Summary:
The three public schools serving zip code 33839 in Eagle Lake, Florida—Lake Region High School (grades 9-12), Pinewood Elementary School (PK-5), and Eagle Lake Elementary School (PK-5)—all belong to the Polk district, which ranks in the bottom 13% of Florida districts, and face significant challenges tied to high poverty rates exceeding 72%.
The most striking story is the contrast between the two elementary schools. Pinewood Elementary is the standout performer, consistently outpacing both the district and its local counterpart despite a 73% poverty rate. It is the only school in the zip code to have ever earned a 2-star rating, and its test scores in subjects like 5th-grade science (55% proficient) and math (56% proficient) far exceed Eagle Lake Elementary’s scores (33% and 20%, respectively). In contrast, Eagle Lake Elementary has held a 0-star rating for three straight years, ranking in the bottom 5% of Florida elementary schools, and has the highest chronic absenteeism rate (46.5%) and poverty rate (75%) in the area. Lake Region High School is a consistent underperformer with a 1-star rating, though its graduation rate (87.6%) is close to the district average despite test scores well below it.
A critical finding is the "money paradox": Eagle Lake Elementary receives the highest per-student funding ($11,515) yet produces the worst results, while Lake Region High School spends the least ($9,999) and earns a higher rating. Chronic absenteeism is a unifying crisis, with two schools exceeding 43%—far above the state average of 31.4%. Pinewood Elementary’s lower absenteeism (32.9%) and better student-teacher ratio (17.2:1) suggest effective practices that could be replicated to improve outcomes across the community.
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