Summary:
The 33868 zip code in Florida is home to a single public elementary school, Polk City Elementary School, which serves grades PK-5 with 606 students. While the school has a predominantly White student population, it faces significant challenges, including academic underperformance, high poverty levels, and staffing resource constraints.
Polk City Elementary's academic performance, as measured by state assessment proficiency rates, consistently falls below the Polk district and Florida state averages. For example, the school's 3rd grade ELA proficiency rate was just 38% in 2023-2024, compared to 49% for the district and 55% statewide. Additionally, the school has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 35.2%, which is significantly above the state average. These factors have contributed to the school's low 2-star rating from the SchoolDigger ranking system.
The high-poverty student population at Polk City Elementary, with over 58% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, may be a contributing factor to the school's academic challenges. The school's relatively high student-teacher ratio of 17.8 to 1 also suggests a need for additional staffing and resources to provide more individualized attention and support for students. Furthermore, the lack of racial/ethnic diversity in the student population may impact the school's ability to offer a well-rounded, inclusive educational experience.
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