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Below Average

#3229 of 3,778 schools in FL

Compass Middle Charter School

Middle School · Polk · Bartow, FL

A Polk charter middle school where students score 19 points below what's typical for similar communities.

Charter

550 CLOWER ST E, Bartow, FL 33830

  • Math 17% vs FL 53% (2024)
  • Reading 21% vs FL 53% (2024)
  • 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress7.2Very Good40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.63 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics2.4Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency16.8% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency21% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-39.1 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-33.8 pts
Overall Proficiency19% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)38% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected-19.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile7th
Resources & Environment2.9Needs Improvement25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio20.1:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism63.4%

Students at Compass Middle Charter School score 19% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 38%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency17%(2024 FAST)
School
State
53%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency21%(2024 FAST)
School
State
53%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 13 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 19% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
22%
ELA
42%
2010
Math
22%
ELA
32%
2011
Math
17%
ELA
22%
2012
Math
17%
ELA
22%
2013
ELA
12%
2014
Math
12%
ELA
8%
2015
Math
17%
ELA
12%
2016
Math
17%
ELA
12%
2017
Math
17%
ELA
12%
2018
Math
22%
ELA
17%
2019
Math
22%
ELA
17%
2020*
Math
17%
ELA
12%
2021*
Math
17%
ELA
12%
2022
Math
12%
ELA
14%
2024
Math
17%
ELA
21%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 18% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 18% (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 35 test records from FL state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

82%

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 Compass Middle Charter School 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 17Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,296/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Bartow), 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

$62,636

Median home value

$207,900

Median rent

$1,017/mo

College educated

18.4%

Homeownership

68.5%

Poverty rate

18.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33830; 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
Bartow Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.26–80.0 mi999Compare →
Jean O'dell Learning CenterEnrollment path unverified8.8PK–120.3 mi78Compare →
Hospital HomeboundEnrollment path unverified4.5PK–120.5 mi151Compare →
Union AcademyEnrollment path unverified5.56–81.5 mi389Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Polk

Schools in district
167
Rank in district
#114 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

Compass Middle Charter School is listed in POLK; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Compass Middle Charter School

Compass Middle Charter School is a public middle school in Bartow, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 161 students in grades 5th-8th with a 20.1:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 out of 10 and ranks #3,229 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 18% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 18% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Compass Middle Charter School

What grades does Compass Middle Charter School serve?

Compass Middle Charter School serves students in grades 5th through 8th.

How many students attend Compass Middle Charter School?

Compass Middle Charter School has an enrollment of approximately 161 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Compass Middle Charter School?

The student-teacher ratio at Compass Middle Charter School is 20.1:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Compass Middle Charter School rank in FL?

Compass Middle Charter School ranks #3,229 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Compass Middle Charter School's MySchoolScout rating?

Compass Middle Charter School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.4 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 Compass Middle Charter School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Compass Middle Charter School has 18% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 18% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Compass Middle Charter School a charter school?

Yes, Compass Middle Charter School is a charter school. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated, often with more flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.

Is Compass Middle Charter School a Title I school?

No, Compass Middle Charter School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Compass Middle Charter School?

82.0% of students at Compass Middle Charter School 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
5th – 8th
Enrollment
161
Student-Teacher Ratio
20.1:1
Teachers (FTE)
8
Type
alternative
Setting
Fringe Town
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
63.4%
Area population (ZIP 33830)
32,738
Area average commute
27.9 min
Area median age
36.2
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 33830; 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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