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

Hillcrest Elementary School

Q: Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Hillcrest Elementary School ranks 921 st of 2258 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-5

921^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,258 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Hillcrest Elementary School is a public charter school in Lake Wales, Florida, serving 665 students in grades PK-5. As part of the Polk School District, which is ranked 61 out of 67 districts in the state, Hillcrest has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger over the past several years, ranking between 758 and 965 out of around 2,200 Florida elementary schools.

Hillcrest Elementary consistently outperforms the Polk district and the state of Florida in various standardized test scores, including FAST English Language Arts and Math, as well as Statewide Science. For example, in 2024-2025, Hillcrest's 5th-grade science proficiency rate is 49%, compared to 45% for Polk and 55% for Florida. However, the school has relatively high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 26.6% to 39.1% over the past few years, which is higher than the state average. Hillcrest also has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 59.21% to 60.29% in recent years, indicating a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students compared to the state.

Hillcrest Elementary generally outperforms the nearby schools in the Polk district, such as Dundee Elementary Academy, Garden Grove Elementary, and Alturas Elementary, in terms of test scores and school rankings. However, some schools like Dale R Fair Babson Park Elementary and Chain of Lakes Elementary also demonstrate strong academic performance. Hillcrest's higher spending per student compared to the state average may contribute to its academic success, and its status as a public charter school may provide it with more flexibility in its curriculum and teaching methods.

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%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Hillcrest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 49th percentile in 2014 → 59th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 10 percentile points since 2014

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Polk

✓Above the Florida median (59th percentile)

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school60%

District avg49%

Florida avg58%

921^st of 2,258

Florida public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▲ up 10 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to top 41% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

17^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	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 (2024-2025) ?

Math69%+8 vs state

English Language Arts56%~ state avg

Science49%-6 vs state

5.0

1 rating · 1 written review

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

Rate Hillcrest Elementary 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

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

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)	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 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%)	58.3	921^st of 2258 public elementary schools	59.2%		64.8	758^th of 2256 public elementary schools	66.4%	163	55.0	54.0	58.0	72.0	71.0	64.0	49.0	$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%)	28.8	1682^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	25.5%		25.1	1766^th of 2256 public elementary schools	21.7%	84	52.0	48.0	42.0	48.0	43.0	46.0	43.0	$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%)	14.2	2054^th of 2258 public elementary schools	9.0%		28	1683^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	25.4%	371	35.0	23.0	29.0	38.0	36.0	32.0	53.0	$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%)	22.8	1825^th of 2258 public elementary schools	19.2%		15.9	2008^th of 2256 public elementary schools	11.0%	183	45.0	33.0	45.0	52.0	40.0	54.0	19.0	$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%)	59.9	885^th of 2258 public elementary schools	60.8%		70.6	625^th of 2256 public elementary schools	72.3%	260	66.0	54.0	55.0	71.0	62.0	60.0	60.0	$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%)	35.9	1474^th of 2258 public elementary schools	34.7%					(n/a)	61.0	41.0	43.0	63.0	55.0	36.0	42.0	$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%)	50.7	1099^th of 2258 public elementary schools	51.3%		71.6	603^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	73.3%	496	55.0	69.0	55.0	58.0	61.0	48.0	49.0	$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%)	32.7	1566^th of 2258 public elementary schools	30.6%		41.7	1300^th of 2256 public elementary schools	42.4%	266	36.0	39.0	62.0	28.0	35.0	75.0	57.0	$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%)	56.6	957^th of 2258 public elementary schools	57.6%		58.2	894^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.4%	63	63.0	59.0	42.0	61.0	66.0	58.0	68.0	$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%)	30.5	1624^th of 2258 public elementary schools	28.1%		37.6	1412^th of 2256 public elementary schools	37.4%	212	41.0	37.0	53.0	50.0	47.0	55.0	48.0	$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 district is Hillcrest Elementary School in?

Polk

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.

Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Hillcrest Elementary School ranks 921^st of 2258 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Rate Hillcrest Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida Elementary School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Lake Wales, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Hillcrest Elementary School!

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.