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Hillcrest Elementary School

Q: Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Hillcrest Elementary School ranks 1078 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-5

1078^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 52% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Hillcrest Elementary School in Lake Wales, FL, is a mid-sized school serving 667 students in grades PK through 5, and it stands out as a high-performing island in a low-performing local area within the Polk district.

Hillcrest consistently earns a 3-star rating, placing it in the top half of Florida schools, while the three other elementary schools in Lake Wales—Janie Howard Wilson School, Polk Avenue Elementary School, and Spook Hill Elementary School—all rank in the bottom 26% of the state. A key strength is math proficiency: 86% of 4th graders are proficient, which is 21 points higher than the state average and 30 points higher than the district average. The school also has a lower chronic absenteeism rate (26.6%) compared to its neighbors, like Spook Hill (51.5%) and Alturas Elementary School (47.1%), suggesting a stronger culture of attendance. Despite nearly 70% of students being economically disadvantaged, Hillcrest outperforms state averages in several areas, showing resilience and effective teaching practices.

Hillcrest achieves these results with a low per-student spending of $8,238, the lowest among nearby schools like Dundee Elementary Academy ($10,904) and Alturas ($13,971), indicating efficient resource use. This combination of strong academics, low absenteeism, and cost-effective operations makes Hillcrest a standout choice for families in the Lake Wales area, offering a stable and supportive learning environment that consistently delivers results.

667

Students ?

16.2

Student/teacher ratio ?

$8,238

Per pupil spending ?

69.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1051 State Road 60 E
Lake Wales, FL 33853

(863) 678-4216

District: Polk

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.5%

Hispanic:

28.6%

African American:

19.9%

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Compare Hillcrest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 49th percentile in 2016 → 52nd in 2026

Strengths

✓Above the Florida median (52nd percentile)

Worth a look

!Science scores 17 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school62%

District avg53%

Florida avg62%

1,078^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Top 48%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

22^nd 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	52.8	1078 of 2240	51.9%	★★★☆☆
2025	58.3	921 of 2258	59.2%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.8	758 of 2256	66.4%	★★★☆☆
2023	63.1	770 of 2240	65.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.5	845 of 2219	61.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	58.4	907 of 2247	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.1	965 of 2182	55.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.2	771 of 2118	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	59.7	833 of 2112	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	49.2	1059 of 2087	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2014	49.2	1044 of 2064	49.4%	★★☆☆☆
2013	41.6	1193 of 2029	41.2%	★★☆☆☆
2012	42.7	1159 of 1984	41.6%	★★☆☆☆
2011	40.4	1263 of 1985	36.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	40.1	1235 of 1919	35.6%	★★☆☆☆
2009	50.4	972 of 1847	47.4%	★★☆☆☆
2008	46.0	1028 of 1789	42.5%	★★☆☆☆
2007	35.8	1211 of 1786	32.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	30.1	1216 of 1688	28.0%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math74%+10 vs state

English Language Arts57%-4 vs state

Science43%-17 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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What people are saying

by a parent
Tuesday, July 17, 2018

My kids have attended Hillcrest for 2 years and we love the energy, art programs, teachers and staff. We feel so lucky to have a school in Lake Wales that is dedicated to helping each and every student excel while making learning fun and challenging at the same time. Close Quote

Schools Near Hillcrest 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)	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 Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Hillcrest Elementary School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1051 State Road 60 E	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4216	667	41	16.2	69.1%	297 (44.5%)	133 (19.9%)	191 (28.6%)	6 (0.9%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (5.5%)	52.8	1078^th of 2240 public elementary schools	51.9%		58.3	921^st of 2258 public elementary schools	59.2%	157	61.0	53.0	56.0	73.0	86.0	64.0	43.0	$8,238	$494	$7,744
Polk Avenue Elementary School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	110 Polk Ave E	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4244	523	30	17.4	99.0%	139 (26.6%)	112 (21.4%)	254 (48.6%)	5 (1.0%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.9%)	21.4	1890^th of 2240 public elementary schools	15.6%		28.8	1682^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	25.5%	208	42.0	46.0	49.0	37.0	57.0	47.0	42.0	$8,857	$946	$7,911
Spook Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	321 Dr Ja Wiltshire Ave E	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4262	574	34	16.8	83.4%	203 (35.4%)	145 (25.3%)	206 (35.9%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	16 (2.8%)	8.3	2165^th of 2240 public elementary schools	3.3%		14.2	2054^th of 2258 public elementary schools	9.0%	111	38.0	35.0	41.0	40.0	28.0	40.0	26.0	$11,877	$1,770	$10,106
Janie Howard Wilson School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	306 Florida Ave	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 678-4211	462	29	15.9	78.1%	84 (18.2%)	177 (38.3%)	186 (40.3%)	4 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	9 (1.9%)	15.3	2031^st of 2240 public elementary schools	9.3%		22.8	1825^th of 2258 public elementary schools	19.2%	206	45.0	44.0	29.0	54.0	53.0	29.0	15.0	$9,408	$898	$8,510
Dale R Fair Babson Park Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	815 Scenic Hwy N	Babson Park	33827	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4664	453	29	15.6	46.1%	319 (70.4%)	31 (6.8%)	93 (20.5%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	7 (1.5%)	55.8	991^st of 2240 public elementary schools	55.8%		59.9	885^th of 2258 public elementary schools	60.8%	106	67.0	68.0	48.0	75.0	62.0	61.0	61.0	$8,677	$468	$8,209
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
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
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
Alturas Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	420 4th St	Alturas	33820	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 519-3917	274	19	14.4	75.9%	179 (65.3%)	17 (6.2%)	67 (24.5%)	2 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.4%)	8 (2.9%)	50	1142^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	49.0%		56.6	957^th of 2258 public elementary schools	57.6%	185	62.0	57.0	54.0	47.0	71.0	67.0	64.0	$13,971	$1,795	$12,176
Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 McLeod Rd	Frostproof	33843	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 635-7820	853	44	19.3	82.9%	319 (37.4%)	77 (9.0%)	427 (50.1%)	4 (0.5%)	3 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	21 (2.5%)	19.5	1942^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	13.3%		30.5	1624^th of 2258 public elementary schools	28.1%	318	44.0	47.0	51.0	51.0	50.0	31.0	38.0	$10,543	$1,593	$8,950

Frequently Asked Questions about Hillcrest Elementary School

How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 667 students attended Hillcrest Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?

Students at Hillcrest Elementary School are 45% White, 29% Hispanic, 20% African American, 6% Two or more races.

What district is Hillcrest Elementary School in?

Polk

Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Hillcrest Elementary School ranks 1078^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Hillcrest 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.