Summary:
Zip code 33820 in Alturas, Florida, is home to a single elementary school, Alturas Elementary School, which serves grades PK through 5 with 274 students and is part of the Polk County school district.
Alturas Elementary School stands out as a relative bright spot within its low-ranked district, consistently outperforming the Polk district average in nearly every academic subject. However, its state ranking has been declining over the past three years, dropping from the 60th percentile (3 stars) in 2023-2024 to the 49th percentile (2 stars) in 2025-2026. The school spends a significant $13,971 per student, yet this investment has not halted the downward trend. A major red flag is the alarmingly high chronic absenteeism rate of 47.1%, which is far worse than both the district (39.1%) and state (31.4%) averages. Additionally, 75.91% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage.
Academically, the school shows a "math paradox" where 4th and 5th graders excel in math (71% and 67% proficient, respectively, exceeding state averages), while 3rd graders struggle significantly with only 47% proficiency—19 points below the state average. English Language Arts scores are below state averages across all grades, though 5th-grade science (64%) beats both district and state averages. Year-over-year test scores are volatile, likely due to the small student body, making long-term trends difficult to assess. For parents, Alturas Elementary offers a supportive environment relative to its district, but the declining state ranking and high absenteeism are critical concerns that warrant attention.
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