Lake Wales Senior High School

Q: Is Lake Wales Senior High School a good school?

Lake Wales Senior High School ranks 347 th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Lake Wales Senior High School is a public high school located in Lake Wales, Florida, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,586 students. The school has a diverse student population, with a mix of White, African American, and Hispanic students.

While the school has some areas of strength, such as relatively strong performance in Biology 1 and US History end-of-course exams, it faces several key challenges. The school's four-year graduation rate has declined from 94.4% in 2018-2019 to 84.6% in 2022-2023, which is lower than the Polk state average of 86.9%. Additionally, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 19.1% in 2018-2019 to 33.9% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the state average of 15.7%. The school's test scores are generally below the state and district averages across various subjects and grade levels, with proficiency rates in Algebra 1 (36%), Geometry (46%), and 10th grade English Language Arts (53%) lagging behind the state averages.

When compared to nearby schools in the Polk district, Lake Wales Senior High School generally performs better than some of the lower-performing schools, such as Don E Woods Opportunity Center and New Beginnings High School, but lags behind higher-performing schools like Frostproof Middle/Senior High and Winter Haven Senior High School. The school's high rate of chronic absenteeism may be linked to the relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, suggesting that the school may need to address underlying socioeconomic challenges faced by its student population.

Detail:

Public, Magnet, Charter 9-12

1 Highlander Way
Lake Wales, FL 33853

(863) 678-4222

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
347^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,707

Student/teacher ratio: 22.2

Number of students: 1,599

Racial breakdown:

White:

42.5%

Hispanic:

34.0%

African American:

18.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 68%

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Compare Lake Wales Senior High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lake Wales Senior High School ranks better than 57% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 4^th among 26 ranked high schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 46.17. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Lake Wales 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 Lake Wales Senior High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (42.5%), Hispanic (34%), African American (18.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 68% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lake Wales Senior High School is 22.2, which is the 16^th best among 26 high schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Lake Wales Senior High School employs 72 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lake Wales Senior High School is $5,707. 27 high schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Lake Wales Senior High School 347^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Lake Wales Senior High School in the ranking list.)

Polk:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Lake Wales Senior High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	43.51	299^th	484	38.2%
2005	35.51	344^th	487	29.4%
2006	21.16	390^th	477	18.2%
2007	30.82	396^th	563	29.7%
2008	34.86	394^th	577	31.7%
2009	37.31	397^th	587	32.4%
2010	38.77	421^st	620	32.1%
2011	35.10	448^th	622	28.0%
2012	29.31	409^th	606	32.5%
2013	32.36	440^th	648	32.1%
2014	39.04	417^th	687	39.3%
2016	39.09	382^nd	693	44.9%
2017	40.58	368^th	714	48.5%
2018	47.19	307^th	716	57.1%
2019	42.75	359^th	734	51.1%
2021	33.67	436^th	746	41.6%
2022	44.79	333^rd	774	57.0%
2023	37.29	419^th	792	47.1%
2024	46.17	347^th	807	57.0%

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:

by a parent
Monday, June 12, 2017

Such a great and diverse school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Lake Wales Senior High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	875	410	7	26	6	n/a	n/a	0	1324
1989	812	410	4	24	7	n/a	n/a	0	1257
1990	740	366	7	27	7	n/a	n/a	0	1147
1991	700	385	9	32	3	n/a	n/a	0	1129
1992	700	372	11	40	0	n/a	n/a	0	1123
1993	669	355	9	53	1	n/a	n/a	0	1087
1994	687	353	9	54	1	n/a	n/a	0	1104
1995	722	381	6	48	1	n/a	n/a	0	1158
1996	722	381	6	48	1	n/a	n/a	0	1158
1997	772	414	6	64	1	n/a	n/a	0	1257
1998	764	424	6	53	1	n/a	n/a	0	1248
1999	804	422	5	73	2	n/a	n/a	0	1306
2000	781	420	5	89	1	n/a	n/a	0	1296
2001	806	442	6	90	0	n/a	n/a	0	1344
2002	781	428	6	111	2	n/a	n/a	0	1328
2003	781	428	6	111	2	n/a	n/a	0	1328
2004	809	437	6	121	2	n/a	n/a	0	1375
2005	797	439	5	168	3	n/a	n/a	0	1412
2006	785	416	8	170	6	n/a	n/a	0	1385
2007	780	420	6	191	3	n/a	n/a	11	1411
2008	771	376	6	207	2	n/a	n/a	20	1382
2009	719	358	10	200	2	n/a	n/a	22	1311
2010	686	344	6	201	1	n/a	n/a	18	1256
2011	630	357	4	222	8	1	30	0	1252
2012	600	321	12	214	10	0	34	0	1191
2013	629	342	16	257	14	1	45	0	1304
2014	674	330	18	318	11	0	50	0	1401
2015	698	322	23	338	7	2	49	0	1439
2016	734	315	20	382	7	2	51	0	1511
2017	759	298	20	407	6	2	59	0	1551
2018	750	313	26	411	9	2	55	0	1566
2019	719	322	23	451	5	0	51	0	1571
2020	710	336	23	466	4	0	48	0	1587
2021	670	349	29	481	2	2	44	0	1577
2022	656	336	20	502	2	2	42	0	1560
2023	671	327	20	523	2	2	41	0	1586
2024	680	299	29	544	2	3	42	0	1599

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 Lake Wales Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1324	76.0	17.4	21.8
1989	1257	79.0	15.9	20.6
1990	1147	72.0	15.9	0
1991	1129	75.0	15.0	28.7
1992	1123	72.0	15.5	28.9
1993	1087	62.0	17.5	30.5
1994	1104	62.0	17.8	30.5
1995	1158	60.0	19.3	33.3
1996	1158	60.0	19.3	33.3
1997	1257	62.0	20.3	33.1
1998	1248	66.0	18.9	34.1
1999	1306	68.0	19.2	41.8
2000	1296	76.0	17.1	41.2
2001	1344	82.0	16.4	36.6
2002	1328	68.0	19.5	40.6
2003	1328	68.0	19.5	40.6
2004	1375	67.0	20.5	41.9
2005	1412	72.0	19.6	33.9
2006	1385	78.0	17.8	48.2
2007	1411	83.0	17.0	48.8
2008	1382	80.0	17.3	49.3
2009	1311	83.5	18.5	53.3
2010	1256	65.0	19.3	57.3
2011	1252	69.0	18.1	61.8
2012	1191	80.0	14.8	61.2
2013	1304	64.0	20.3	64.4
2014	1401	67.0	20.9	59.1
2015	1439	65.0	22.1	70.4
2016	1511	73.0	20.6	68.2
2017	1551	75.0	20.6	47.8
2018	1566	82.0	19.0	62.8
2019	1571	67.0	23.4	62.8
2020	1587	69.0	23.0	61.2
2021	1577	64.0	24.6	49.9
2022	1560	69.0	22.6	57.8
2023	1586	66.0	24.0	63.6
2024	1599	72.0	22.2	68

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 Lake Wales Senior High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1324	76.0	17.4	21.8
1989	1257	79.0	15.9	20.6
1990	1147	72.0	15.9	0
1991	1129	75.0	15.0	28.7
1992	1123	72.0	15.5	28.9
1993	1087	62.0	17.5	30.5
1994	1104	62.0	17.8	30.5
1995	1158	60.0	19.3	33.3
1996	1158	60.0	19.3	33.3
1997	1257	62.0	20.3	33.1
1998	1248	66.0	18.9	34.1
1999	1306	68.0	19.2	41.8
2000	1296	76.0	17.1	41.2
2001	1344	82.0	16.4	36.6
2002	1328	68.0	19.5	40.6
2003	1328	68.0	19.5	40.6
2004	1375	67.0	20.5	41.9
2005	1412	72.0	19.6	33.9
2006	1385	78.0	17.8	48.2
2007	1411	83.0	17.0	48.8
2008	1382	80.0	17.3	49.3
2009	1311	83.5	18.5	53.3
2010	1256	65.0	19.3	57.3
2011	1252	69.0	18.1	61.8
2012	1191	80.0	14.8	61.2
2013	1304	64.0	20.3	64.4
2014	1401	67.0	20.9	59.1
2015	1439	65.0	22.1	70.4
2016	1511	73.0	20.6	68.2
2017	1551	75.0	20.6	47.8
2018	1566	82.0	19.0	62.8
2019	1571	67.0	23.4	62.8
2020	1587	69.0	23.0	61.2
2021	1577	64.0	24.6	49.9
2022	1560	69.0	22.6	57.8
2023	1586	66.0	24.0	63.6
2024	1599	72.0	22.2	68

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 Lake Wales Senior High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$305 (5.1%)	$5,728 (94.9%)	$6,033
2019	$310 (4.4%)	$6,793 (95.6%)	$7,103
2020	$339 (5.7%)	$5,627 (94.3%)	$5,966
2021	$357 (5.6%)	$6,037 (94.4%)	$6,395
2022	$401 (6.9%)	$5,385 (93.1%)	$5,786
2023	$548 (9.6%)	$5,158 (90.4%)	$5,707

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lake Wales 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 359^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 419^th of 792 High schools	4%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Wales Senior High School)	51	53	2%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	45	44	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Lake Wales Senior High School)	53	43	10%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Lake Wales Senior High School)	60	53	7%
End of Course Biology 1 (Polk)	54	50	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (Lake Wales Senior High School)	56	49	7%
End of Course US History (Polk)	58	50	8%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Lake Wales Senior High School)	47	36	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Polk)	51	41	10%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (Lake Wales Senior High School)	58	52	6%
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	1571	1586	1%
African American	322	327	1.6%
American Indian	5	2	60%
Asian	23	20	13%
Hispanic	451	523	16%
Pacific Islander	0	2
White	719	671	6.7%
Two or More Races	51	41	19.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	62.8%	63.6%	0.7%

Schools Near Lake Wales 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 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 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
Lake Wales Senior High School	Public, Magnet, Charter	9-12	1 Highlander Way	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	(863) 678-4222	1,599	72	22.2	68.0%	680 (42.5%)	299 (18.7%)	544 (34.0%)	29 (1.8%)	2 (0.1%)	3 (0.2%)	42 (2.6%)	46.2	347^th of 807 public high schools	57.0%		37.3	419^th of 792 public high schools	47.1%	72				56.0	53.0					36.0	46.0	78.0	59.0		$5,707	$548	$5,158
Roosevelt Academy	Public	6-12	115 E St	Lake Wales	33853	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 678-4252	277	21	13.1	74.0%	104 (37.5%)	39 (14.1%)	130 (46.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.4%)	8	683^rd of 807 public high schools	15.4%		4.2	722^nd of 792 public high schools	8.8%	39	15.0	15.0	17.0	16.0	13.0	9.0	23.0	4.0	14.0	8.0	0.0	15.0	23.0	51.0	$15,615	$2,998	$12,616
Don E Woods Opportunity Center	Public	6-12	213 Lake Ave E	Dundee	33838	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 421-3325	65	11	5.9	83.1%	8 (12.3%)	23 (35.4%)	32 (49.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.1%)	3	760^th of 807 public high schools	5.8%		3.2	751^st of 792 public high schools	5.2%	9		27.0	13.0	8.0	0.0		7.0	17.0	7.0	7.0
Winter Haven Senior High School	Public	9-12	600 6th St SE	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 291-5330	2,553	111	23.0	59.2%	800 (31.3%)	785 (30.7%)	837 (32.8%)	44 (1.7%)	8 (0.3%)	7 (0.3%)	72 (2.8%)	37.4	447^th of 807 public high schools	44.6%		27.6	527^th of 792 public high schools	33.5%	80				48.0	43.0					26.0	37.0	61.0	64.0		$8,493	$1,373	$7,121
Frostproof Middle/Senior High	Public	6-12	1000 Palm Ave N	Frostproof	33843	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 635-7809	1,082	58	18.6	67.4%	443 (40.9%)	108 (10.0%)	501 (46.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	26 (2.4%)	33.4	502^nd of 807 public high schools	37.8%		34.8	445^th of 792 public high schools	43.8%	57	46.0	36.0	32.0	41.0	38.0	33.0	23.0	36.0	28.0	30.0	54.0	46.0	61.0	64.0	$10,665	$1,737	$8,928
Lake Region High School	Public	9-12	1995 Thunder Rd	Eagle Lake	33839	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 297-3099	1,554	58	26.7	71.6%	360 (23.2%)	438 (28.2%)	718 (46.2%)	11 (0.7%)	5 (0.3%)	3 (0.2%)	19 (1.2%)	20.5	635^th of 807 public high schools	21.3%		13.4	651^st of 792 public high schools	17.8%	16				35.0	42.0					15.0	21.0	41.0	50.0		$9,136	$1,724	$7,411
Chain Of Lakes Collegiate High	Public, Charter	11-12	999 Avenue H NE	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 298-6800	314	5	62.8		133 (42.4%)	59 (18.8%)	94 (29.9%)	20 (6.4%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (1.3%)	4 (1.3%)								(n/a)															$8,402	$1,459	$6,944
New Beginnings High School	Public, Charter	6-12	250 Magnolia Ave SW	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 268-5666	837	14	59.7	71.3%	165 (19.7%)	243 (29.0%)	404 (48.3%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (2.7%)	3.9	739^th of 807 public high schools	8.4%		4.1	725^th of 792 public high schools	8.5%	14			9.0	12.0	9.0				0.0	13.0	0.0	12.0	15.0		$8,631	$668	$7,963
Ridge Teen Parent Program	Public	6-12	7700 Lucerne Park Rd	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 299-2512	10	0		40.0%	0 (0.0%)	6 (60.0%)	4 (40.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)
Ridge Technical Academy	Public	6-12	7700 State Road 544	Winter Haven	33881	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 419-3060	143	7	20.4	60.1%	52 (36.4%)	24 (16.8%)	65 (45.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	1 (0.7%)	25.2	586^th of 807 public high schools	27.4%		20.3	599^th of 792 public high schools	24.4%	13											18.0		53.0		$13,158	$1,603	$11,554

Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Wales Senior High School

Is Lake Wales Senior High School a good school?

Lake Wales Senior High School ranks 347^th of 807 Florida high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Lake Wales Senior High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,599 students attended Lake Wales Senior High School.

What district is Lake Wales Senior High School in?

Polk

What is the racial makeup of Lake Wales Senior High School?

Students at Lake Wales Senior High School are 43% White, 34% Hispanic, 19% African American, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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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.