Summary:
The seven public schools in zip code 33844 (Haines City, 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 are characterized by high poverty rates, with an average of 71.6% of students eligible for free or reduced lunch.
The standout school in the area is Daniel Jenkins Academy Of Technology Middle School, which is the only school to earn a 3-star rating (56th percentile) and achieves remarkable proficiency rates in advanced coursework, such as 100% in Civics and 94% in Geometry, despite a high poverty rate. In contrast, Shelley S. Boone Middle School is a 0-star school ranking in the 9th percentile, creating a stark performance gap between the two middle schools. Among elementary schools, Bethune Academy is the clear leader with a 3-star rating (54th percentile), significantly outperforming Sandhill Elementary School, Alta Vista Elementary School, and Eastside Elementary School, all of which have 0 or 1-star ratings. Haines City Senior High School, the only high school, has a 1-star rating and a concerning 44.5% chronic absenteeism rate, though its graduation rate of 91.2% exceeds the district average.
A critical issue across the zip code is chronic absenteeism, averaging 37.9% and exceeding the state average of 31.4%, with Alta Vista (49.9%), Eastside (47.5%), and Sandhill (46.4%) elementary schools most affected. Spending per student varies widely, from $7,978 at the high school to over $11,000 at Bethune Academy and Eastside Elementary, while student-teacher ratios are largest at the high school (25.4:1) and Shelley S. Boone Middle School (26.5:1). The data reveals that focused academic programs, like the "Academy of Technology" model at Daniel Jenkins, can overcome socioeconomic barriers, while the high school's paradox of a strong graduation rate but low academic proficiency suggests a need for more rigorous instruction alongside student retention efforts.
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