Medulla Elementary School

Q: Is Medulla Elementary School a good school?

Medulla Elementary School ranks 1584 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Medulla Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lakeland, Florida, serving 515 students in grades PK-5. The school is part of the Polk School District, which is ranked 57th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Medulla Elementary School faces several challenges compared to nearby schools. The school has a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 31.1% to 42.6% over the past few years, which is notably higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's test scores are generally lower than the state and district averages across all grade levels and subjects, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math 5-20 percentage points below the averages. Medulla Elementary also has a higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 59.03% to 62.14%, compared to nearby schools like Valleyview Elementary, Highlands Grove Elementary, and Cleveland Court Elementary, which have rates ranging from 31.82% to 67.18%.

Despite having a higher per-student spending compared to nearby schools, ranging from $10,031 to $12,275 over the past few years, Medulla Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Florida elementary schools, with a ranking between 1,159 and 1,719 out of over 2,200 schools over the past several years. This places the school in the bottom 25-50% of elementary schools in the state. The combination of higher chronic absenteeism, lower test scores, and higher rates of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds suggests that Medulla Elementary School may be facing significant challenges in supporting the academic and social-emotional needs of its diverse student population.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

850 Schoolhouse Rd
Lakeland, FL 33813

(863) 648-3515

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1584^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,939

Student/teacher ratio: 14.7

Number of students: 515

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

40.4%

White:

32.4%

African American:

21.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59%

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Compare Medulla Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Medulla Elementary School ranks worse than 70.2% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 50^th among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 31.31. (See more...)

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 Medulla Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (40.4%), White (32.4%), African American (21.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Medulla Elementary School is 14.7, which is the 19^th best among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Medulla Elementary School employs 35 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Medulla Elementary School is $11,939, which is the 12^th highest among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Medulla Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Polk:

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

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Rank History for Medulla Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	29.43	1228^th	1688	27.3%
2007	31.79	1275^th	1786	28.6%
2008	39.94	1138^th	1789	36.4%
2009	31.66	1367^th	1847	26.0%
2010	39.05	1253^rd	1919	34.7%
2011	35.11	1365^th	1985	31.2%
2012	46.18	1081^st	1984	45.5%
2013	35.48	1345^th	2029	33.7%
2014	34.17	1407^th	2064	31.8%
2016	38.76	1297^th	2087	37.9%
2017	47.40	1117^th	2112	47.1%
2018	37.91	1346^th	2118	36.4%
2019	46.64	1159^th	2182	46.9%
2021	37.24	1389^th	2247	38.2%
2022	40.23	1313^th	2219	40.8%
2023	31.01	1585^th	2240	29.2%
2024	31.31	1584^th	2256	29.8%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Medulla Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	663	88	4	6	2	n/a	n/a	0	763
1989	738	90	4	9	6	n/a	n/a	0	847
1990	762	91	5	17	5	n/a	n/a	0	880
1991	784	89	4	17	2	n/a	n/a	0	896
1992	800	77	3	24	2	n/a	n/a	0	906
1993	596	66	1	4	0	n/a	n/a	0	667
1994	597	82	0	11	0	n/a	n/a	0	690
1995	616	97	4	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	729
1996	616	97	4	12	0	n/a	n/a	0	729
1997	649	83	5	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	754
1998	669	98	5	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	789
1999	635	103	7	25	0	n/a	n/a	0	770
2000	645	123	7	45	0	n/a	n/a	0	820
2001	637	154	4	52	0	n/a	n/a	0	847
2002	437	189	1	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	675
2003	437	189	1	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	675
2004	446	199	4	54	1	n/a	n/a	0	704
2005	445	196	7	66	1	n/a	n/a	0	715
2006	457	220	7	72	0	n/a	n/a	0	756
2007	438	216	5	95	1	n/a	n/a	35	790
2008	407	153	7	93	0	n/a	n/a	34	694
2009	405	142	4	119	0	n/a	n/a	47	717
2010	435	140	3	133	0	n/a	n/a	41	752
2011	367	120	5	173	2	1	27	0	695
2012	340	125	4	158	1	1	32	0	661
2013	262	139	4	173	2	2	29	0	611
2014	255	107	4	199	3	2	26	0	596
2015	268	122	5	214	3	1	22	0	635
2016	246	137	9	232	2	0	32	0	658
2017	253	124	7	255	1	0	42	0	682
2018	262	117	8	243	0	0	51	0	681
2019	251	128	7	264	3	0	46	0	699
2020	205	111	9	263	1	0	49	0	638
2021	159	86	9	226	1	0	39	0	520
2022	172	97	10	214	1	0	29	0	523
2023	167	111	5	208	0	0	24	0	515

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 Medulla Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	763	39.0	19.5	25
1989	847	43.0	19.6	21.3
1990	880	44.0	20.0	0
1991	896	46.0	19.4	23.2
1992	906	47.0	19.2	21.2
1993	667	39.0	17.1	26.2
1994	690	39.0	17.7	26.7
1995	729	39.0	18.7	30.7
1996	729	39.0	18.7	30.7
1997	754	40.0	18.9	30.4
1998	789	43.0	18.3	30.5
1999	770	47.0	16.4	42.3
2000	820	52.0	15.8	42
2001	847	54.0	15.7	45.7
2002	675	51.0	13.2	55.3
2003	675	51.0	13.2	55.3
2004	704	52.0	13.5	58.2
2005	715	57.0	12.5	54.5
2006	756	63.0	12.0	59.3
2007	790	61.0	13.0	62.1
2008	694	55.0	12.6	55
2009	717	61.0	13.8	58.8
2010	752	50.0	15.0	63.4
2011	695	48.0	14.4	65.3
2012	661	46.0	14.3	72.3
2013	611	41.0	14.9	76.1
2014	596	39.0	15.2	54.2
2015	635	40.0	15.8	62.2
2016	658	41.0	16.0	64.4
2017	682	44.0	15.5	56.6
2018	681	46.0	14.8	57.6
2019	699	45.0	15.5	54.5
2020	638	42.0	15.1	53.8
2021	520	39.0	13.3	59.2
2022	523	37.0	14.1	62.1
2023	515	35.0	14.7	59

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 Medulla Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	763	39.0	19.5	25
1989	847	43.0	19.6	21.3
1990	880	44.0	20.0	0
1991	896	46.0	19.4	23.2
1992	906	47.0	19.2	21.2
1993	667	39.0	17.1	26.2
1994	690	39.0	17.7	26.7
1995	729	39.0	18.7	30.7
1996	729	39.0	18.7	30.7
1997	754	40.0	18.9	30.4
1998	789	43.0	18.3	30.5
1999	770	47.0	16.4	42.3
2000	820	52.0	15.8	42
2001	847	54.0	15.7	45.7
2002	675	51.0	13.2	55.3
2003	675	51.0	13.2	55.3
2004	704	52.0	13.5	58.2
2005	715	57.0	12.5	54.5
2006	756	63.0	12.0	59.3
2007	790	61.0	13.0	62.1
2008	694	55.0	12.6	55
2009	717	61.0	13.8	58.8
2010	752	50.0	15.0	63.4
2011	695	48.0	14.4	65.3
2012	661	46.0	14.3	72.3
2013	611	41.0	14.9	76.1
2014	596	39.0	15.2	54.2
2015	635	40.0	15.8	62.2
2016	658	41.0	16.0	64.4
2017	682	44.0	15.5	56.6
2018	681	46.0	14.8	57.6
2019	699	45.0	15.5	54.5
2020	638	42.0	15.1	53.8
2021	520	39.0	13.3	59.2
2022	523	37.0	14.1	62.1
2023	515	35.0	14.7	59

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 Medulla Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,564 (15.9%)	$8,276 (84.1%)	$9,840
2019	$1,552 (15.9%)	$8,228 (84.1%)	$9,781
2020	$1,238 (12.3%)	$8,793 (87.7%)	$10,031
2021	$1,570 (14.0%)	$9,648 (86.0%)	$11,218
2022	$2,743 (22.3%)	$9,531 (77.6%)	$12,275
2023	$1,735 (14.5%)	$10,204 (85.5%)	$11,939

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Medulla Elementary 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 1159^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1585^th of 2240 Elementary schools	17.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Medulla Elementary School)	51	46	5%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Medulla Elementary School)	55	58	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Medulla Elementary School)	60	39	21%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Medulla Elementary School)	71	53	18%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Medulla Elementary School)	47	46	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Medulla Elementary School)	56	45	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Medulla Elementary School)	50	51	1%
5th Grade Science (Polk)	45	39	6%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	699	515	26.3%
African American	128	111	13.3%
American Indian	3	0	100%
Asian	7	5	28.6%
Hispanic	264	208	21.2%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	251	167	33.5%
Two or More Races	46	24	47.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.5%	59%	4.5%

Schools Near Medulla Elementary 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)	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 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Medulla Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	850 Schoolhouse Rd	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3515	515	35	14.7	59.0%	167 (32.4%)	111 (21.6%)	208 (40.4%)	5 (1.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.7%)	31.3	1584^th of 2256 public elementary schools	29.8%		31	1585^th of 2240 public elementary schools	29.2%	1	57.0	39.0	45.0	38.0	42.0	41.0	47.0	$11,939	$1,735	$10,204
Scott Lake Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1140 County Road 540a E	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3520	727	48	15.1	36.2%	433 (59.6%)	78 (10.7%)	173 (23.8%)	18 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.4%)	68.5	676^th of 2256 public elementary schools	70.0%		62.6	782^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	65.1%	106	65.0	59.0	58.0	76.0	66.0	59.0	55.0	$10,771	$1,706	$9,066
Carlton Palmore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3725 Clevelnd Hts Blvd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3510	465	36	12.9	51.8%	220 (47.3%)	118 (25.4%)	100 (21.5%)	6 (1.3%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	17 (3.7%)	26.7	1720^th of 2256 public elementary schools	23.8%		36.7	1423^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	36.5%	297	35.0	40.0	45.0	18.0	33.0	61.0	53.0	$12,393	$1,706	$10,687
R. Bruce Wagner Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5500 Yates Rd	Lakeland	33811	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 701-1450	946	61	15.5	46.1%	375 (39.6%)	120 (12.7%)	416 (44.0%)	12 (1.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.3%)	49.2	1109^th of 2256 public elementary schools	50.8%		36.2	1435^th of 2240 public elementary schools	35.9%	326	59.0	53.0	53.0	54.0	49.0	54.0	52.0	$9,995	$1,734	$8,261
James W. Sikes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2727 Shepherd Rd	Lakeland	33811	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3525	563	39	14.4	36.8%	269 (47.8%)	70 (12.4%)	195 (34.6%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	20 (3.6%)	59	884^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.8%		49.2	1115^th of 2240 public elementary schools	50.2%	231	63.0	57.0	54.0	68.0	73.0	42.0	47.0	$11,513	$1,503	$10,010
Highlands Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4510 Lakeland Highlands Rd	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 648-3002	731	46	15.8	35.8%	407 (55.7%)	92 (12.6%)	183 (25.0%)	23 (3.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.3%)	72.9	576^th of 2256 public elementary schools	74.5%		82.2	361^st of 2240 public elementary schools	83.9%	215	67.0	53.0	59.0	73.0	57.0	82.0	74.0	$10,707	$1,431	$9,277
Cleveland Court Elementary School	Public	K-5	328 Edgewood Dr E	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2929	393	28	14.0	42.7%	192 (48.9%)	71 (18.1%)	110 (28.0%)	16 (4.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.0%)	77.1	477^th of 2256 public elementary schools	78.9%		84.6	297^th of 2240 public elementary schools	86.7%	180	66.0	74.0	67.0	68.0	71.0	67.0	62.0	$11,532	$1,571	$9,961
Southwest Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2650 Southwest Ave	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2830	382	29	13.1	60.5%	144 (37.7%)	77 (20.2%)	133 (34.8%)	4 (1.0%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	22 (5.8%)	47.4	1161^st of 2256 public elementary schools	48.5%		55	969^th of 2240 public elementary schools	56.7%	192	39.0	47.0	49.0	54.0	58.0	75.0	55.0	$13,291	$2,033	$11,259
Willow Oak School	Public	PK, KG-5	4815 Bailey Road	Mulberry	33860	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 417-6670	905	55	16.4	67.2%	274 (30.3%)	47 (5.2%)	557 (61.5%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	22 (2.4%)	31	1595^th of 2256 public elementary schools	29.3%		29.5	1625^th of 2240 public elementary schools	27.5%	30	39.0	36.0	48.0	49.0	43.0	60.0	44.0	$10,123	$1,747	$8,375
Valleyview Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2900 State Rd 540a E	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3535	861	51	16.8	31.8%	490 (56.9%)	121 (14.1%)	175 (20.3%)	52 (6.0%)	5 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	16 (1.9%)	84.4	313^th of 2256 public elementary schools	86.1%		83.2	334^th of 2240 public elementary schools	85.1%	21	70.0	71.0	73.0	76.0	76.0	74.0	66.0	$9,589	$1,090	$8,499

Frequently Asked Questions about Medulla Elementary School

Is Medulla Elementary School a good school?

Medulla Elementary School ranks 1584^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Medulla Elementary School in?

Polk

How many students attend Medulla Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 515 students attended Medulla Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Medulla Elementary School?

Students at Medulla Elementary School are 40% Hispanic, 32% White, 22% African American, 5% Two or more races.

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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.