Lakeland Senior High School

Q: Is Lakeland Senior High School a good school?

Lakeland Senior High School ranks 360 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lakeland Senior High School is a public high school in Lakeland, Florida, serving 2,043 students in grades 9-12. The school is part of the Polk School District, which is ranked 57th out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Lakeland Senior High School has several strengths, including a relatively high 4-year graduation rate ranging from 87.8% to 92.5% over the past 5 years, significantly higher than the nearby Kathleen Senior High School at 71.9%. The school also generally outperforms the Polk district and the state of Florida in standardized test scores, such as 71% proficiency in EOC US History compared to 59% for the district and 68% for the state. Additionally, Lakeland Senior High School has a more diverse student population than some nearby schools, with a racial makeup of 42.93% White, 23.64% African American, and 27.17% Hispanic.

However, Lakeland Senior High School faces some challenges, including a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 15.6% in 2019-2020 to 35.4% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the nearby Kathleen Senior High School (40.6%) and Polk Grad Academy (16.3%). The school's academic performance has also declined over the years, with proficiency in EOC Algebra 1 dropping from 28% in 2021-2022 to 22% in 2022-2023, compared to the state's decline from 54% to 54% during the same period.

Detail:

Public 9-12

726 Hollingsworth Rd
Lakeland, FL 33801

(863) 499-2900

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
360^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,113

Feeder schools for Lakeland Senior High School:

Elementary:	Carlton Palmore Elementary School
	Cleveland Court Elementary School
	Dixieland Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.7

Number of students: 2,057

Racial breakdown:

White:

39.7%

Hispanic:

29.1%

African American:

24.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.6%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Lakeland Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lakeland Senior High School ranks better than 55.4% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 5^th among 26 ranked high schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 45.16. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Lakeland Senior High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Lakeland Senior High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (39.7%), Hispanic (29.1%), African American (24.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lakeland Senior High School is 19.7, which is the 12^th best among 26 high schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Lakeland Senior High School employs 104 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lakeland Senior High School is $8,113. 22 high schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Lakeland Senior High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Lakeland Senior High School 360^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Lakeland Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Polk:

SchoolDigger ranks Polk 57^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Lakeland Senior High School?

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Rank History for Lakeland Senior High School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	43.80	296^th	484	38.8%
2005	53.33	243^rd	487	50.1%
2006	45.19	279^th	477	41.5%
2007	48.25	303^rd	563	46.2%
2008	57.02	257^th	577	55.5%
2009	66.76	181^st	587	69.2%
2010	67.91	186^th	620	70.0%
2011	65.25	221^st	622	64.5%
2012	57.73	175^th	606	71.1%
2013	57.14	228^th	648	64.8%
2014	53.37	296^th	687	56.9%
2016	47.19	305^th	693	56.0%
2017	46.04	321^st	714	55.0%
2018	55.30	227^th	716	68.3%
2019	58.67	202^nd	734	72.5%
2021	48.68	279^th	746	62.6%
2022	51.10	267^th	774	65.5%
2023	40.74	381^st	792	51.9%
2024	45.16	360^th	807	55.4%

See the entire list of Florida High School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Lakeland Senior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1626	249	22	43	16	n/a	n/a	0	1956
1989	1529	243	13	45	26	n/a	n/a	0	1856
1990	1381	240	17	49	29	n/a	n/a	0	1716
1991	1251	231	25	62	21	n/a	n/a	0	1590
1992	1284	227	33	57	10	n/a	n/a	0	1611
1993	1246	243	39	75	4	n/a	n/a	0	1607
1994	1304	345	40	87	7	n/a	n/a	0	1783
1995	1184	325	48	75	9	n/a	n/a	0	1641
1996	1184	325	48	75	9	n/a	n/a	0	1641
1997	1104	382	43	78	9	n/a	n/a	0	1616
1998	1138	415	42	88	6	n/a	n/a	0	1689
1999	1189	457	35	104	6	n/a	n/a	0	1791
2000	1253	436	28	106	5	n/a	n/a	0	1828
2001	1267	407	24	120	1	n/a	n/a	0	1819
2002	1277	419	29	168	1	n/a	n/a	0	1894
2003	1277	419	29	168	1	n/a	n/a	0	1894
2004	1332	486	31	191	3	n/a	n/a	0	2043
2005	1281	494	41	210	2	n/a	n/a	0	2028
2006	1311	544	43	244	3	n/a	n/a	0	2145
2007	1257	545	40	270	5	n/a	n/a	41	2158
2008	1515	600	56	302	4	n/a	n/a	60	2537
2009	1245	482	41	258	4	n/a	n/a	45	2075
2010	1166	526	45	242	1	n/a	n/a	53	2033
2011	1090	513	29	308	10	3	75	0	2028
2012	1096	471	30	341	12	4	77	0	2031
2013	1054	474	40	331	8	7	89	0	2003
2014	1063	476	33	358	5	4	94	0	2033
2015	1118	466	36	410	5	3	101	0	2139
2016	1103	502	46	445	4	1	100	0	2201
2017	1035	489	40	498	10	2	92	0	2166
2018	1029	455	38	516	8	1	78	0	2125
2019	1008	460	43	506	11	2	75	0	2105
2020	1023	457	43	505	7	6	65	0	2106
2021	937	432	35	503	5	6	74	0	1992
2022	916	434	39	532	4	4	76	0	2005
2023	877	483	40	555	8	3	77	0	2043
2024	816	510	34	598	9	5	85	0	2057

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lakeland Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1956	111.0	17.6	10.1
1989	1856	114.0	16.2	11
1990	1716	110.0	15.6	0
1991	1590	110.0	14.4	14
1992	1611	105.0	15.3	11.7
1993	1607	95.0	16.9	8.7
1994	1783	100.0	17.8	18.4
1995	1641	94.0	17.5	24.8
1996	1641	94.0	17.5	24.8
1997	1616	97.0	16.7	27.1
1998	1689	98.0	17.2	26.4
1999	1791	105.0	17.1	31.3
2000	1828	110.0	16.6	28.3
2001	1819	106.0	17.2	30.3
2002	1894	98.0	19.3	31.6
2003	1894	98.0	19.3	31.6
2004	2043	105.0	19.5	34.9
2005	2028	112.0	18.1	36.7
2006	2145	120.0	17.9	42.2
2007	2158	124.0	17.4	42.9
2008	2537	141.0	18.0	20.9
2009	2075	143.4	17.0	37.6
2010	2033	118.0	17.2	43.9
2011	2028	125.0	16.2	45
2012	2031	124.0	16.3	45.4
2013	2003	125.0	16.0	46.9
2014	2033	121.0	16.8	43.5
2015	2139	117.0	18.2	41.9
2016	2201	114.0	19.3	45
2017	2166	118.0	18.3	35.3
2018	2125	117.0	18.1	34.3
2019	2105	114.0	18.4	36.1
2020	2106	110.0	19.1	34.6
2021	1992	107.0	18.6	37.5
2022	2005	110.0	18.2	41.7
2023	2043	102.0	20.0	44.5
2024	2057	104.0	19.7	55.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Lakeland Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1956	111.0	17.6	10.1
1989	1856	114.0	16.2	11
1990	1716	110.0	15.6	0
1991	1590	110.0	14.4	14
1992	1611	105.0	15.3	11.7
1993	1607	95.0	16.9	8.7
1994	1783	100.0	17.8	18.4
1995	1641	94.0	17.5	24.8
1996	1641	94.0	17.5	24.8
1997	1616	97.0	16.7	27.1
1998	1689	98.0	17.2	26.4
1999	1791	105.0	17.1	31.3
2000	1828	110.0	16.6	28.3
2001	1819	106.0	17.2	30.3
2002	1894	98.0	19.3	31.6
2003	1894	98.0	19.3	31.6
2004	2043	105.0	19.5	34.9
2005	2028	112.0	18.1	36.7
2006	2145	120.0	17.9	42.2
2007	2158	124.0	17.4	42.9
2008	2537	141.0	18.0	20.9
2009	2075	143.4	17.0	37.6
2010	2033	118.0	17.2	43.9
2011	2028	125.0	16.2	45
2012	2031	124.0	16.3	45.4
2013	2003	125.0	16.0	46.9
2014	2033	121.0	16.8	43.5
2015	2139	117.0	18.2	41.9
2016	2201	114.0	19.3	45
2017	2166	118.0	18.3	35.3
2018	2125	117.0	18.1	34.3
2019	2105	114.0	18.4	36.1
2020	2106	110.0	19.1	34.6
2021	1992	107.0	18.6	37.5
2022	2005	110.0	18.2	41.7
2023	2043	102.0	20.0	44.5
2024	2057	104.0	19.7	55.6

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lakeland Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$310 (4.2%)	$7,010 (95.8%)	$7,320
2019	$393 (5.0%)	$7,434 (95.0%)	$7,828
2020	$466 (6.8%)	$6,404 (93.2%)	$6,871
2021	$733 (9.9%)	$6,708 (90.1%)	$7,441
2022	$1,582 (18.3%)	$7,078 (81.7%)	$8,660
2023	$1,251 (15.4%)	$6,862 (84.6%)	$8,113

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lakeland Senior High School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 202^nd of 734 High schools	Ranks 381^st of 792 High schools	20.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Lakeland Senior High School)	61	56	5%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	45	44	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Lakeland Senior High School)	58	51	7%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Lakeland Senior High School)	76	53	23%
End of Course Biology 1 (Polk)	54	50	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Lakeland Senior High School)	77	59	18%
End of Course US History (Polk)	58	50	8%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Lakeland Senior High School)	36	28	8%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Polk)	51	41	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Lakeland Senior High School)	62	37	25%
End of Course Geometry (Polk)	54	37	17%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	2105	2043	2.9%
African American	460	483	5%
American Indian	11	8	27.3%
Asian	43	40	7%
Hispanic	506	555	9.7%
Pacific Islander	2	3	50%
White	1008	877	13%
Two or More Races	75	77	2.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.1%	44.5%	8.4%

Schools Near Lakeland Senior High School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)					FAST Math (2024)		Statewide Science Science (2024)	EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 1 (2024)	EOC US History (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lakeland Senior High School	Public	9-12	726 Hollingsworth Rd	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 499-2900	2,057	104	19.7	55.6%	816 (39.7%)	510 (24.8%)	598 (29.1%)	34 (1.7%)	9 (0.4%)	5 (0.2%)	85 (4.1%)	45.2	360^th of 807 public high schools	55.4%		40.7	381^st of 792 public high schools	51.9%	21				55.0	54.0				17.0	40.0	60.0	71.0		$8,113	$1,251	$6,862
Pace Center For Girls	Public	6-12	213 Tyler Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 688-5596	57	5	11.4	70.2%	28 (49.1%)	15 (26.3%)	10 (17.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.3%)								(n/a)
Polk Grad Academy	Public	9-12	910 Lowry Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 413-2948	20	0		75.0%	5 (25.0%)	7 (35.0%)	7 (35.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (5.0%)								(n/a)
Fresh Start Community School	Public	10-12	910 Lowry Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 419-3486	133	5	26.6	67.7%	31 (23.3%)	40 (30.1%)	58 (43.6%)	1 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.3%)								(n/a)
Polk Virtual Franchise	Public, Virtual	6-12	604 S. Central Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 354-3999	0	11	.0		0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Eckerd Connects Strive Academy	Public	6-12	1140 N Combree Rd	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(863) 413-2948	19	0		78.9%	7 (36.8%)	8 (42.1%)	4 (21.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
McKeel Academy Of Technology	Public, Charter	7-12	1810 Parker St W	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 499-2818	1,722	77	22.3	36.1%	1,112 (64.6%)	129 (7.5%)	377 (21.9%)	61 (3.5%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	36 (2.1%)	80.8	64^th of 807 public high schools	92.1%		80.3	69^th of 792 public high schools	91.3%	5		78.0	70.0	68.0	80.0	84.0	84.0	63.0	73.0	86.0	92.0	82.0	94.0	$6,634	$1,152	$5,482
Kathleen Senior High School	Public	9-12	1100 Red Devil Way	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2655	1,951	85	22.9	67.7%	620 (31.8%)	436 (22.3%)	816 (41.8%)	22 (1.1%)	9 (0.5%)	2 (0.1%)	46 (2.4%)	23.3	609^th of 807 public high schools	24.5%		21.4	591^st of 792 public high schools	25.4%	18				34.0	39.0				13.0	22.0	50.0	54.0		$9,249	$1,606	$7,643
Maynard A Traviss Technical Academy	Public	6-12	3225 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2700	110	8	13.7	64.5%	49 (44.5%)	16 (14.5%)	39 (35.5%)	2 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (3.6%)	15.3	660^th of 807 public high schools	18.2%		15	641^st of 792 public high schools	19.1%	19										21.0		41.0		$11,249	$1,510	$9,740
Bill Duncan Opportunity Center	Public	6-12	3333 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 499-2860	85	10	8.5	74.1%	32 (37.6%)	37 (43.5%)	12 (14.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (4.7%)	7.1	695^th of 807 public high schools	13.9%		9.8	662^nd of 792 public high schools	16.4%	33	10.0	0.0	19.0	4.0	23.0	0.0	17.0	13.0	20.0	30.0	18.0

Frequently Asked Questions about Lakeland Senior High School

How many students attend Lakeland Senior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,057 students attended Lakeland Senior High School.

What is the racial makeup of Lakeland Senior High School?

Students at Lakeland Senior High School are 40% White, 29% Hispanic, 25% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

Is Lakeland Senior High School a good school?

Lakeland Senior High School ranks 360^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Lakeland Senior High School in?

Polk

What schools feed into Lakeland Senior High School?

Lakeland Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Carlton Palmore Elementary School
Elementary : Cleveland Court Elementary School
Elementary : Dixieland Elementary School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.