Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

Summary:

Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) is an alternative public school in Lakeland, Florida, serving grades 4-12 with a total enrollment of 269 students. The school has a diverse student population and 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.

Real Academy has struggled with significant challenges, including a 0.0% four-year graduation rate, an extremely high chronic absenteeism rate of 89.7%, and academic performance that is significantly below the Polk County and Florida state averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 11% of Real Academy students were proficient or better in Algebra 1, compared to 42% in Polk County and 55% statewide. Additionally, 71.75% of Real Academy students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high-need population.

While Real Academy faces significant challenges, some nearby alternative schools, such as Karen M. Siegel Academy and Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy, have significantly better outcomes in areas like graduation rates, chronic absenteeism, and academic performance. This suggests that the challenges faced by Real Academy may be unique to the school and not necessarily inherent to all alternative schools in the region. The data indicates that there are opportunities for improvement at Real Academy through targeted interventions and a focus on best practices from higher-performing alternative schools in the area.

Detail:

Public, Alternative 4-12

951 Mount Airy Ave
Lakeland, FL 33801

(863) 534-0500

District: Polk

SchoolDigger Rank:
2244^th of 2,256 Florida Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $15,995

Student/teacher ratio: 11.4

Number of students: 264

Racial breakdown:

African American:

39.8%

Hispanic:

36.4%

White:

21.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 83.7%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) ranks worse than 99.5% of elementary schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 1.15. (See more...)

Compare Details Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) ranks worse than 97.3% of middle schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 3.27. (See more...)

Compare Details Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) ranks worse than 95.7% of high schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 2.63. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) 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 Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) is diverse. Racial makeup is: African American (39.8%), Hispanic (36.4%), White (21.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 83.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) is 11.4, which is the 4^th best among 5 alternative schools in the Polk School District. (See more...)

Compare Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) employs 23 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) is $15,995. 6 alternative schools in the Polk School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) 1164^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) in the ranking list.)

SchoolDigger ranks Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) 772^nd of 807 Florida public high schools. (See Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) 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 Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2018	0.28	2115^th	2118	0.1%
2019	0.28	2180^th	2182	0.1%
2021	1.38	2243^rd	2247	0.2%
2022	1.37	2212^th	2219	0.3%
2023	1.22	2234^th	2240	0.3%
2024	1.15	2244^th	2256	0.5%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2018	2.18	1029^th	1035	0.6%
2019	2.61	1089^th	1099	0.9%
2021	4.03	1122^nd	1136	1.2%
2022	2.84	1140^th	1148	0.7%
2023	3.12	1153^rd	1177	2.0%
2024	3.27	1164^th	1196	2.7%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2018	1.60	702^nd	716	2.0%
2019	1.11	729^th	734	0.7%
2022	1.82	763^rd	774	1.4%
2023	2.86	762^nd	792	3.8%
2024	2.63	772^nd	807	4.3%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative 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 Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2016	55	56	0	58	0	0	6	175
2017	116	110	0	105	0	1	8	340
2018	99	98	1	97	2	2	6	305
2019	85	80	0	87	1	0	9	262
2020	77	87	0	90	1	0	9	264
2021	60	84	0	107	0	2	9	262
2022	52	77	0	108	1	0	8	246
2023	71	83	1	109	1	0	4	269
2024	56	105	1	96	0	0	6	264

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 Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	175	12.0	14.5	69.1
2017	340	20.0	17.0	71.5
2018	305	22.0	13.8	77.7
2019	262	20.0	13.1	71.4
2020	264	22.0	12.0	62.5
2021	262	20.0	13.1	76
2022	246	20.0	12.3	80.1
2023	269	24.0	11.2	71.7
2024	264	23.0	11.4	83.7

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 Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2016	175	12.0	14.5	69.1
2017	340	20.0	17.0	71.5
2018	305	22.0	13.8	77.7
2019	262	20.0	13.1	71.4
2020	264	22.0	12.0	62.5
2021	262	20.0	13.1	76
2022	246	20.0	12.3	80.1
2023	269	24.0	11.2	71.7
2024	264	23.0	11.4	83.7

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 Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$319 (3.3%)	$9,397 (96.7%)	$9,716
2019	$1,191 (9.7%)	$11,124 (90.3%)	$12,315
2020	$1,183 (8.0%)	$13,531 (92.0%)	$14,714
2021	$1,243 (9.7%)	$11,594 (90.3%)	$12,837
2022	$2,470 (14.7%)	$14,319 (85.3%)	$16,789
2023	$1,988 (12.4%)	$14,007 (87.6%)	$15,995

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

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 2180^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 2234^th of 2240 Elementary schools	0.2%
Ranks 1089^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 1153^rd of 1177 Middle schools	1.1%
Ranks 729^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 762^nd of 792 High schools	3.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	7	5	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	47	44	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	3	3
5th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	51	40	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	0	8	8%
5th Grade Science (Polk)	45	39	6%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	4	14	10%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	43	5%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	3	7	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	3	5	2%
7th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	39	35	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	9	2	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	48	41	7%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	3	0	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Polk)	35	32	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	3	3
8th Grade Science (Polk)	41	33	8%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	0	9	9%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	45	44	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	0	10	10%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Polk)	42	38	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Civics (Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner))	4	21	17%
End of Course Civics (Polk)	70	65	5%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	262	269	2.7%
African American	80	83	3.8%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	0	1
Hispanic	87	109	25.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	85	71	16.5%
Two or More Races	9	4	55.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	71.4%	71.7%	0.4%

Schools Near Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	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 English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th 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 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
Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)	Public, Alternative	4-12	951 Mount Airy Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	Yes	(863) 534-0500	264	23	11.4	83.7%	56 (21.2%)	105 (39.8%)	96 (36.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.3%)								(n/a)		0.0		24.0	8.0	12.0	13.0	8.0		0.0		6.0	6.0	7.0		3.0	11.0			12.0	18.0	$15,995	$1,988	$14,007
Doris A. Sanders Learning Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1201 Enchanted Dr	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 499-2980	84	13	6.4	64.3%	40 (47.6%)	21 (25.0%)	18 (21.4%)	2 (2.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.2%)	2 (2.4%)								(n/a)																						$40,052	$9,967	$30,085
Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	9-10	114 North Tennessee Ave	Lakeland	33801	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	No	(863) 204-1771	39	3	13.0	30.8%	17 (43.6%)	4 (10.3%)	16 (41.0%)	1 (2.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (2.6%)								(n/a)							67.0	80.0									9.0	83.0	67.0	73.0		$42,922	$00	$42,922
Polk Virtual Instruction Program	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	604 S. Central Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 354-3999	28	0			14 (50.0%)	4 (14.3%)	10 (35.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)																		20.0				$5,472	$95	$5,377
Polk Full Time Eschool	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	604 S. Central Ave	Lakeland	33815	Polk County	Polk	No	No	Yes	No	(863) 354-3999	455	0			199 (43.7%)	69 (15.2%)	166 (36.5%)	5 (1.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (3.3%)								(n/a)	72.0	64.0	52.0	52.0	50.0	58.0	72.0	61.0	43.0	14.0	8.0	50.0	36.0	53.0	31.0	47.0	43.0	45.0	65.0	80.0	63.0	$12,638	$890	$11,748
Jean O'Dell Learning Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1310 Floral Ave S	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 534-7440	78	16	4.8	73.1%	26 (33.3%)	15 (19.2%)	36 (46.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)								(n/a)																						$52,363	$10,358	$42,005
Language & Literacy Academy For Learning	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	330 Ave C SE	Winter Haven	33880	Polk County	Polk	Yes	No	No	Yes	(863) 268-2903	341	16	21.3	98.2%	83 (24.3%)	92 (27.0%)	154 (45.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.6%)	9 (2.6%)								(n/a)	0.0	8.0		9.0	3.0	10.0	0.0		0.0	8.0		0.0	6.0	0.0		5.0	0.0		0.0		9.0	$16,917	$3,670	$13,247
Hospital Homebound	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1909 Floral Ave S	Bartow	33830	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 665-4538	151	3	50.3	2.0%	73 (48.3%)	16 (10.6%)	57 (37.7%)	2 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (2.0%)								(n/a)					33.0	27.0	39.0	48.0					31.0	8.0		15.0	12.0	10.0	32.0	56.0	47.0
Karen M. Siegel Academy	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	935 Evenhouse Rd	Lake Alfred	33850	Polk County	Polk	No	No	No	No	(863) 965-5566	159	23	6.9	58.5%	54 (34.0%)	28 (17.6%)	74 (46.5%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)								(n/a)																						$42,147	$10,522	$31,625
Simmons Career Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	1202 W Grant St	Plant City	33563	Hillsborough County	Hillsborough	No	No	No	No	(813) 707-7430	163	13	12.5	71.2%	49 (30.1%)	12 (7.4%)	96 (58.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.7%)								(n/a)								29.0									0.0	14.0	10.0	31.0		$14,815	$1,670	$13,144

Frequently Asked Questions about Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)

Is Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) a good school?

Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) ranks in the bottom 0.5% of Florida alternative schools.

What district is Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) in?

Polk

What is the racial makeup of Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)?

Students at Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner) are 40% African American, 36% Hispanic, 21% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)?

In the 2023-24 school year, 264 students attended Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner).

Rate Real Academy (Reaching Every Adolescent Learner)!

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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.