Westwood Middle School

Summary:

Westwood Middle School is a public middle school in Winter Haven, Florida, serving 878 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Polk District, which is ranked 57 out of 68 districts in the state and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger. Westwood Middle School has consistently ranked in the bottom quarter of Florida middle schools over the past several years.

Westwood Middle School stands out from nearby schools like Lakeland Montessori Middle School, Daniel Jenkins Academy Of Technology Middle School, and Union Academy in several key ways. The school has a significantly higher percentage of minority students, with 31.44% African American and 46.58% Hispanic students, compared to the surrounding schools. Westwood Middle School also struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, reaching as high as 54.5% in the 2021-2022 school year, which is much higher than the state and district averages.

Academically, Westwood Middle School consistently performs below the state and district averages on standardized tests across all grade levels and subject areas, with proficiency rates around 25-37% in English Language Arts and Math, compared to state averages of 50-56%. Despite the school's poor performance, Westwood Middle School has a relatively high per-student spending of around $8,700, suggesting that the issue may not be a lack of funding, but rather how the resources are being utilized and allocated. The high rates of poverty and minority representation at the school may be contributing factors to its academic struggles, highlighting the need for more targeted support and resources to address the unique challenges faced by these student groups.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 3520 Avenue J NW
       Winter Haven, FL  33881


(863) 965-5484

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1094th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,771 Help


Students who attend Westwood Middle School usually attend:

High:    Lake Region High School

Feeder schools for Westwood Middle School:

Elementary:    Inwood Elementary School
    Lake Shipp Elementary School
    Wahneta Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio:  21.9 Help
Number of students:  878

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
46.6%
African American:
31.4%
White:
18.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.4% Help


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 Compare Westwood Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Westwood Middle School ranks worse than 91.5% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 24th among 26 ranked middle schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.59. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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
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Compare Details Student population at Westwood Middle School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (46.6%), African American (31.4%), White (18.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Westwood Middle School is 21.9. 22 middle schools in the Polk School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Westwood Middle School employs 40 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Westwood Middle School is $8,771. 13 middle schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

Westwood Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.
SchoolDigger ranks Westwood Middle School 1094th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Westwood Middle School in the ranking list.)

Polk:

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


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Your rating for Westwood Middle School?

Rank History for Westwood Middle School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 23.73 482nd 593 18.7%
2005 23.84 496th 602 17.6%
2006 23.49 528th 675 21.8%
2007 33.46 520th 736 29.3%
2008 31.76 533rd 740 28.0%
2009 30.38 571st 780 26.8%
2010 28.94 628th 839 25.1%
2011 25.44 691st 891 22.4%
2012 17.94 749th 897 16.5%
2013 19.88 785th 956 17.9%
2014 14.23 873rd 999 12.6%
2016 15.57 877th 997 12.0%
2017 14.25 914th 1031 11.3%
2018 21.37 838th 1035 19.0%
2019 12.71 986th 1099 10.3%
2021 12.32 1035th 1136 8.9%
2022 11.55 1054th 1148 8.2%
2023 12.21 1065th 1177 9.5%
2024 11.59 1094th 1196 8.5%
See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

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

Westwood Middle School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    






Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Open Quote this school could really use alot of help .its ran by students staff doesnt care about the kids as long they get their paycheck they could care less.polk county school board really need to make big changes to this school....... Close Quote



Enrollment information for Westwood Middle School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 522 122 1 14 6 n/a n/a 0 665
1989 538 115 1 24 3 n/a n/a 0 681
1990 450 103 3 27 2 n/a n/a 0 585
1991 462 76 8 24 0 n/a n/a 0 570
1992 458 102 7 19 3 n/a n/a 0 589
1993 417 119 6 31 5 n/a n/a 0 578
1994 799 203 6 58 1 n/a n/a 0 1067
1995 779 261 12 69 0 n/a n/a 0 1121
1996 779 261 12 69 0 n/a n/a 0 1121
1997 611 191 8 104 1 n/a n/a 0 915
1998 621 204 9 129 0 n/a n/a 0 963
1999 609 187 7 152 0 n/a n/a 0 955
2000 601 199 9 178 1 n/a n/a 0 988
2001 623 249 13 183 2 n/a n/a 0 1070
2002 531 256 16 213 2 n/a n/a 0 1018
2003 531 256 16 213 2 n/a n/a 0 1018
2004 503 248 15 233 1 n/a n/a 0 1000
2005 521 242 15 243 0 n/a n/a 0 1021
2006 489 223 19 261 1 n/a n/a 0 993
2007 437 210 16 289 1 n/a n/a 9 962
2008 403 215 11 293 2 n/a n/a 17 941
2009 340 242 8 292 3 n/a n/a 19 904
2010 387 248 7 292 1 n/a n/a 35 970
2011 358 220 6 328 14 0 29 0 955
2012 341 234 4 341 11 1 21 0 953
2013 259 211 6 340 7 0 29 0 852
2014 244 225 5 341 4 0 27 0 846
2015 246 218 7 322 2 3 23 0 821
2016 212 208 3 307 1 3 24 0 758
2017 178 220 4 331 0 2 24 0 759
2018 186 201 7 305 0 1 20 0 720
2019 166 226 6 330 1 1 12 0 742
2020 138 271 6 340 1 2 16 0 774
2021 138 245 6 322 2 1 13 0 727
2022 139 246 5 391 2 3 21 0 807
2023 163 276 3 409 3 2 22 0 878

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 Westwood Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 665 35.0 19.0 22.9
1989 681 32.0 21.2 26.1
1990 585 32.0 18.2 0
1991 570 36.0 15.8 28.4
1992 589 32.0 18.4 26.7
1993 578 28.0 20.6 30.6
1994 1067 51.0 20.9 38.4
1995 1121 57.0 19.7 47.7
1996 1121 57.0 19.7 47.7
1997 915 47.0 19.5 49.8
1998 963 48.0 20.1 50.7
1999 955 52.0 18.4 60.9
2000 988 50.0 19.8 60.2
2001 1070 59.0 18.1 57.2
2002 1018 68.0 15.0 74.1
2003 1018 68.0 15.0 74.1
2004 1000 69.0 14.5 78
2005 1021 70.0 14.6 64.7
2006 993 74.0 13.4 75.6
2007 962 76.0 12.7 75.1
2008 941 71.0 13.3 78.9
2009 904 72.8 14.6 84.2
2010 970 60.0 16.1 84.9
2011 955 66.0 14.4 84.7
2012 953 65.0 14.6 87.3
2013 852 62.0 13.7 87.3
2014 846 57.0 14.8 54.7
2015 821 53.0 15.4 61.1
2016 758 54.0 14.0 67
2017 759 47.0 16.1 67.6
2018 720 48.0 15.0 67.9
2019 742 46.0 16.1 71.6
2020 774 44.0 17.5 66.4
2021 727 43.0 16.9 72.4
2022 807 39.0 20.6 72
2023 878 40.0 21.9 70.4

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 Westwood Middle School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 665 35.0 19.0 22.9
1989 681 32.0 21.2 26.1
1990 585 32.0 18.2 0
1991 570 36.0 15.8 28.4
1992 589 32.0 18.4 26.7
1993 578 28.0 20.6 30.6
1994 1067 51.0 20.9 38.4
1995 1121 57.0 19.7 47.7
1996 1121 57.0 19.7 47.7
1997 915 47.0 19.5 49.8
1998 963 48.0 20.1 50.7
1999 955 52.0 18.4 60.9
2000 988 50.0 19.8 60.2
2001 1070 59.0 18.1 57.2
2002 1018 68.0 15.0 74.1
2003 1018 68.0 15.0 74.1
2004 1000 69.0 14.5 78
2005 1021 70.0 14.6 64.7
2006 993 74.0 13.4 75.6
2007 962 76.0 12.7 75.1
2008 941 71.0 13.3 78.9
2009 904 72.8 14.6 84.2
2010 970 60.0 16.1 84.9
2011 955 66.0 14.4 84.7
2012 953 65.0 14.6 87.3
2013 852 62.0 13.7 87.3
2014 846 57.0 14.8 54.7
2015 821 53.0 15.4 61.1
2016 758 54.0 14.0 67
2017 759 47.0 16.1 67.6
2018 720 48.0 15.0 67.9
2019 742 46.0 16.1 71.6
2020 774 44.0 17.5 66.4
2021 727 43.0 16.9 72.4
2022 807 39.0 20.6 72
2023 878 40.0 21.9 70.4

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 Westwood Middle School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $959 (10.4%) $8,297 (89.6%) $9,256
2019 $870 (11.0%) $7,044 (89.0%) $7,914
2020 $864 (11.4%) $6,687 (88.6%) $7,551
2021 $1,186 (14.7%) $6,866 (85.3%) $8,052
2022 $1,921 (23.0%) $6,428 (77.0%) $8,348
2023 $1,932 (22.0%) $6,840 (78.0%) $8,771

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Westwood Middle 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 986th of 1099 Middle schoolsRanks 1065th of 1177 Middle schools
 0.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Westwood Middle School)2627
 1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)4843
 5%
   6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5452
 2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Westwood Middle School)2214
 8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Polk)4737
 10%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5549
 6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Westwood Middle School)2722
 5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)4238
 4%
   7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5248
 4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Westwood Middle School)2724
 3%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Polk)3935
 4%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)5446
 8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Westwood Middle School)3123
 8%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)4841
 7%
   8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5649
 7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Westwood Middle School)1914
 5%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Polk)3532
 3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)4642
 4%
8th Grade Science (Westwood Middle School)2220
 2%
   8th Grade Science (Polk)4133
 8%
   8th Grade Science (Florida)4844
 4%
End of Course Civics (Westwood Middle School)6660
 6%
   End of Course Civics (Polk)7065
 5%
   End of Course Civics (Florida)7166
 5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Westwood Middle School)8047
 33%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Polk)5141
 10%
   End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)6254
 8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students742878
 18.3%
African American226276
 22.1%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian63
 50%
Hispanic330409
 23.9%
Pacific Islander12
 100%
White166163
 1.8%
Two or More Races1222
 83.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients71.6%70.4%
 1.2%


Schools Near Westwood Middle School









Frequently Asked Questions about Westwood Middle School

Students who attend Westwood Middle School usually go on to attend Lake Region High School

Westwood Middle School ranks in the bottom 8.5% of Florida middle schools.

Students at Westwood Middle School are 47% Hispanic, 31% African American, 19% White, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 878 students attended Westwood Middle 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.





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