Hispanic enrollment rises in Polk County schools during 2022-23 school year

FL Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz Jr. 2023 | Commissioner of Education

By Lee Today

Dec 18, 2023

There were 47,036 Hispanic students enrolled in Polk County schools in the 2022-23 school year, a 7.3% increase from the 43,823 Hispanic students in the previous school year, according to the Florida Department of Education.

Data showed that Polk County welcomed a total of 114,483 students during the 2022-23 school year. Among them, Hispanic students comprised 41.1% of the student body to be the most represented ethnicity in the county.

Among the 159 schools in Polk County, Ridge Community High School recorded the highest enrollment of Hispanic students in the 2022-23 school year, with a total of 1,750 students, making up 64.6% of the school's total student body.

In 2022, Florida had more than 2.8 million students enrolled in its 4,202 schools. There were 163,558 teachers in the public schools, or roughly one teacher for every 17 students, compared to the national average of 1:16.

Private school enrollment increased by more than 51,000 students in the 2021-22 school year, which was a notable rebound after the pandemic. In total, there were 416,084 students enrolled, marking the highest enrollment in private schools reported by the Florida Department of Education in 30 years.

According to WalletHub's analysis, Florida is ranked ninth out of 50 states in terms of its public school quality and safety.

Ethnicities in Polk County in 2022-23 School Year

Enrollment in Polk County Schools During 2022-23 School Year

School name	% of Hispanic Students Enrolment	Total Enrollment
Ridge Community High School	64.6	2,711
Haines City Senior High School	59.7	2,700
Winter Haven Senior High School	33.4	2,467
George W. Jenkins Senior High School	29.4	2,451
Davenport High School	58	2,333
Bartow Senior High School	29.1	2,125
Lake Gibson Senior High School	31.4	2,080
Kathleen Senior High School	41.2	2,051
Lakeland Senior High School	27.2	2,043
McKeel Academy of Technology	21.1	1,727
Auburndale Senior High School	31.7	1,716
Lake Wales Senior High School	33	1,586
Ridgeview Global Studies Academy	41	1,551
Lake Region High School	46.7	1,545
Horizons Elementary School	64.9	1,468
Citrus Ridge A. Civics Academy	57.9	1,457
Shelley S. Boone Middle School	64.4	1,403
Mulberry Senior High School	50.6	1,315
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	27.6	1,265
Lake Gibson Middle School	30.1	1,218
Mulberry Middle School	50.5	1,200
South McKeel Academy	18.6	1,200
Davenport School of the Arts	51	1,168
Frostproof Middle/Senior High School	47.1	1,150
Chain of Lakes Elementary School	31.2	1,130
Jere L. Stambaugh Middle School	39.4	1,127
Tenoroc High School	39.5	1,127
Sleepy Hill Middle School	44.7	1,090
Laurel Elementary School	52.6	1,058
Loughman Oaks Elementary School	60.8	1,052
Bartow Middle School	28.4	1,046
Lake Marion Creek Middle School	57.3	1,044
Sandhill Elementary School	58.8	991
Lena Vista Elementary School	37.8	975
Crystal Lake Middle School	45.7	949
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School	43.3	946
Bella Citta Elementary School	61.5	940
Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Jr. Elementary School	45	917
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred	43.6	911
Discovery High School	47.7	911
Willow Oak School	61.5	905
Fred G. Garner Elementary School	39.1	901
Walter Caldwell Elementary School	36.5	895
Westwood Middle School	46.6	878
Wendell Watson Elementary School	27.7	875
Navigator Academy of Leadership Davenport	74.1	874
Valleyview Elementary School	19.5	861
Lake Alfred Elementary School	47.9	821
Kathleen Middle School	40.6	821
Rochelle School of the Arts	22.9	803
Southwest Middle School	38	801
Fort Meade Middle/Senior High School	49.4	786
Davenport Elementary School	64.8	786
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy	60.3	773
Alta Vista Elementary School	63.6	769
Spessard L. Holland Elementary School	25.6	766
New Beginnings High School	43.4	753
Sleepy Hill Elementary School	44.9	739
Denison Middle School	40.5	738
Highlands Grove Elementary School	25	731
Scott Lake Elementary School	23.8	727
Garden Grove Elementary School	30.7	723
Pinewood Elementary School	39.2	709
R. Clem Churchwell Elementary School	38	708
Eagle Lake Elementary School	39.2	697
Berkley Elementary School	20	696
Dr. Ne Roberts Elementary School	34.3	691
Jewett School of the Arts	23	679
Hillcrest Elementary School	26.3	662
Dundee Elementary Academy	51.1	653
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	20.8	649
Jesse Keen Elementary School	70.3	649
Lake Alfred Polytech Academy	44.3	645
North Lakeland Elementary School of Choice	41.9	644
Rosabelle W. Blake Academy	21.3	642
Clarence Boswell Elementary School	40.6	636
Lake Shipp Elementary School	31.4	628
Philip O'Brien Elementary School	33.7	627
Berkley Accelerated Middle School	23.6	623
Eastside Elementary School	70.1	615
Edward W. Bok Academy North	28	615
Floral Avenue Elementary School	27.7	611
Bok Academy	32.2	611
McKeel Academy Central	18.5	610
Polk City Elementary School	26.1	606
Polk Full Time Eschool	30.8	604
Elbert Elementary School	36.4	601
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet	27.1	584
Spook Hill Elementary School	33	584
Frank E. Brigham Academy	24.5	564
James W. Sikes Elementary School	34.1	563
Combee Academy of Design and Engineering	37.2	551
Socrum Elementary School	28	546
McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy	40.8	542
Polk Avenue Elementary School	42.4	531
Edgar L. Padgett Elementary School	35	529
Lincoln Avenue Academy	19.6	526
Lewis Anna Woodbury Elementary School	55	525
Bartow Elementary Academy	18.7	518
Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School	54.5	516
Purcell Elementary School	49.6	516
Medulla Elementary School	40.4	515
Palmetto Elementary School	68.2	513
Wahneta Elementary School	87	507
Winston Academy of Engineering	26.5	506
Kathleen Elementary School	33.9	489
Dale R. Fair Babson Park Elementary School	13.8	472
Carlton Palmore Elementary School	20	465
Janie Howard Wilson School	46.9	448
Bethune Academy	34.3	428
Highland City Elementary School	28.9	425
Bridgeprep Academy of Polk	65.4	422
Oscar J. Pope Elementary School	55.9	410
Crystal Lake Elementary School	42.3	409
John Snively Elementary School	56.6	399
Union Academy	24	396
Cleveland Court Elementary School	28	393
Auburndale Central Elementary School	37.9	383
Southwest Elementary School	34.8	382
Griffin Elementary School	36.1	379
James E. Stephens Elementary School	28.7	356
Polk State College Collegiate High School	18.4	353
Alturas Elementary School	28.6	350
Dixieland Elementary School	42.7	330
Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School	28	328
Inwood Elementary School	22.5	298
Victory Ridge Academy	15.4	298
Roosevelt Academy	46.6	283
Language & Literacy Academy for Learning	23.4	282
Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)	37.9	269
Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Charter High School	27.5	255
Mi Escuela Montessori	43.1	202
Hartridge Academy	28.4	201
Karen M. Siegel Academy	9.3	161
Achievement Academy	35	157
Fresh Start Community School	53.2	154
Compass Middle Charter School	50.3	153
Maynard A. Traviss Technical Academy	40	140
Hospital Homebound	8.5	118
Ridge Technical Academy	42.9	84
Jean O'Dell Learning Center	13.7	73
Transition School	41.7	48