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Highland City Elementary School

Q: Is Highland City Elementary School a good school?

Highland City Elementary School ranks 1166 th of 2258 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1166^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,258 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 48% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Highland City Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 415 students in grades PK-5 in Highland City, Florida. The school is part of the Polk School District, which is ranked 61 out of 67 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Highland City Elementary has faced significant challenges, including consistently high chronic absenteeism rates ranging from 30.8% to 39.1% over the past few years, well above the state average. The school's test scores are also generally below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subjects, with 3rd grade ELA proficiency projected at 49% compared to 57% statewide and 50% in the district. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 48.24% to 62.65%, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing Highland City Elementary to nearby schools, the data suggests there is room for improvement. The school generally performs worse than higher-ranked schools like Highlands Grove Elementary and South McKeel Academy on test scores and other metrics, but outperforms some lower-ranked schools in the area. The charter school South McKeel Academy stands out as a high-performing school, consistently ranking in the top 10% of Florida elementary schools.

414

Students ?

14.7

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,608

Per pupil spending ?

63.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

5355 9th Street SE
Highland City, FL 33846

(863) 648-3540

District: Polk

Students who attend Highland City Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Bartow Middle School
High:	Bartow Senior High School

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.6%

Hispanic:

33.6%

African American:

9.9%

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Compare Highland City Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Recently slipping — 61st percentile in 2024 → 48th in 2025

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped from its 61st-percentile peak (2024) to 48th (2025)

!Science scores 10 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school55%

District avg49%

Florida avg58%

1,166^th of 2,258

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 48%▼ down 8 pts since 2016

From top 44% (2016) to bottom 48% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

26^th of 86Elementary Schools in the Polk

61^st of 67Polk 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
2025	47.7	1166 of 2258	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2024	58.8	886 of 2256	60.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	42.1	1285 of 2240	42.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	52.3	1011 of 2219	54.4%	★★★☆☆
2021	46.4	1173 of 2247	47.8%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.5	1000 of 2182	54.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	51.5	1016 of 2118	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2017	47.2	1120 of 2112	47.0%	★★☆☆☆
2016	56.2	910 of 2087	56.4%	★★★☆☆
2014	24.4	1638 of 2064	20.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	35.9	1334 of 2029	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	42.1	1178 of 1984	40.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	46.9	1124 of 1985	43.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	46.5	1107 of 1919	42.3%	★★☆☆☆
2009	53.9	902 of 1847	51.2%	★★★☆☆
2008	47.0	1000 of 1789	44.1%	★★☆☆☆
2007	42.6	1086 of 1786	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	46.8	926 of 1688	45.1%	★★☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Math64%+3 vs state

English Language Arts51%-6 vs state

Science45%-10 vs state

★

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Schools Near Highland City Elementary School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				FAST English Language Arts (2025)					FAST Math (2025)					Statewide Science Science (2025)	EOC Civics (2025)	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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Highland City Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5355 9th Street SE	Highland City	33846	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3540	414	28	14.7	63.5%	197 (47.6%)	41 (9.9%)	139 (33.6%)	6 (1.4%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (7.0%)	47.7	1166^th of 2258 public elementary schools	48.4%		58.8	886^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.7%	280	49.0	63.0	43.0			64.0	59.0	67.0			45.0		$13,608	$1,784	$11,823
Spessard L Holland Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2342 Ef Griffin Rd	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3031	843	49	17.2	64.5%	298 (35.3%)	240 (28.5%)	253 (30.0%)	16 (1.9%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	31 (3.7%)	31.6	1600^th of 2258 public elementary schools	29.1%		40.6	1328^th of 2256 public elementary schools	41.1%	272	46.0	61.0	41.0			43.0	57.0	44.0			37.0		$10,804	$1,659	$9,144
Valleyview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 State Rd 540a E	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3535	783	52	15.0	41.4%	412 (52.6%)	117 (14.9%)	184 (23.5%)	43 (5.5%)	5 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.8%)	79.4	416^th of 2258 public elementary schools	81.6%		84.4	313^th of 2256 public elementary schools	86.1%	103	67.0	70.0	66.0			71.0	78.0	82.0			70.0		$11,059	$1,070	$9,989
Highlands Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4510 Lakeland Highlands Rd	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3002	691	46	15.0	50.1%	352 (50.9%)	101 (14.6%)	194 (28.1%)	20 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (3.3%)	70.2	636^th of 2258 public elementary schools	71.8%		72.9	576^th of 2256 public elementary schools	74.5%	60	69.0	61.0	62.0			65.0	70.0	73.0			64.0		$12,216	$1,547	$10,670
Oscar J. Pope Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2730 Maine Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2992	365	19	19.2	80.8%	102 (27.9%)	74 (20.3%)	173 (47.4%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.8%)	17.7	1977^th of 2258 public elementary schools	12.4%		54.2	988^th of 2256 public elementary schools	56.2%	989	34.0	43.0	41.0			37.0	37.0	43.0			40.0		$12,313	$1,606	$10,707
South McKeel Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-6	2222 Edgewood Dr S	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 510-0044	1,200	69	17.3	56.3%	719 (59.9%)	103 (8.6%)	252 (21.0%)	66 (5.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	59 (4.9%)	89.3	188^th of 2258 public elementary schools	91.7%		89.6	190^th of 2256 public elementary schools	91.6%	2	83.0	75.0	74.0	83.0		83.0	82.0	75.0	93.0	100.0	80.0		$9,708	$467	$9,240
Scott Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1140 County Road 540a E	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3520	735	47	15.6	55.0%	374 (50.9%)	112 (15.2%)	200 (27.2%)	20 (2.7%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	27 (3.7%)	57.7	930^th of 2258 public elementary schools	58.8%		68.5	676^th of 2256 public elementary schools	70.0%	254	67.0	56.0	57.0			67.0	64.0	60.0			48.0		$11,561	$1,488	$10,074
Mi Escuela Montessori	Public, Charter	PK, KG-7	2130 E Edgewood Dr	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 934-2780	275	22	12.6	48.4%	89 (32.4%)	9 (3.3%)	160 (58.2%)	5 (1.8%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (4.0%)	28.1	1700^th of 2258 public elementary schools	24.7%		32.8	1540^th of 2256 public elementary schools	31.7%	160	54.0	47.0	38.0	60.0	71.0	41.0	34.0	38.0	47.0	71.0	54.0	69.0	$10,345	$471	$9,874
James E. Stephens Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	1350 Maple Ave N	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-7455	336	23	14.6	79.2%	74 (22.0%)	138 (41.1%)	106 (31.5%)	3 (0.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	13 (3.9%)	51.6	1079^th of 2258 public elementary schools	52.2%		41.2	1309^th of 2256 public elementary schools	42.0%	230	67.0	47.0	55.0			65.0	58.0	52.0			50.0		$17,386	$3,625	$13,761
Carlton Palmore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3725 Clevelnd Hts Blvd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3510	402	26	15.4	66.7%	173 (43.0%)	89 (22.1%)	112 (27.9%)	5 (1.2%)	4 (1.0%)	3 (0.7%)	16 (4.0%)	34.2	1520^th of 2258 public elementary schools	32.7%		26.7	1720^th of 2256 public elementary schools	23.8%	200	56.0	49.0	52.0			53.0	42.0	44.0			40.0		$12,914	$1,902	$11,011

Frequently Asked Questions about Highland City Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Highland City Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Highland City Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Bartow Middle School
High : Bartow Senior High School

What district is Highland City Elementary School in?

Polk

What is the racial makeup of Highland City Elementary School?

Students at Highland City Elementary School are 48% White, 34% Hispanic, 10% African American, 7% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

How many students attend Highland City Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 414 students attended Highland City Elementary School.

Is Highland City Elementary School a good school?

Highland City Elementary School ranks 1166^th of 2258 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Rate Highland City Elementary School!

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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.