McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

Summary:

McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence is a public middle school located in Lake Wales, Florida, serving grades 6-10 with a student population of 542. The school is part of the Polk District, which is ranked 57 out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence has consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 41.7% to 43.9% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. The school also consistently underperforms compared to the state and district averages across various subject areas and grade levels, with some grades having proficiency rates below 20%. Additionally, the school has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 68.08% to 71.71%, suggesting a high concentration of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Despite the school's poor performance, it has a relatively high per-student spending of $13,711 in the 2022-2023 school year, which is higher than the state and district averages.

When comparing McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence to nearby schools in the Polk District, such as Dundee Ridge Middle Academy, Jewett Middle Academy Magnet, and Union Academy, it becomes evident that the school is underperforming across several key metrics, including test scores, chronic absenteeism rates, and statewide rankings. To address these issues, the school and district should consider implementing targeted interventions, reviewing instructional practices, and exploring partnerships with community organizations to provide additional resources and support for students.

Detail:

Public 6-10

800 4th St S
Lake Wales, FL 33853

(863) 678-4233

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
1097^th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $13,711

Feeder schools for McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence:

Elementary:	Chain Of Lakes Elementary School
	Spook Hill Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 15.4

Number of students: 542

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

40.8%

African American:

28.0%

White:

27.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68.1%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence ranks worse than 91.7% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 25^th among 26 ranked middle schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 11.36. (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 McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (40.8%), African American (28%), White (27.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence is 15.4, which is the 2^nd best among 26 middle schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence employs 35 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence is $13,711, which is the highest among 27 middle schools in the Polk School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence 1097^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence in the ranking list.)

Polk:

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

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Rank History for McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	23.84	480^th	593	19.1%
2005	26.61	480^th	602	20.3%
2006	21.78	537^th	675	20.4%
2007	30.36	535^th	736	27.3%
2008	30.47	545^th	740	26.4%
2009	34.62	551^st	780	29.4%
2010	21.41	683^rd	839	18.6%
2011	19.91	726^th	891	18.5%
2012	21.97	714^th	897	20.4%
2013	20.96	772^nd	956	19.2%
2014	25.64	770^th	999	22.9%
2016	10.78	910^th	997	8.7%
2017	13.59	922^nd	1031	10.6%
2018	8.84	961^st	1035	7.1%
2019	9.70	1014^th	1099	7.7%
2021	21.96	905^th	1136	20.3%
2022	22.62	918^th	1148	20.0%
2023	12.01	1068^th	1177	9.3%
2024	11.36	1097^th	1196	8.3%

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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Enrollment information for McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	486	229	3	16	4	n/a	n/a	0	738
1989	437	216	3	13	4	n/a	n/a	0	673
1990	628	300	7	33	0	n/a	n/a	0	968
1991	665	287	5	40	2	n/a	n/a	0	999
1992	697	322	8	42	1	n/a	n/a	0	1070
1993	730	350	5	53	1	n/a	n/a	0	1139
1994	686	367	6	49	0	n/a	n/a	0	1108
1995	725	424	7	59	0	n/a	n/a	0	1215
1996	725	424	7	59	0	n/a	n/a	0	1215
1997	738	429	1	71	0	n/a	n/a	0	1239
1998	744	413	3	86	0	n/a	n/a	0	1246
1999	693	387	11	88	0	n/a	n/a	0	1179
2000	500	285	4	66	3	n/a	n/a	0	858
2001	467	244	6	68	3	n/a	n/a	0	788
2002	452	270	0	85	0	n/a	n/a	0	807
2003	452	270	0	85	0	n/a	n/a	0	807
2004	500	278	0	112	2	n/a	n/a	0	892
2005	492	273	4	125	1	n/a	n/a	0	895
2006	496	262	5	145	1	n/a	n/a	0	909
2007	480	250	5	166	2	n/a	n/a	15	918
2008	421	233	4	161	2	n/a	n/a	18	839
2009	285	194	4	112	2	n/a	n/a	13	610
2010	329	246	5	131	3	n/a	n/a	23	737
2011	319	252	4	172	7	0	33	0	787
2012	317	231	5	197	4	1	32	0	787
2013	322	220	6	214	5	1	33	0	801
2014	297	186	3	219	4	1	36	0	746
2015	267	235	3	250	5	0	34	0	794
2016	291	245	4	274	5	0	28	0	847
2017	286	234	3	280	3	0	19	0	825
2018	283	222	2	285	1	0	20	0	813
2019	208	191	2	256	2	0	13	0	672
2020	176	156	0	228	2	0	18	0	580
2021	138	126	1	173	2	0	11	0	451
2022	143	117	1	175	1	1	11	0	449
2023	151	152	5	221	1	1	11	0	542

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 McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	738	38.0	19.4	44.7
1989	673	39.0	17.2	45
1990	968	51.0	18.9	0
1991	999	54.0	18.5	46.6
1992	1070	57.0	18.7	42.1
1993	1139	60.0	19.0	35.1
1994	1108	58.0	19.1	47.8
1995	1215	59.0	20.6	52.6
1996	1215	59.0	20.6	52.6
1997	1239	63.0	19.7	52.8
1998	1246	66.0	18.9	53.3
1999	1179	65.0	18.1	53.6
2000	858	55.0	15.6	53.4
2001	788	55.0	14.3	53.4
2002	807	48.0	16.8	60.7
2003	807	48.0	16.8	60.7
2004	892	60.0	14.9	61
2005	895	64.0	14.0	58.4
2006	909	67.0	13.6	61.3
2007	918	69.0	13.3	60.9
2008	839	68.0	12.3	63.9
2009	610	60.0	12.0	72.5
2010	737	49.0	15.0	82.4
2011	787	57.0	13.8	83.5
2012	787	58.0	13.5	82.8
2013	801	59.0	13.5	79.4
2014	746	49.0	15.2	77.3
2015	794	52.0	15.2	63.5
2016	847	52.0	16.2	68
2017	825	51.0	16.1	67.9
2018	813	52.0	15.6	70.1
2019	672	47.0	14.2	70.7
2020	580	43.0	13.4	62.8
2021	451	41.0	11.0	69
2022	449	36.0	12.4	71.7
2023	542	35.0	15.4	68.1

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 McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	738	38.0	19.4	44.7
1989	673	39.0	17.2	45
1990	968	51.0	18.9	0
1991	999	54.0	18.5	46.6
1992	1070	57.0	18.7	42.1
1993	1139	60.0	19.0	35.1
1994	1108	58.0	19.1	47.8
1995	1215	59.0	20.6	52.6
1996	1215	59.0	20.6	52.6
1997	1239	63.0	19.7	52.8
1998	1246	66.0	18.9	53.3
1999	1179	65.0	18.1	53.6
2000	858	55.0	15.6	53.4
2001	788	55.0	14.3	53.4
2002	807	48.0	16.8	60.7
2003	807	48.0	16.8	60.7
2004	892	60.0	14.9	61
2005	895	64.0	14.0	58.4
2006	909	67.0	13.6	61.3
2007	918	69.0	13.3	60.9
2008	839	68.0	12.3	63.9
2009	610	60.0	12.0	72.5
2010	737	49.0	15.0	82.4
2011	787	57.0	13.8	83.5
2012	787	58.0	13.5	82.8
2013	801	59.0	13.5	79.4
2014	746	49.0	15.2	77.3
2015	794	52.0	15.2	63.5
2016	847	52.0	16.2	68
2017	825	51.0	16.1	67.9
2018	813	52.0	15.6	70.1
2019	672	47.0	14.2	70.7
2020	580	43.0	13.4	62.8
2021	451	41.0	11.0	69
2022	449	36.0	12.4	71.7
2023	542	35.0	15.4	68.1

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 McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$872 (11.1%)	$6,950 (88.9%)	$7,822
2019	$1,683 (15.5%)	$9,142 (84.5%)	$10,824
2020	$2,299 (18.2%)	$10,305 (81.8%)	$12,604
2021	$2,264 (16.4%)	$11,566 (83.6%)	$13,830
2022	$3,423 (23.0%)	$11,477 (77.0%)	$14,900
2023	$2,457 (17.9%)	$11,254 (82.1%)	$13,711

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

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 1014^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 1068^th of 1177 Middle schools	1.5%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	28	46	18%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	43	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	23	30	7%
6th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	47	37	10%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	15	33	18%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	18	24	6%
7th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	39	35	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	26	21	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	41	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	13	33	20%
8th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	35	32	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	24	17	7%
8th Grade Science (Polk)	41	33	8%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	43	55	12%
End of Course Civics (Polk)	70	65	5%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence)	77	88	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Polk)	51	41	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	672	542	19.3%
African American	191	152	20.4%
American Indian	2	1	50%
Asian	2	5	150%
Hispanic	256	221	13.7%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	208	151	27.4%
Two or More Races	13	11	15.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	70.7%	68.1%	2.6%

Schools Near McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

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 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 6th 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence	Public	6-10	800 4th St S	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4233	542	35	15.4	68.1%	151 (27.9%)	152 (28.0%)	221 (40.8%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	11 (2.0%)	11.4	1097^th of 1196 public middle schools	8.3%		12	1068^th of 1177 public middle schools	9.3%	29	27.0	17.0	31.0	24.0	29.0	16.0	15.0	30.0	21.0	34.0	38.0	33.0	61.0	$13,711	$2,457	$11,254
Edward W Bok Academy North	Public, Charter	6-8	401 N 4th Street	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 638-1010	615	31	19.8	65.4%	299 (48.6%)	111 (18.0%)	172 (28.0%)	16 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.4%)	37.8	755^th of 1196 public middle schools	36.9%		35.4	768^th of 1177 public middle schools	34.7%	13	47.0	48.0	53.0			46.0	27.0	44.0	34.0	90.0	100.0	97.0	75.0	$6,039	$492	$5,547
Bok Academy	Public, Charter	6-8	13895 Hwy 27	Lake Wales	33859	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 638-1010	611	32	19.0	61.2%	266 (43.5%)	122 (20.0%)	197 (32.2%)	7 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	16 (2.6%)	53.3	542^nd of 1196 public middle schools	54.7%		49.8	566^th of 1177 public middle schools	51.9%	24	55.0	54.0	60.0			43.0	34.0	74.0	42.0	97.0	92.0		74.0	$6,573	$508	$6,064
Dundee Ridge Middle Academy	Public, Magnet	6-8	5555 Lake Trask Rd	Dundee	33838	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 419-3088	773	40	19.3	58.3%	152 (19.7%)	138 (17.9%)	466 (60.3%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.4%)	12 (1.6%)	58.5	465^th of 1196 public middle schools	61.1%		58.5	450^th of 1177 public middle schools	61.8%	15	63.0	51.0	51.0			61.0	24.0	69.0	54.0	61.0	91.0		96.0	$9,017	$1,358	$7,659
Denison Middle School	Public	6-8	400 Avenue A SE	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5353	738	39	18.9	69.0%	156 (21.1%)	252 (34.1%)	299 (40.5%)	8 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	21 (2.8%)	14.2	1063^rd of 1196 public middle schools	11.1%		13.3	1056^th of 1177 public middle schools	10.3%	7	27.0	21.0	28.0			16.0	19.0	40.0	23.0	73.0	94.0		55.0	$9,845	$2,067	$7,778
Lake Marion Creek Middle School	Public	6-8	3055 Lake Marion Creek Dr	Poinciana	34759	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 427-1471	1,044	39	26.7	58.2%	87 (8.3%)	328 (31.4%)	598 (57.3%)	10 (1.0%)	4 (0.4%)	6 (0.6%)	11 (1.1%)	12.8	1080^th of 1196 public middle schools	9.7%		10.4	1080^th of 1177 public middle schools	8.2%		31.0	25.0	29.0			28.0	14.0	22.0	23.0	89.0	94.0		24.0	$7,781	$1,629	$6,153
Jewett Middle Academy Magnet	Public, Magnet	6-8	601 Martin Luther King Jr Blv	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 291-5320	584	30	19.4	46.1%	203 (34.8%)	183 (31.3%)	158 (27.1%)	16 (2.7%)	4 (0.7%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.3%)	57	489^th of 1196 public middle schools	59.1%		44.3	644^th of 1177 public middle schools	45.3%	155	63.0	52.0	56.0			59.0	32.0	53.0	53.0	86.0	97.0		81.0	$9,224	$1,022	$8,203
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
Shelley S. Boone Middle School	Public	6-8	225 22nd St S	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 421-3302	1,403	60	23.3	51.7%	148 (10.5%)	325 (23.2%)	904 (64.4%)	13 (0.9%)	4 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	6 (0.4%)	13.5	1072^nd of 1196 public middle schools	10.4%		14.1	1048^th of 1177 public middle schools	11.0%	24	25.0	21.0	27.0			22.0	16.0	39.0	24.0	61.0	95.0		51.0	$6,996	$1,129	$5,866
Daniel Jenkins Academy Of Technology Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	701 Ledwith Ave	Haines City	33844	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 421-3267	516	28	18.4	56.0%	54 (10.5%)	159 (30.8%)	281 (54.5%)	9 (1.7%)	2 (0.4%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.9%)	51.7	564^th of 1196 public middle schools	52.8%		47.7	600^th of 1177 public middle schools	49.0%	36	56.0	53.0	56.0			53.0	24.0	60.0	40.0	80.0	89.0		81.0	$9,643	$1,269	$8,374

Frequently Asked Questions about McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence

What district is McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence in?

Polk

How many students attend McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence?

In the 2022-23 school year, 542 students attended McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence.

Is McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence a good school?

McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence ranks in the bottom 8.3% of Florida middle schools.

What is the racial makeup of McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence?

Students at McLaughlin Academy Of Excellence are 41% Hispanic, 28% African American, 28% White, 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.