Bartow Senior High School

Q: Is Bartow Senior High School a good school?

Bartow Senior High School ranks 450 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Bartow Senior High School is a public high school serving 2,125 students in grades 9-12 in Bartow, Florida, which is part of the Polk District. While the school has a relatively diverse student population and maintains a high graduation rate, it faces challenges with chronic absenteeism and lower-than-average test scores compared to state and district averages.

Bartow Senior High School stands out for its diverse student body, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (29.13%) and Asian (4.52%) students compared to nearby schools. The school has also maintained a strong four-year graduation rate, ranging from 91.1% to 95.7% over the past few years, which is higher than the state and district averages. However, the school has seen a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 14.4% in 2019-2020 to 39.5% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state and district averages.

Academically, Bartow Senior High School's test scores, particularly in Algebra 1, Geometry, and 10th grade English Language Arts, are lower than the state and district averages, indicating room for improvement. The school's performance is generally on par with or slightly below the nearby schools in the Polk District, such as George W. Jenkins Senior High and Mulberry Senior High School. Additionally, Bartow Senior High School's spending per student has increased, but it is unclear if this has translated to improved academic outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Magnet 9-12

1270 Broadway Ave S
Bartow, FL 33830

(863) 534-7400

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
450^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,707

Feeder schools for Bartow Senior High School:

Elementary:	Alturas Elementary School
	Floral Avenue Elementary School
	Highland City Elementary School
	James E. Stephens Academy
	More...
	Spessard L Holland Elementary
Middle:	Bartow Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.4

Number of students: 2,125

Racial breakdown:

White:

44.6%

Hispanic:

29.1%

African American:

18.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 44.4%

See top rated Florida high schools

Compare Bartow Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Bartow Senior High School ranks worse than 55.8% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 7^th among 26 ranked high schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 37.21. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Bartow 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 Bartow Senior High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (44.6%), Hispanic (29.1%), African American (18.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 44.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Bartow Senior High School is 19.4, which is the 12^th best among 26 high schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Bartow Senior High School employs 109 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Bartow Senior High School is $9,707, which is the 11^th highest among 26 high schools in the Polk School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Bartow Senior High School 450^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Bartow Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Polk:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Bartow Senior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	51.62	259^th	484	46.5%
2005	45.57	301^st	487	38.2%
2006	33.25	354^th	477	25.8%
2007	40.50	355^th	563	36.9%
2008	66.94	181^st	577	68.6%
2009	69.69	158^th	587	73.1%
2010	65.73	214^th	620	65.5%
2011	64.89	223^rd	622	64.1%
2012	46.39	273^rd	606	55.0%
2013	40.78	366^th	648	43.5%
2014	38.66	420^th	687	38.9%
2016	33.73	431^st	693	37.8%
2017	35.61	419^th	714	41.3%
2018	36.07	415^th	716	42.0%
2019	41.26	382^nd	734	48.0%
2021	37.79	384^th	746	48.5%
2022	42.01	365^th	774	52.8%
2023	39.41	395^th	792	50.1%
2024	37.21	450^th	807	44.2%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Bartow Senior High School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	615	321	4	25	7	n/a	n/a	0	972
1989	605	320	5	23	8	n/a	n/a	0	961
1990	588	310	6	20	7	n/a	n/a	0	931
1991	585	307	14	22	4	n/a	n/a	0	932
1992	590	287	15	24	4	n/a	n/a	0	920
1993	760	376	24	34	8	n/a	n/a	0	1202
1994	754	335	18	37	8	n/a	n/a	0	1152
1995	713	249	15	42	8	n/a	n/a	0	1027
1996	713	249	15	42	8	n/a	n/a	0	1027
1997	757	255	16	47	7	n/a	n/a	0	1082
1998	794	277	16	48	1	n/a	n/a	0	1136
1999	790	291	15	51	2	n/a	n/a	0	1149
2000	812	281	19	46	2	n/a	n/a	0	1160
2001	793	302	14	75	3	n/a	n/a	0	1187
2002	811	293	15	115	3	n/a	n/a	0	1237
2003	811	293	15	115	3	n/a	n/a	0	1237
2004	757	274	21	130	2	n/a	n/a	0	1184
2005	795	295	18	125	6	n/a	n/a	0	1239
2006	861	327	20	135	10	n/a	n/a	0	1353
2007	915	352	18	182	8	n/a	n/a	27	1502
2008	1170	395	58	217	11	n/a	n/a	30	1881
2009	1140	390	63	237	3	n/a	n/a	46	1879
2010	1187	411	70	238	2	n/a	n/a	66	1974
2011	1081	367	58	322	11	3	76	0	1918
2012	1063	384	58	366	14	3	80	0	1968
2013	1121	368	74	370	15	4	78	0	2030
2014	1081	353	79	410	12	8	73	0	2016
2015	1097	355	80	424	9	6	68	0	2039
2016	1107	377	87	500	17	4	54	0	2146
2017	1095	410	81	566	18	5	51	0	2226
2018	1083	394	85	656	21	1	54	0	2294
2019	1072	396	94	640	16	1	52	0	2271
2020	1033	376	98	596	11	0	48	0	2162
2021	983	398	99	634	12	2	51	0	2179
2022	931	376	88	628	6	6	55	0	2090
2023	948	401	96	619	7	4	50	0	2125

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 Bartow Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	972	61.0	15.9	14.7
1989	961	62.0	15.5	12
1990	931	63.0	14.7	0
1991	932	62.0	15.0	21.1
1992	920	61.0	15.0	20.8
1993	1202	69.0	17.4	22.3
1994	1152	66.0	17.5	27
1995	1027	66.0	15.6	26.7
1996	1027	66.0	15.6	26.7
1997	1082	70.0	15.5	26.2
1998	1136	75.0	15.1	26.8
1999	1149	74.0	15.5	35
2000	1160	79.0	14.7	35.4
2001	1187	81.0	14.7	32.3
2002	1237	84.0	14.7	32.2
2003	1237	84.0	14.7	32.2
2004	1184	84.0	14.1	32.8
2005	1239	84.0	14.8	32.6
2006	1353	96.0	14.1	38.8
2007	1502	108.0	13.9	44.8
2008	1881	123.5	15.2	35.9
2009	1879	141.6	15.6	39.1
2010	1974	121.0	16.3	45.5
2011	1918	127.0	15.1	45.5
2012	1968	128.0	15.3	48.9
2013	2030	133.0	15.2	46.9
2014	2016	124.0	16.2	46.8
2015	2039	120.0	16.9	48.5
2016	2146	122.0	17.5	38.1
2017	2226	121.0	18.3	37
2018	2294	124.0	18.5	36.1
2019	2271	118.0	19.2	36.9
2020	2162	121.0	17.8	35.3
2021	2179	117.0	18.6	39.8
2022	2090	117.0	17.8	43.2
2023	2125	109.0	19.4	44.4

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 Bartow Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	972	61.0	15.9	14.7
1989	961	62.0	15.5	12
1990	931	63.0	14.7	0
1991	932	62.0	15.0	21.1
1992	920	61.0	15.0	20.8
1993	1202	69.0	17.4	22.3
1994	1152	66.0	17.5	27
1995	1027	66.0	15.6	26.7
1996	1027	66.0	15.6	26.7
1997	1082	70.0	15.5	26.2
1998	1136	75.0	15.1	26.8
1999	1149	74.0	15.5	35
2000	1160	79.0	14.7	35.4
2001	1187	81.0	14.7	32.3
2002	1237	84.0	14.7	32.2
2003	1237	84.0	14.7	32.2
2004	1184	84.0	14.1	32.8
2005	1239	84.0	14.8	32.6
2006	1353	96.0	14.1	38.8
2007	1502	108.0	13.9	44.8
2008	1881	123.5	15.2	35.9
2009	1879	141.6	15.6	39.1
2010	1974	121.0	16.3	45.5
2011	1918	127.0	15.1	45.5
2012	1968	128.0	15.3	48.9
2013	2030	133.0	15.2	46.9
2014	2016	124.0	16.2	46.8
2015	2039	120.0	16.9	48.5
2016	2146	122.0	17.5	38.1
2017	2226	121.0	18.3	37
2018	2294	124.0	18.5	36.1
2019	2271	118.0	19.2	36.9
2020	2162	121.0	17.8	35.3
2021	2179	117.0	18.6	39.8
2022	2090	117.0	17.8	43.2
2023	2125	109.0	19.4	44.4

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 Bartow Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$312 (4.3%)	$6,904 (95.7%)	$7,216
2019	$402 (5.3%)	$7,186 (94.7%)	$7,588
2020	$400 (5.5%)	$6,831 (94.5%)	$7,231
2021	$614 (8.4%)	$6,717 (91.6%)	$7,331
2022	$1,578 (17.1%)	$7,654 (82.9%)	$9,232
2023	$1,198 (12.3%)	$8,508 (87.6%)	$9,707

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Bartow 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 382^nd of 734 High schools	Ranks 395^th of 792 High schools	2.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Bartow Senior High School)	51	46	5%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	45	44	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Bartow Senior High School)	47	50	3%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Bartow Senior High School)	57	57
End of Course Biology 1 (Polk)	54	50	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Bartow Senior High School)	61	64	3%
End of Course US History (Polk)	58	50	8%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Bartow Senior High School)	35	25	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Polk)	51	41	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Bartow Senior High School)	60	35	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	2271	2125	6.4%
African American	396	401	1.3%
American Indian	16	7	56.3%
Asian	94	96	2.1%
Hispanic	640	619	3.3%
Pacific Islander	1	4	300%
White	1072	948	11.6%
Two or More Races	52	50	3.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	36.9%	44.4%	7.5%

Schools Near Bartow 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 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
Bartow Senior High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	1270 Broadway Ave S	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 534-7400	2,125	109	19.4	44.4%	948 (44.6%)	401 (18.9%)	619 (29.1%)	96 (4.5%)	7 (0.3%)	4 (0.2%)	50 (2.4%)	37.2	450^th of 807 public high schools	44.2%		39.4	395^th of 792 public high schools	50.1%	55			49.0	47.0				22.0	32.0	60.0	63.0		$9,707	$1,198	$8,508
Davenport High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	4525 Cr 547 N	Davenport	33837	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 534-0500	2,333	85	27.4	36.9%	468 (20.1%)	413 (17.7%)	1,354 (58.0%)	31 (1.3%)	1 (0.0%)	10 (0.4%)	56 (2.4%)	30	542^nd of 807 public high schools	32.8%		28.5	519^th of 792 public high schools	34.5%	23			43.0	45.0				26.0	35.0	53.0	49.0		$7,458	$1,405	$6,053
Transition School	Public	12	1860 Gibbons St E	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 519-8169	48	0		31.3%	16 (33.3%)	11 (22.9%)	20 (41.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.1%)								(n/a)
Polk Halfway House	Public	5-12	2145 Bob Phillips Rd	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 519-3611	23	1	23.0	13.0%	6 (26.1%)	15 (65.2%)	1 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (4.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Polk County Sheriffs Regional Detention Center	Public	5-12	2390 Bob Phillips Rd	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 519-3820	39	2	19.5	7.7%	12 (30.8%)	14 (35.9%)	12 (30.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)								(n/a)													$11,971	$1,333	$10,637
Polk County Sheriff's Central Center	Public	7-12	2390 Bob Phillips Rd	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 519-3611	29	2	14.5	10.3%	4 (13.8%)	18 (62.1%)	6 (20.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$15,646	$1,612	$14,033
Gause Academy Of Leadership	Public	6-12	1395 Polk St W	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-7425	96	17	5.6	79.2%	25 (26.0%)	41 (42.7%)	29 (30.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.0%)	13.1	663^rd of 807 public high schools	17.8%		7.2	681^st of 792 public high schools	14.0%	18	33.0	7.0	47.0	20.0	20.0	13.0	11.0	16.0	0.0	18.0		41.0	$28,604	$3,434	$25,169
George W. Jenkins Senior High	Public	9-12	6000 Lakeland Highlands Rd	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3566	2,451	109	22.4	37.0%	1,189 (48.5%)	399 (16.3%)	720 (29.4%)	67 (2.7%)	4 (0.2%)	3 (0.1%)	69 (2.8%)	49.2	313^th of 807 public high schools	61.2%		39.4	396^th of 792 public high schools	50.0%	83			55.0	55.0				36.0	43.0	68.0	71.0		$8,154	$1,091	$7,063
Mulberry Senior High School	Public	9-12	4th Circle NE	Mulberry	33860	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 701-1104	1,315	62	21.2	56.6%	480 (36.5%)	127 (9.7%)	665 (50.6%)	11 (0.8%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (2.1%)	31.2	527^th of 807 public high schools	34.7%		27.1	534^th of 792 public high schools	32.6%	7			41.0	41.0				22.0	30.0	55.0	64.0		$9,210	$1,456	$7,755
Polk State Lakeland Gateway To College Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	11-12	3425 Winter Lake Rd	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 669-2322	255	7	36.4	1.2%	86 (33.7%)	83 (32.5%)	70 (27.5%)	3 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.8%)	11 (4.3%)	9.8	673^rd of 807 public high schools	16.6%					(n/a)									29.0		28.0		$8,867	$2,094	$6,774

Frequently Asked Questions about Bartow Senior High School

What schools feed into Bartow Senior High School?

Bartow Senior High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Alturas Elementary School
Elementary : Floral Avenue Elementary School
Elementary : Highland City Elementary School
Elementary : James E. Stephens Academy
Elementary : Spessard L Holland Elementary
Middle : Bartow Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Bartow Senior High School?

Students at Bartow Senior High School are 45% White, 29% Hispanic, 19% African American, 5% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Bartow Senior High School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,125 students attended Bartow Senior High School.

Is Bartow Senior High School a good school?

Bartow Senior High School ranks 450^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Bartow Senior High School in?

Polk

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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.