Hillcrest Elementary School

Q: Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Hillcrest Elementary School ranks 758 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Hillcrest Elementary School is a public charter school located in Lake Wales, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 662. 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.

Hillcrest Elementary consistently outperforms the Polk district and the state of Florida in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Hillcrest had 60% of 3rd graders proficient in ELA, compared to 49% in Polk and 55% statewide. In math, 73% of 3rd graders at Hillcrest were proficient, compared to 52% in Polk and 60% statewide. However, Hillcrest Elementary has a higher chronic absenteeism rate of 25% compared to the state average of around 16%. The school's student body is also more diverse, with 47.89% White, 19.64% African American, 26.28% Hispanic, and 1.36% Asian students.

When compared to nearby schools in the Polk district, such as Dundee Elementary Academy, Hillcrest Elementary stands out as a relatively higher-performing school, despite having a higher percentage of students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Addressing the chronic absenteeism challenge and continuing to support the school's academic performance could be key priorities for Hillcrest Elementary and the Polk district.

Detail:

Public, Charter PK, KG-5

1051 State Road 60 E
Lake Wales, FL 33853

(863) 678-4216

District: Polk

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,531

Student/teacher ratio: 15.0

Number of students: 662

Racial breakdown:

White:

47.9%

Hispanic:

26.3%

African American:

19.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 59.2%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Hillcrest Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Hillcrest Elementary School ranks better than 66.4% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 19^th among 85 ranked elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 64.76. (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 Hillcrest Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (47.9%), Hispanic (26.3%), African American (19.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 59.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Hillcrest Elementary School is 15, which is the 22^nd best among 85 elementary schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Hillcrest Elementary School employs 44 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Hillcrest Elementary School is $7,531. 83 elementary schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Hillcrest 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Hillcrest Elementary School.

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Rank History for Hillcrest Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	30.14	1216^th	1688	28.0%
2007	35.79	1211^th	1786	32.2%
2008	45.97	1028^th	1789	42.5%
2009	50.37	972^nd	1847	47.4%
2010	40.09	1235^th	1919	35.6%
2011	40.45	1263^rd	1985	36.4%
2012	42.71	1159^th	1984	41.6%
2013	41.63	1193^rd	2029	41.2%
2014	49.17	1044^th	2064	49.4%
2016	49.18	1059^th	2087	49.3%
2017	59.70	833^rd	2112	60.6%
2018	62.24	771^st	2118	63.6%
2019	55.11	965^th	2182	55.8%
2021	58.36	907^th	2247	59.6%
2022	59.52	845^th	2219	61.9%
2023	63.08	770^th	2240	65.6%
2024	64.76	758^th	2256	66.4%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Tuesday, July 17, 2018

My kids have attended Hillcrest for 2 years and we love the energy, art programs, teachers and staff. We feel so lucky to have a school in Lake Wales that is dedicated to helping each and every student excel while making learning fun and challenging at the same time. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Hillcrest Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	363	197	6	14	1	n/a	n/a	0	581
1989	375	203	5	9	0	n/a	n/a	0	592
1990	344	197	7	18	0	n/a	n/a	0	566
1991	371	211	6	17	0	n/a	n/a	0	605
1992	359	219	2	20	1	n/a	n/a	0	601
1993	336	215	1	23	3	n/a	n/a	0	578
1994	358	201	2	27	1	n/a	n/a	0	589
1995	322	198	0	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	550
1996	322	198	0	29	1	n/a	n/a	0	550
1997	317	201	0	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	554
1998	337	213	0	49	0	n/a	n/a	0	599
1999	345	212	0	50	0	n/a	n/a	0	607
2000	347	222	0	57	0	n/a	n/a	0	626
2001	345	209	0	65	0	n/a	n/a	0	619
2002	332	160	1	70	0	n/a	n/a	0	563
2003	332	160	1	70	0	n/a	n/a	0	563
2004	321	162	0	88	0	n/a	n/a	0	571
2005	326	172	1	102	0	n/a	n/a	0	601
2006	336	158	0	118	0	n/a	n/a	0	612
2007	341	136	0	126	1	n/a	n/a	24	628
2008	314	142	0	126	0	n/a	n/a	21	603
2009	299	137	0	132	2	n/a	n/a	32	602
2010	310	151	0	148	0	n/a	n/a	36	645
2011	288	175	3	177	5	0	26	0	674
2012	285	154	4	182	3	0	22	0	650
2013	308	141	2	177	3	0	19	0	650
2014	336	146	3	177	1	0	14	0	677
2015	349	141	2	175	0	0	11	0	678
2016	347	140	2	172	0	0	12	0	673
2017	362	131	3	172	0	0	15	0	683
2018	345	126	4	179	0	0	22	0	676
2019	337	132	3	173	0	0	30	0	675
2020	333	138	5	174	0	0	35	0	685
2021	350	139	8	179	1	0	38	0	715
2022	338	136	9	173	0	0	34	0	690
2023	317	130	9	174	0	0	32	0	662

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 Hillcrest Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	581	30.0	19.3	41
1989	592	33.0	17.9	38.2
1990	566	30.0	18.8	14.1
1991	605	37.0	16.3	45.1
1992	601	39.0	15.4	41.9
1993	578	38.0	15.2	43.4
1994	589	33.0	17.8	49.4
1995	550	30.0	18.3	57.1
1996	550	30.0	18.3	57.1
1997	554	30.0	18.5	58.5
1998	599	32.0	18.7	59.4
1999	607	36.0	16.9	60.3
2000	626	36.0	17.4	56.9
2001	619	35.0	17.7	61.2
2002	563	37.0	15.2	73.5
2003	563	37.0	15.2	73.5
2004	571	40.0	14.3	77.6
2005	601	47.0	12.8	62.4
2006	612	46.0	13.3	73.9
2007	628	43.0	14.6	75.5
2008	603	44.5	13.6	73
2009	602	51.1	13.8	74.6
2010	645	41.5	15.5	76.5
2011	674	44.0	15.3	75.8
2012	650	42.0	15.4	67.2
2013	650	43.0	15.1	68.9
2014	677	46.0	14.7	50.7
2015	678	47.0	14.4	53.1
2016	673	48.0	14.0	55
2017	683	53.0	12.8	7.2
2018	676	53.0	12.7	57
2019	675	42.0	16.0	55.4
2020	685	44.0	15.5	54.6
2021	715	46.0	15.5	55.2
2022	690	47.0	14.6	60.3
2023	662	44.0	15.0	59.2

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 Hillcrest Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	581	30.0	19.3	41
1989	592	33.0	17.9	38.2
1990	566	30.0	18.8	14.1
1991	605	37.0	16.3	45.1
1992	601	39.0	15.4	41.9
1993	578	38.0	15.2	43.4
1994	589	33.0	17.8	49.4
1995	550	30.0	18.3	57.1
1996	550	30.0	18.3	57.1
1997	554	30.0	18.5	58.5
1998	599	32.0	18.7	59.4
1999	607	36.0	16.9	60.3
2000	626	36.0	17.4	56.9
2001	619	35.0	17.7	61.2
2002	563	37.0	15.2	73.5
2003	563	37.0	15.2	73.5
2004	571	40.0	14.3	77.6
2005	601	47.0	12.8	62.4
2006	612	46.0	13.3	73.9
2007	628	43.0	14.6	75.5
2008	603	44.5	13.6	73
2009	602	51.1	13.8	74.6
2010	645	41.5	15.5	76.5
2011	674	44.0	15.3	75.8
2012	650	42.0	15.4	67.2
2013	650	43.0	15.1	68.9
2014	677	46.0	14.7	50.7
2015	678	47.0	14.4	53.1
2016	673	48.0	14.0	55
2017	683	53.0	12.8	7.2
2018	676	53.0	12.7	57
2019	675	42.0	16.0	55.4
2020	685	44.0	15.5	54.6
2021	715	46.0	15.5	55.2
2022	690	47.0	14.6	60.3
2023	662	44.0	15.0	59.2

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 Hillcrest Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$519 (7.6%)	$6,276 (92.4%)	$6,795
2019	$556 (7.2%)	$7,119 (92.8%)	$7,675
2020	$413 (5.8%)	$6,686 (94.2%)	$7,099
2021	$399 (5.7%)	$6,541 (94.3%)	$6,940
2022	$520 (7.2%)	$6,692 (92.8%)	$7,212
2023	$737 (9.8%)	$6,794 (90.2%)	$7,531

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Hillcrest 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 965^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 770^th of 2240 Elementary schools	9.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Hillcrest Elementary School)	50	56	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	52	48	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Hillcrest Elementary School)	61	66	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	51	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Hillcrest Elementary School)	57	56	1%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	46	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Hillcrest Elementary School)	73	79	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	56	50	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Hillcrest Elementary School)	57	57
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Hillcrest Elementary School)	64	53	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Hillcrest Elementary School)	52	50	2%
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	675	662	1.9%
African American	132	130	1.5%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	3	9	200%
Hispanic	173	174	0.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	337	317	5.9%
Two or More Races	30	32	6.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	55.4%	59.2%	3.8%

Schools Near Hillcrest 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
Hillcrest Elementary School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	1051 State Road 60 E	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4216	662	44	15.0	59.2%	317 (47.9%)	130 (19.6%)	174 (26.3%)	9 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.8%)	64.8	758^th of 2256 public elementary schools	66.4%		63.1	770^th of 2240 public elementary schools	65.6%	12	60.0	52.0	57.0	73.0	71.0	62.0	52.0	$7,531	$737	$6,794
Polk Avenue Elementary School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	110 Polk Ave E	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4244	531	28	18.9	77.0%	152 (28.6%)	136 (25.6%)	225 (42.4%)	4 (0.8%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	10 (1.9%)	25.1	1766^th of 2256 public elementary schools	21.7%		13.5	2067^th of 2240 public elementary schools	7.7%	301	41.0	34.0	40.0	47.0	54.0	38.0	33.0	$7,978	$1,511	$6,466
Spook Hill Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	321 Dr Ja Wiltshire Ave E	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4262	584	35	16.6	67.3%	212 (36.3%)	157 (26.9%)	193 (33.0%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	18 (3.1%)	28	1683^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	25.4%		17.1	1978^th of 2240 public elementary schools	11.7%	295	40.0	38.0	47.0	38.0	41.0	42.0	56.0	$11,767	$2,765	$9,002
Janie Howard Wilson School	Public, Charter	PK, KG-5	306 Florida Ave	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 678-4211	448	29	15.4	74.6%	91 (20.3%)	126 (28.1%)	210 (46.9%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	2 (0.4%)	15 (3.3%)	15.9	2008^th of 2256 public elementary schools	11.0%		22.2	1823^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	18.6%	185	33.0	36.0	39.0	38.0	44.0	26.0	31.0	$8,250	$1,393	$6,857
Dale R Fair Babson Park Elementary	Public, Charter	K-5	815 Scenic Hwy N	Babson Park	33827	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4664	472	28	16.8	40.0%	345 (73.1%)	37 (7.8%)	74 (15.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (3.0%)	70.6	625^th of 2256 public elementary schools	72.3%		75.7	490^th of 2240 public elementary schools	78.1%	135	66.0	65.0	59.0	71.0	60.0	64.0	61.0	$8,087	$966	$7,121
Chain Of Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	7001 State Highway 653	Winter Haven	33884	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 326-5388	1,130	68	16.6	36.8%	436 (38.6%)	243 (21.5%)	352 (31.2%)	60 (5.3%)	5 (0.4%)	3 (0.3%)	31 (2.7%)	71.6	603^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	73.3%		52.2	1043^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	53.4%	440	65.0	58.0	60.0	71.0	69.0	63.0	64.0	$9,946	$1,793	$8,153
Garden Grove Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4599 Cypress Gardens Rd	Winter Haven	33884	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5396	723	41	17.6	45.5%	288 (39.8%)	174 (24.1%)	222 (30.7%)	11 (1.5%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (3.6%)	41.7	1300^th of 2256 public elementary schools	42.4%		28.5	1648^th of 2240 public elementary schools	26.4%	348	45.0	41.0	55.0	45.0	58.0	70.0	42.0	$8,685	$1,336	$7,349
Alturas Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	420 4th St	Alturas	33820	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 519-3917	350	20	17.5	61.1%	196 (56.0%)	34 (9.7%)	108 (30.9%)	1 (0.3%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.9%)	58.2	894^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.4%		52.3	1037^th of 2240 public elementary schools	53.7%	143	55.0	51.0	58.0	62.0	54.0	56.0	75.0	$10,451	$1,519	$8,931
Frostproof Ben Hill Griffin Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	501 McLeod Rd	Frostproof	33843	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 635-7820	917	54	16.9	66.4%	405 (44.2%)	68 (7.4%)	413 (45.0%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	24 (2.6%)	37.6	1412^th of 2256 public elementary schools	37.4%		34.9	1473^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	34.2%	61	39.0	44.0	51.0	54.0	53.0	48.0	48.0	$10,973	$2,234	$8,739
Dundee Elementary Academy	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-5	215 Frederick Ave	Dundee	33838	Polk County	Polk	No	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 421-3316	653	41	15.9	46.7%	200 (30.6%)	95 (14.5%)	334 (51.1%)	8 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	15 (2.3%)	76.1	500^th of 2256 public elementary schools	77.8%		66.6	704^th of 2240 public elementary schools	68.6%	204	63.0	60.0	70.0	65.0	69.0	82.0	65.0	$10,218	$1,489	$8,729

Frequently Asked Questions about Hillcrest Elementary School

Is Hillcrest Elementary School a good school?

Hillcrest Elementary School ranks 758^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Hillcrest Elementary School?

Students at Hillcrest Elementary School are 48% White, 26% Hispanic, 20% African American, 5% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What district is Hillcrest Elementary School in?

Polk

How many students attend Hillcrest Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 662 students attended Hillcrest Elementary 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.