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Mi Escuela Montessori

Q: Is Mi Escuela Montessori a good school?

Mi Escuela Montessori ranks 1587 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Public, Charter Grades PK, KG-7

1587^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 29% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Mi Escuela Montessori in Lakeland, FL, is a small private-choice school serving 275 students from PK through 7th grade in the Polk district, which ranks in the bottom 13th percentile statewide. This school stands out for its dramatic academic turnaround: while lower grades (3rd-5th) struggle significantly—with 3rd-grade math proficiency at just 40% compared to the district's 56%—upper grades (6th-8th) consistently outperform both district and state averages, such as 8th-grade ELA reaching 77% versus the state's 60%. This "V-shaped" performance profile is unique among nearby schools and may reflect the Montessori method's emphasis on self-directed learning, which can take time to show on standardized tests.

Key differentiators include an exceptionally low student-teacher ratio of 12.6:1, offering more individualized attention than nearby Philip O'Brien Elementary School (20.1:1) or South McKeel Academy (17.3:1). Chronic absenteeism is also low at 23.5%, far better than the district's 39.1% and schools like Crystal Lake Elementary School (55.7%). However, the school spends less per student ($10,345) than most nearby public schools, and its Civics EOC scores dropped sharply from 69% to 56% in one year, well below the state average of 77%.

Located just 0.28 miles from the high-performing South McKeel Academy (5 stars, 94th percentile), Mi Escuela Montessori offers a contrasting choice: a unique educational philosophy with volatile early results but strong middle-school outcomes. For parents seeking a Montessori environment and willing to accept a potentially rocky start in testing for the promise of upper-grade excellence, this school could be a compelling fit—especially given its small classes and low absenteeism, though the Civics decline warrants attention.

275

Students ?

12.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$10,345

Per pupil spending ?

48.4%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2130 E Edgewood Dr
Lakeland, FL 33803

(863) 934-2780

District: Polk

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

58.2%

White:

32.4%

Two or more races:

4.0%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Mi Escuela Montessori to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 29th percentile in 2023 → 29th in 2026

Worth a look

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

!Civics scores 21 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school54%

District avg52%

Florida avg62%

Elementary school

1,587^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 29%▬ steady since 2023

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

490^th of 1,216

Florida public middle schools ?

Top 40%

See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

42^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)

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	33.0	1587 of 2240	29.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	28.1	1700 of 2258	24.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	32.8	1540 of 2256	31.7%	★★☆☆☆
2023	31.1	1582 of 2240	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Algebra 1100%+37 vs state

English Language Arts62%~ state avg

Civics56%-21 vs state

Math46%-16 vs state

Science42%-14 vs state

1.0

1 rating · 1 written review

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1★1

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, October 27, 2023

The teachers at this school don't seem trained to teach Spanish. Being a native speaker and being a teacher who can teach a language are two different things. My children spent two years at this school and learned very little about the Spanish language. Communication between teacher and parent is severely lacking, and the principal can be kind and caring but can also be so anxious and irritated that she snaps. Pros: the students here are very sweet and my child made lots of great friends the school felt safe and welcoming. Cons: many student disruptions due to behavior (many kids end up here because they aren't a good fit elsewhere), overall weak teachers (though there are a few amazing teachers here!), poor communication, lack of academic rigor, loss of teaching time because children are in Spanish classroom (but yet, not learning Spanish). Close Quote

Schools Near Mi Escuela Montessori

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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 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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%)	33	1587^th of 2240 public elementary schools	29.2%		28.1	1700^th of 2258 public elementary schools	24.7%	113	48.0	66.0	61.0	66.0	69.0	77.0	40.0	50.0	32.0	59.0	47.0		32.0	67.0	100.0	56.0	$10,345	$471	$9,874
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%)	89.4	145^th of 2240 public elementary schools	93.5%		89.3	188^th of 2258 public elementary schools	91.7%	43	88.0	82.0	74.0	84.0			89.0	92.0	82.0	85.0		100.0	82.0				$9,708	$467	$9,240
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%)	11.2	2121^st of 2240 public elementary schools	5.3%		17.7	1977^th of 2258 public elementary schools	12.4%	144	31.0	34.0	37.0				38.0	37.0	58.0				26.0				$12,313	$1,606	$10,707
Crystal Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	700 Galvin Dr	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2966	437	27	16.1	79.9%	97 (22.2%)	119 (27.2%)	186 (42.6%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (6.6%)	8.3	2166^th of 2240 public elementary schools	3.3%		9	2167^th of 2258 public elementary schools	4.0%	1	23.0	35.0	40.0				34.0	40.0	44.0				30.0				$14,049	$2,478	$11,571
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%)	65.7	734^th of 2240 public elementary schools	67.2%		70.2	636^th of 2258 public elementary schools	71.8%	98	81.0	58.0	68.0				76.0	50.0	73.0				70.0				$12,216	$1,547	$10,670
Cleveland Court Elementary School	Public	K-5	328 Edgewood Dr E	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2929	374	27	13.8	54.0%	153 (40.9%)	90 (24.1%)	109 (29.1%)	12 (3.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (2.4%)	82.6	320^th of 2240 public elementary schools	85.7%		76	495^th of 2258 public elementary schools	78.1%	175	71.0	86.0	75.0				74.0	78.0	83.0				75.0				$13,187	$1,655	$11,533
Philip O'Brien Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1225 Lime St E	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2950	625	31	20.1	80.3%	193 (30.9%)	165 (26.4%)	233 (37.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	29 (4.6%)	7.7	2176^th of 2240 public elementary schools	2.9%		9	2166^th of 2258 public elementary schools	4.1%	10	35.0	37.0	43.0				34.0	38.0	23.0				33.0				$11,604	$1,709	$9,895
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%)	34.7	1536^th of 2240 public elementary schools	31.4%		34.2	1520^th of 2258 public elementary schools	32.7%	16	55.0	68.0	44.0				59.0	55.0	44.0				31.0				$12,914	$1,902	$11,011
Southwest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2650 Southwest Ave	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2830	376	31	12.1	77.7%	123 (32.7%)	79 (21.0%)	146 (38.8%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (6.6%)	34.4	1547^th of 2240 public elementary schools	30.9%		43.7	1255^th of 2258 public elementary schools	44.4%	292	52.0	54.0	52.0				42.0	47.0	59.0				62.0				$14,321	$2,064	$12,257
Dixieland Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	416 Ariana St	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2930	344	20	17.2	81.7%	85 (24.7%)	91 (26.5%)	148 (43.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (5.2%)	20.4	1917^th of 2240 public elementary schools	14.4%		13.8	2063^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	8.6%	146	56.0	49.0	45.0				47.0	43.0	43.0				29.0				$11,420	$1,627	$9,792

Frequently Asked Questions about Mi Escuela Montessori

How many students attend Mi Escuela Montessori?

In the 2024-25 school year, 275 students attended Mi Escuela Montessori.

What is the racial makeup of Mi Escuela Montessori?

Students at Mi Escuela Montessori are 58% Hispanic, 32% White, 4% Two or more races, 3% African American, 2% Asian.

Is Mi Escuela Montessori a good school?

Mi Escuela Montessori ranks 1587^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Mi Escuela Montessori in?

Polk

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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.