Summary:
In zip code 33881, Winter Haven, Florida, there are two public middle schools serving grades 6-8 within the Polk school district: Westwood Middle School and Jewett Middle Academy Magnet.
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet is the standout school in this area, significantly outperforming Westwood Middle School across nearly every academic metric. For the 2025-2026 school year, Jewett ranks in the 65th percentile statewide (3 stars), while Westwood ranks in the 17th percentile (1 star). Jewett’s average ELA proficiency (67.3%) and math proficiency (56.7%) far exceed Westwood’s (38.7% and 33.7%, respectively). A key difference is chronic absenteeism: only 23.8% of Jewett students are chronically absent, compared to 44.2% at Westwood—a rate even higher than the district average of 39.1%. Interestingly, Westwood spends $1,592 more per student ($12,030 vs. $10,438) and has a lower student-teacher ratio (16.1:1 vs. 21.7:1), yet achieves worse results, suggesting that Jewett’s magnet program and school culture drive its success.
Both schools share a notable weakness in 7th-grade math, where only 35% of Jewett students and 16% of Westwood students are proficient, compared to the state average of 53%. Westwood’s state ranking has shown a slight upward trend, moving from the 9th percentile in 2023-2024 to the 17th percentile in 2025-2026, while Jewett’s ranking remains solidly in the top third. For parents, Jewett Middle Academy Magnet clearly offers a stronger academic environment and better student engagement, despite serving a higher percentage of students from lower-income backgrounds (58.3% free/reduced lunch) than the state average. Westwood Middle School, with a higher poverty rate (77.25%) and severe absenteeism, faces significant challenges that funding alone has not solved.
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