Best Public Schools in Zip Code 33841

The two public schools in zip code 33841 (Fort Meade, FL) serve students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade within the Polk County School District, a district ranked in the bottom 13th percentile statewide, and both schools serve a high-poverty population with over 76% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch.

Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School is the standout school in the area, showing a remarkable upward trajectory by jumping from the 49th to the 54th percentile in state rankings and earning a 3-star rating. It boasts a near-perfect 99% graduation rate, far exceeding both district and state averages, and outperforms the district in nearly every subject, with 90% of students proficient in Civics—13 points above the state average. However, this school presents a paradox with a chronic absenteeism rate of 42.1%, the highest in the zip code and significantly above the state average of 31.4%, suggesting that while the school effectively supports students who attend regularly, a large portion of the student body is missing significant school days. In contrast, Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School is struggling, with its state ranking dropping from the 25th percentile to the 11th percentile (1 star), placing it among the lowest-performing elementary schools in Florida.

A key takeaway is the clear "drop-off" at the elementary school, where 3rd-grade proficiency in ELA (51%) and Math (47%) is relatively close to state averages, but by 5th grade, proficiency plummets to 35% in ELA and 37% in Math, creating a massive gap with the state. Additionally, there is a spending disconnect: the high school spends $2,193 more per student ($13,659 vs. $11,466) than the elementary school, yet the elementary school has a lower student-teacher ratio (17.4 vs. 15.8), indicating the high school's higher spending likely goes toward specialized programs rather than smaller classes. This disparity within the same district suggests that school-level leadership and specific interventions at the high school are making a tangible difference, while the elementary school may require a different strategy to address its systemic challenges.