Summary:
The 8 public schools in zip code 33823 (Auburndale, FL) serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the Polk County School District, a district ranked 61st out of 70 in Florida, and present a stark contrast between a few high-performing schools and several struggling ones.
The standout performers are the two "Berkley" schools. Berkley Accelerated (a middle/high school) ranks in the 74th percentile statewide with a 4-star rating, achieving proficiency rates that often double or triple district averages, such as 88% in Algebra 1. It also has the lowest per-student spending ($7,956) and a low chronic absenteeism rate of 17.9%. Berkley Elementary School is similarly impressive, ranking in the 89th percentile (4-star) with 94% of 3rd graders proficient in math and the lowest chronic absenteeism rate in the zip code at just 14.7%. In contrast, Auburndale Senior High School (1-star, 24th percentile) struggles with a 63.62% free/reduced lunch rate and a critically high 46.6% chronic absenteeism rate, while Jere L. Stambaugh Middle (17th percentile) has a staggering 49.4% absenteeism rate.
A key finding is the inverse relationship between spending and performance: the lowest-performing schools spend the most per student, with Clarence Boswell Elementary spending $12,665 per student and Auburndale Central Elementary spending $12,190, yet both rank in the bottom third of schools. Chronic absenteeism emerges as the core problem, with the three lowest-ranked schools all having rates above 43%, while the two highest-ranked schools are below 18%. The average chronic absenteeism rate across all 8 schools is 38.0%, well above the state average of 31.4%, highlighting a systemic challenge that directly impacts academic outcomes.
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