest neighbor, Auburndale Central Elementary, which serves a similar student body, is declining to the 13th percentile. This makes Walter Caldwell a potential case study for effective strategies in a high-poverty context, though the school’s success is not yet consistent across all grade levels.

887

Students ?

16.4

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,031

Per pupil spending ?

72.7%

Free/discounted lunch ?

141 Dairy Rd
Auburndale, FL 33823

(863) 965-5470

District: Polk

Students who attend Walter Caldwell Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Jere L. Stambaugh Middle
High:	Auburndale Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

37.7%

African American:

30.0%

White:

27.4%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Walter Caldwell Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 13th percentile in 2016 → 33rd in 2026

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 20 percentile points since 2016

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (54% vs 62% meeting standards)

!English Language Arts scores 10 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school54%

District avg53%

Florida avg62%

1,499^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 33%▲ up 20 pts since 2016

From bottom 13% (2016) to bottom 33% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

33^rd 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	36.0	1499 of 2240	33.1%	★★☆☆☆
2025	36.9	1454 of 2258	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.8	1298 of 2256	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	25.9	1721 of 2240	23.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	19.9	1859 of 2219	16.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	16.5	1941 of 2247	13.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	22.6	1769 of 2182	18.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	16.3	1868 of 2118	11.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	19.3	1801 of 2112	14.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2016	17.2	1809 of 2087	13.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2014	24.6	1636 of 2064	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	35.5	1342 of 2029	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2012	30.9	1418 of 1984	28.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	16.5	1757 of 1985	11.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2010	43.4	1176 of 1919	38.7%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.5	911 of 1847	50.7%	★★★☆☆
2008	55.7	838 of 1789	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2007	53.0	895 of 1786	49.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	48.6	888 of 1688	47.4%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Science59%~ state avg

Math56%-8 vs state

English Language Arts50%-10 vs state

★

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Schools Near Walter Caldwell 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	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
Walter Caldwell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	141 Dairy Rd	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-5470	887	54	16.4	72.7%	243 (27.4%)	266 (30.0%)	334 (37.7%)	9 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	34 (3.8%)	36	1499^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.1%		36.9	1454^th of 2258 public elementary schools	35.6%	45	46.0	48.0	58.0				52.0	58.0	60.0				59.0					$11,031	$1,619	$9,412
Auburndale Central Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	320 Lemon St	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-5450	371	17	21.8	74.9%	117 (31.5%)	85 (22.9%)	140 (37.7%)	8 (2.2%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (5.1%)	19.5	1946^th of 2240 public elementary schools	13.1%		19.8	1913^th of 2258 public elementary schools	15.3%	33	41.0	52.0	55.0				45.0	35.0	40.0				41.0					$12,190	$1,659	$10,531
Hartridge Academy	Public, Charter	K-5	1400 Us Highway 92 W	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 956-4434	200	11	18.1	54.5%	97 (48.5%)	22 (11.0%)	69 (34.5%)	3 (1.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (4.5%)	64.6	766^th of 2240 public elementary schools	65.8%		82	368^th of 2258 public elementary schools	83.7%	398	61.0	55.0	57.0				94.0	80.0	60.0				64.0					$11,330	$475	$10,855
Fred G. Garner Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	2500 Havendale Blvd NW	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-5455	817	46	17.7	77.8%	133 (16.3%)	350 (42.8%)	300 (36.7%)	9 (1.1%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.7%)	32.9	1590^th of 2240 public elementary schools	29.0%		29	1675^th of 2258 public elementary schools	25.8%	85	53.0	57.0	43.0				54.0	66.0	50.0				43.0					$11,926	$1,946	$9,979
Lena Vista Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	925 Berkley Rd	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 965-5464	915	45	20.3	72.5%	308 (33.7%)	200 (21.9%)	379 (41.4%)	6 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.4%)	13	2082^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	7.1%		13.4	2075^th of 2258 public elementary schools	8.1%	7	48.0	39.0	35.0				33.0	44.0	30.0				45.0					$9,583	$1,516	$8,067
Inwood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2200 Avenue G NW	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5369	423	21	20.1	82.3%	57 (13.5%)	219 (51.8%)	127 (30.0%)	3 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (3.5%)	12.2	2101^st of 2240 public elementary schools	6.2%		17.2	1984^th of 2258 public elementary schools	12.1%	117	29.0	29.0	49.0				46.0	33.0	38.0				47.0					$10,350	$1,554	$8,796
Lake Alfred Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	550 Cummings St E	Lake Alfred	33850	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 295-5985	1,059	56	18.9	65.0%	198 (18.7%)	301 (28.4%)	504 (47.6%)	13 (1.2%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (3.8%)	23.1	1845^th of 2240 public elementary schools	17.6%		30.4	1632^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	27.7%	213	43.0	50.0	44.0				57.0	50.0	41.0				47.0					$9,528	$1,341	$8,185
Clarence Boswell Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2820 K Ville Ave	Auburndale	33823	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2990	600	41	14.6	79.2%	220 (36.7%)	99 (16.5%)	247 (41.2%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (4.8%)	34.2	1556^th of 2240 public elementary schools	30.5%		45.9	1206^th of 2258 public elementary schools	46.6%	350	53.0	55.0	49.0				55.0	68.0	51.0				34.0					$12,665	$1,978	$10,687
Jewett School Of The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	2250 8th St NE	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 291-5373	746	45	16.5	63.0%	165 (22.1%)	331 (44.4%)	194 (26.0%)	13 (1.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (5.5%)	55.8	992^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	55.7%		44.9	1224^th of 2258 public elementary schools	45.8%	232	78.0	60.0	53.0	70.0	67.0	63.0	88.0	77.0	47.0	69.0	42.0	47.0	47.0	51.0	84.0	80.0	95.0	$10,832	$1,227	$9,604
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 Walter Caldwell Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Walter Caldwell Elementary School?

Students at Walter Caldwell Elementary School are 38% Hispanic, 30% African American, 27% White, 4% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Walter Caldwell Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Walter Caldwell Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Jere L. Stambaugh Middle
High : Auburndale Senior High School

What district is Walter Caldwell Elementary School in?

Polk

How many students attend Walter Caldwell Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 887 students attended Walter Caldwell Elementary School.

Is Walter Caldwell Elementary School a good school?

Walter Caldwell Elementary School ranks 1499^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Walter Caldwell Elementary School!

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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.