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Below Average

#3175 of 3,778 schools in FL

Bethune Academy

Elementary School · Polk · Haines City, FL

A Polk elementary school where students score 11 points above what's typical for similar communities.

900 AVENUE F, Haines City, FL 33844

  • Math 50% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 49% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress2.8Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.76 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics7.2Very Good30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency50% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency49% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-10.5 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-6.2 pts
Overall Proficiency50% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)38% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+11.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile59th
Resources & Environment4.8Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio21.5:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism23.5%

Students at Bethune Academy score 50% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 38%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency50%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency49%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 28 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 50% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
81%
ELA
74%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
76%
2011
Math
70%
ELA
67%
2012
Math
67%
ELA
63%
2013
ELA
66%
2014
Math
46%
ELA
55%
2015
Math
60%
ELA
52%
2016
Math
56%
ELA
60%
2017
Math
60%
ELA
63%
2018
Math
57%
ELA
56%
2019
Math
57%
ELA
56%
2020*
Math
46%
ELA
56%
2021*
Math
46%
ELA
56%
2022
Math
50%
ELA
54%
2024
Math
50%
ELA
49%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 58% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 59% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 33 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

80.5%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

The neighborhood

Where Bethune Academy sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 31Car-Dependent
  • Bike 28Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated926/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Haines City), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$60,426

Median home value

$212,700

Median rent

$1,158/mo

College educated

17.3%

Homeownership

69.9%

Poverty rate

16.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33844; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Eastside Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.1PK–50.7 mi668Compare →
Lighthouse Christian Learning CenterPrivate · tuition7.0private1–120.8 mi38Compare →
Aba Haines City IncPrivate · tuition6.4privateK–121.1 mi109Compare →
Berkley Elementary SchoolCharter · enrollment unverified8.8PK–5Not available696Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Polk

Schools in district
167
Rank in district
#109 of 155
District spending per student
$11,242NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
17.0%Census SAIPE · 2024

Bethune Academy is listed in POLK; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Bethune Academy

Bethune Academy is a public elementary school in Haines City, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 430 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 21.5:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10 and ranks #3,175 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Bethune Academy

What grades does Bethune Academy serve?

Bethune Academy serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Bethune Academy?

Bethune Academy has an enrollment of approximately 430 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Bethune Academy?

The student-teacher ratio at Bethune Academy is 21.5:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Bethune Academy rank in FL?

Bethune Academy ranks #3,175 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Bethune Academy's MySchoolScout rating?

Bethune Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Bethune Academy?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Bethune Academy has 58% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 59% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Bethune Academy a charter school?

No, Bethune Academy is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Bethune Academy a Title I school?

No, Bethune Academy is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Bethune Academy?

80.5% of students at Bethune Academy qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
430
Student-Teacher Ratio
21.5:1
Teachers (FTE)
20
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
23.5%
Area population (ZIP 33844)
49,133
Area average commute
36.2 min
Area median age
39.4
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 FAST · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 FAST. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 33844; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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