Lakeland Montessori Middle School

Lakeland Montessori Middle School is a small public charter school in Lakeland, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with just 30 students. Despite being part of the Polk school district, which is ranked 57th out of 68 districts in the state, this unique Montessori-based school consistently outperforms the district and the state of Florida in academic assessments.

In the 2023-2024 school year, Lakeland Montessori Middle School had 93% proficiency in Algebra 1 EOC, 100% proficiency in Civics EOC, and 67% proficiency in 8th grade Science, compared to just 42%, 72%, and 35% respectively for the Polk district. The school has also been ranked among the top Florida middle schools, ranking 9th out of 1,177 schools in 2022-2023 and 13th out of 1,148 schools in 2021-2022, earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. Additionally, the school's student population is more racially diverse than the surrounding schools, with a higher percentage of White and Hispanic students compared to the district average.

Further, Lakeland Montessori Middle School has maintained a low chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 3.0% to 10.3% over the past few years, significantly lower than the district average. The school also has a relatively low student-teacher ratio, ranging from 8.3 to 27 over the past few years, providing students with more individualized attention. These factors suggest that the school's Montessori-based approach is effectively supporting student learning, engagement, and overall academic excellence, making it a standout option for families in the Lakeland area.