Mulberry Middle School

Summary:

Mulberry Middle School is a public middle school in Mulberry, Florida, serving around 1,200 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Polk County School District, which is ranked 57th out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Mulberry Middle School has consistently been ranked in the bottom half of Florida middle schools in recent years.

Mulberry Middle School stands out for its diverse student population, with around 50% Hispanic students and 38-40% White students. However, the school faces significant challenges, including high chronic absenteeism rates (29.1% to 36.8%), lower test scores compared to state and district averages (32-42% proficiency in English Language Arts and Math), and a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (57.04% to 62.83%). In contrast, nearby schools like Lakeland Montessori Middle School, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, and Union Academy generally have higher test scores, lower chronic absenteeism, and a lower percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

While Mulberry Middle School's spending per student has increased over the years, from $7,025 in 2019-2020 to $8,555 in 2022-2023, its performance on various metrics remains lower than the state and district averages, as well as some of the nearby higher-performing schools. This suggests that factors beyond just funding may be contributing to the school's challenges. The school's higher percentage of Hispanic and African American students, combined with its lower performance, also raises questions about potential equity and opportunity gaps that may need to be addressed.

Detail:

Public 6-8

500 Dr Mlk Jr Ave SE
Mulberry, FL 33860

(863) 701-1066

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
904^th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,555

Students who attend Mulberry Middle School usually attend:

High:

Mulberry Senior High School

Feeder schools for Mulberry Middle School:

Elementary:	James W. Sikes Elementary School
	Purcell Elementary School
	Willow Oak School

Student/teacher ratio: 19.6

Number of students: 1,200

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

50.5%

White:

38.4%

African American:

8.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 62.8%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Mulberry Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mulberry Middle School ranks worse than 75.6% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 13^th among 26 ranked middle schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.77. (See more...)

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

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (50.5%), White (38.4%), African American (8.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 62.8% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Mulberry Middle School is 19.6. 15 middle schools in the Polk School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Mulberry Middle School employs 61 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mulberry Middle School is $8,555. 15 middle schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Mulberry Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Mulberry Middle School 904^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Mulberry Middle 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 Mulberry Middle School?

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Rank History for Mulberry Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	24.73	472^nd	593	20.4%
2005	36.54	418^th	602	30.6%
2006	24.97	520^th	675	23.0%
2007	43.41	452^nd	736	38.6%
2008	44.10	448^th	740	39.5%
2009	38.82	519^th	780	33.5%
2010	39.97	553^rd	839	34.1%
2011	35.43	619^th	891	30.5%
2012	35.22	599^th	897	33.2%
2013	40.18	592^nd	956	38.1%
2014	30.51	705^th	999	29.4%
2016	31.76	684^th	997	31.4%
2017	37.06	645^th	1031	37.4%
2018	37.37	655^th	1035	36.7%
2019	39.38	682^nd	1099	37.9%
2021	29.80	804^th	1136	29.2%
2022	28.23	841^st	1148	26.7%
2023	25.37	902^nd	1177	23.4%
2024	26.77	904^th	1196	24.4%

See the entire list of Florida Middle 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 Mulberry Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	426	92	1	4	2	n/a	n/a	0	525
1989	404	81	2	6	0	n/a	n/a	0	493
1990	391	77	1	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	478
1991	370	62	2	16	0	n/a	n/a	0	450
1992	379	71	1	11	1	n/a	n/a	0	463
1993	463	87	0	16	1	n/a	n/a	0	567
1994	488	100	1	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	607
1995	560	121	1	49	0	n/a	n/a	0	731
1996	560	121	1	49	0	n/a	n/a	0	731
1997	502	115	0	66	0	n/a	n/a	0	683
1998	541	126	2	66	0	n/a	n/a	0	735
1999	582	111	2	68	0	n/a	n/a	0	763
2000	593	108	1	83	0	n/a	n/a	0	785
2001	566	103	0	96	2	n/a	n/a	0	767
2002	575	109	1	116	0	n/a	n/a	0	801
2003	575	109	1	116	0	n/a	n/a	0	801
2004	587	107	1	136	0	n/a	n/a	0	831
2005	593	101	1	156	0	n/a	n/a	0	851
2006	580	94	2	193	0	n/a	n/a	0	869
2007	538	91	3	206	0	n/a	n/a	32	870
2008	492	91	8	214	1	n/a	n/a	40	846
2009	500	88	8	246	1	n/a	n/a	38	881
2010	477	100	9	258	1	n/a	n/a	36	881
2011	448	92	7	292	2	0	25	0	866
2012	480	106	9	335	5	0	29	0	964
2013	503	88	9	306	6	0	28	0	940
2014	490	101	12	345	10	0	32	0	990
2015	497	93	15	388	6	1	35	0	1035
2016	496	107	16	413	7	0	40	0	1079
2017	501	91	16	476	2	0	33	0	1119
2018	524	111	8	486	3	0	28	0	1160
2019	482	117	8	520	3	0	20	0	1150
2020	500	118	5	558	2	0	28	0	1211
2021	439	110	6	547	1	0	26	0	1129
2022	458	93	7	562	2	0	21	0	1143
2023	461	102	10	606	2	0	19	0	1200

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 Mulberry Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	525	25.0	21.0	25.1
1989	493	26.0	18.9	25.4
1990	478	23.0	20.7	0
1991	450	24.0	18.7	34.2
1992	463	21.0	22.0	24.8
1993	567	27.0	21.0	22.8
1994	607	23.0	26.4	28.3
1995	731	36.0	20.3	35.4
1996	731	36.0	20.3	35.4
1997	683	32.0	21.3	37.3
1998	735	29.0	25.3	40.4
1999	763	40.0	19.1	45.3
2000	785	43.0	18.3	46.2
2001	767	48.0	16.0	44.5
2002	801	44.0	18.2	57.6
2003	801	44.0	18.2	57.6
2004	831	49.0	17.0	52
2005	851	56.0	15.2	57.1
2006	869	55.0	15.8	60.9
2007	870	61.0	14.3	63.8
2008	846	61.0	13.9	63.3
2009	881	65.8	15.7	63.3
2010	881	56.0	15.7	74.4
2011	866	60.0	14.4	72.3
2012	964	62.0	15.5	72.2
2013	940	63.0	14.9	71.1
2014	990	57.0	17.3	67.1
2015	1035	57.0	18.1	67.8
2016	1079	61.0	17.6	56.9
2017	1119	63.0	17.7	55.8
2018	1160	64.0	18.1	54.7
2019	1150	65.0	17.6	54.9
2020	1211	65.0	18.6	54.7
2021	1129	63.0	17.9	57
2022	1143	60.0	19.0	61.3
2023	1200	61.0	19.6	62.8

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 Mulberry Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	525	25.0	21.0	25.1
1989	493	26.0	18.9	25.4
1990	478	23.0	20.7	0
1991	450	24.0	18.7	34.2
1992	463	21.0	22.0	24.8
1993	567	27.0	21.0	22.8
1994	607	23.0	26.4	28.3
1995	731	36.0	20.3	35.4
1996	731	36.0	20.3	35.4
1997	683	32.0	21.3	37.3
1998	735	29.0	25.3	40.4
1999	763	40.0	19.1	45.3
2000	785	43.0	18.3	46.2
2001	767	48.0	16.0	44.5
2002	801	44.0	18.2	57.6
2003	801	44.0	18.2	57.6
2004	831	49.0	17.0	52
2005	851	56.0	15.2	57.1
2006	869	55.0	15.8	60.9
2007	870	61.0	14.3	63.8
2008	846	61.0	13.9	63.3
2009	881	65.8	15.7	63.3
2010	881	56.0	15.7	74.4
2011	866	60.0	14.4	72.3
2012	964	62.0	15.5	72.2
2013	940	63.0	14.9	71.1
2014	990	57.0	17.3	67.1
2015	1035	57.0	18.1	67.8
2016	1079	61.0	17.6	56.9
2017	1119	63.0	17.7	55.8
2018	1160	64.0	18.1	54.7
2019	1150	65.0	17.6	54.9
2020	1211	65.0	18.6	54.7
2021	1129	63.0	17.9	57
2022	1143	60.0	19.0	61.3
2023	1200	61.0	19.6	62.8

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 Mulberry Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$897 (12.8%)	$6,086 (87.2%)	$6,983
2019	$1,175 (15.3%)	$6,489 (84.7%)	$7,664
2020	$865 (12.3%)	$6,160 (87.7%)	$7,025
2021	$1,068 (14.2%)	$6,470 (85.8%)	$7,537
2022	$1,790 (20.8%)	$6,822 (79.2%)	$8,612
2023	$1,401 (16.4%)	$7,153 (83.6%)	$8,555

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mulberry 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 682^nd of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 902^nd of 1177 Middle schools	14.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mulberry Middle School)	45	44	1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	43	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Mulberry Middle School)	50	39	11%
6th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	47	37	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mulberry Middle School)	44	33	11%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mulberry Middle School)	41	33	8%
7th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	39	35	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mulberry Middle School)	51	37	14%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	41	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mulberry Middle School)	46	16	30%
8th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	35	32	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Mulberry Middle School)	38	33	5%
8th Grade Science (Polk)	41	33	8%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Mulberry Middle School)	71	67	4%
End of Course Civics (Polk)	70	65	5%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Mulberry Middle School)	84	46	38%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Polk)	51	41	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Mulberry Middle School)	97	74	23%
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	1150	1200	4.3%
African American	117	102	12.8%
American Indian	3	2	33.3%
Asian	8	10	25%
Hispanic	520	606	16.5%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	482	461	4.4%
Two or More Races	20	19	5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	54.9%	62.8%	8%

Schools Near Mulberry Middle 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 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 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Mulberry Middle School	Public	6-8	500 Dr Mlk Jr Ave SE	Mulberry	33860	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 701-1066	1,200	61	19.6	62.8%	461 (38.4%)	102 (8.5%)	606 (50.5%)	10 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (1.6%)	26.8	904^th of 1196 public middle schools	24.4%		25.4	902^nd of 1177 public middle schools	23.4%	2		32.0	32.0	42.0		42.0	33.0	37.0		36.0	73.0	98.0	85.0	$8,555	$1,401	$7,153
Lakeland Highlands Middle School	Public	6-8	740 Lake Miriam Dr	Lakeland	33813	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 648-3500	1,265	64	19.7	40.6%	647 (51.1%)	177 (14.0%)	349 (27.6%)	34 (2.7%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	55 (4.3%)	50.5	583^rd of 1196 public middle schools	51.3%		45.6	626^th of 1177 public middle schools	46.8%	43		54.0	52.0	53.0		48.0	35.0	55.0		47.0	91.0	96.0	84.0	$7,875	$1,125	$6,750
Compass Middle Charter School	Public, Charter	5-8	550 Clower St E	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 519-8701	153	8	19.1	79.1%	34 (22.2%)	36 (23.5%)	77 (50.3%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	4 (2.6%)	4.5	1144^th of 1196 public middle schools	4.3%		3	1156^th of 1177 public middle schools	1.8%	12	30.0	23.0	16.0	15.0	35.0	4.0	5.0	23.0	30.0	8.0			19.0	$8,527	$1,839	$6,688
Bartow Middle School	Public	6-8	550 Clower St E	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-7415	1,046	53	19.7	62.6%	489 (46.7%)	217 (20.7%)	297 (28.4%)	5 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	35 (3.3%)	24.3	935^th of 1196 public middle schools	21.8%		25.3	905^th of 1177 public middle schools	23.1%	30		41.0	31.0	35.0		38.0	21.0	35.0		36.0	71.0	82.0	83.0	$8,883	$1,394	$7,491
Southwest Middle School	Public	6-8	2815 Eden Pkwy	Lakeland	33803	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 499-2840	801	46	17.4	62.9%	243 (30.3%)	210 (26.2%)	304 (38.0%)	8 (1.0%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	32 (4.0%)	17.8	1028^th of 1196 public middle schools	14.0%		15.3	1037^th of 1177 public middle schools	11.9%	9		24.0	34.0	34.0		26.0	22.0	27.0		32.0	75.0	74.0	67.0	$9,917	$1,863	$8,054
Union Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	1795 Wabash St E	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 534-7435	396	20	19.8	35.1%	200 (50.5%)	77 (19.4%)	95 (24.0%)	12 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.0%)	73.5	289^th of 1196 public middle schools	75.8%		80	193^rd of 1177 public middle schools	83.6%	96		62.0	79.0	66.0		75.0	21.0	53.0		60.0	86.0	94.0	97.0	$10,310	$1,238	$9,072
Crystal Lake Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	2410 Crystal Lake Dr N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 499-2970	949	51	18.6	70.9%	278 (29.3%)	184 (19.4%)	434 (45.7%)	9 (0.9%)	3 (0.3%)	3 (0.3%)	38 (4.0%)	14.5	1057^th of 1196 public middle schools	11.6%		17.4	1010^th of 1177 public middle schools	14.2%	47		32.0	28.0	30.0		24.0	10.0	24.0		29.0	57.0	86.0	52.0	$9,469	$1,546	$7,922
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	400 Florida Ave N	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	No	(863) 499-2742	649	34	19.0	32.7%	298 (45.9%)	143 (22.0%)	135 (20.8%)	47 (7.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.9%)	76.4	245^th of 1196 public middle schools	79.5%		68.6	340^th of 1177 public middle schools	71.1%	95		70.0	66.0	71.0		69.0	59.0	40.0		70.0	71.0	99.0	100.0	$9,583	$1,426	$8,155
Lakeland Montessori Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	1124 N. Lake Parker Ave	Lakeland	33805	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 413-0003	30	2	15.0	10.0%	17 (56.7%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (23.3%)	2 (6.7%)	2 (6.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (6.7%)	91.6	66^th of 1196 public middle schools	94.5%		97.6	9^th of 1177 public middle schools	99.2%	57			73.0	100.0			80.0			67.0	93.0		100.0	$6,794	$1,002	$5,791
Marshall Middle Magnet School	Public, Magnet	6-8	18 S Maryland Ave	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	Yes	No	Yes	(813) 757-9360	1,089	52	21.1	69.1%	324 (29.8%)	134 (12.3%)	584 (53.6%)	9 (0.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	37 (3.4%)	32.9	824^th of 1196 public middle schools	31.1%		29.1	854^th of 1177 public middle schools	27.4%	30		50.0	39.0	38.0		38.0	18.0	55.0		29.0	74.0		51.0	$8,224	$1,854	$6,370

Frequently Asked Questions about Mulberry Middle School

What high school do graduates of Mulberry Middle School attend?

Students who attend Mulberry Middle School usually go on to attend Mulberry Senior High School

How many students attend Mulberry Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,200 students attended Mulberry Middle School.

Is Mulberry Middle School a good school?

Mulberry Middle School ranks in the bottom 24.4% of Florida middle schools.

What district is Mulberry Middle School in?

Polk

What is the racial makeup of Mulberry Middle School?

Students at Mulberry Middle School are 51% Hispanic, 38% White, 9% African American, 2% 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.