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Average

#1882 of 3,778 schools in FL

Top 50% in state

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred

Middle School · Polk · Lake Alfred, FL

A Polk charter middle school where students score 7 points above what's typical for similar communities.

Charter

1000 BUENA VISTA DR N, Lake Alfred, FL 33850

  • Math 48% vs FL 53% (2024)
  • Reading 49% vs FL 52% (2024)
  • 19:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress6.4Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.82 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics6.8Average35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency47.7% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency48.7% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-5.7 pts
Overall Proficiency48% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)41% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+7.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile54th
Resources & Environment5.5Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio19:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism30.4%

Students at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred score 48% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 41%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency48%(2024 FAST)
School
State
53%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency49%(2024 FAST)
School
State
52%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 11 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 48% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
56%
ELA
62%
2010
Math
58%
ELA
65%
2011
Math
56%
ELA
57%
2012
Math
52%
ELA
56%
2013
ELA
54%
2014
Math
57%
ELA
59%
2015
Math
54%
ELA
51%
2016
Math
55%
ELA
52%
2017
Math
52%
ELA
49%
2018
Math
51%
ELA
55%
2019
Math
51%
ELA
55%
2020*
Math
49%
ELA
50%
2021*
Math
49%
ELA
50%
2022
Math
46%
ELA
46%
2024
Math
48%
ELA
49%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 52% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 53% (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

74.9%

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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred 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 6Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated1,098/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Lake Alfred), 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

$53,877

Median home value

$215,700

Median rent

$1,072/mo

College educated

24.1%

Homeownership

73.6%

Poverty rate

10.7%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33850; 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
Karen M. Siegel AcademyEnrollment path unverified8.2PK–120.2 mi159Compare →
Lake Alfred Polytech AcademyEnrollment path unverified6.76–80.2 mi767Compare →
Our Career Centered Academy Inc.Private · tuition7.5privateK–121.2 mi89Compare →
Berkley AcceleratedCharter · enrollment unverified7.86–10Not available627Compare →

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
#52 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

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is listed in POLK; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is a public middle school in Lake Alfred, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 911 students in grades 6th-8th with a 19:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 out of 10 and ranks #1,882 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred

What grades does Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred serve?

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred has an enrollment of approximately 911 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?

The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is 19:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred rank in FL?

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred ranks #1,882 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred's MySchoolScout rating?

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred has a current MySchoolScout rating of 6.3 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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred has 52% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 53% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred a charter school?

Yes, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is a charter school. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated, often with more flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.

Is Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred a Title I school?

No, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?

74.9% of students at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
911
Student-Teacher Ratio
19:1
Teachers (FTE)
48
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
30.4%
Area population (ZIP 33850)
9,825
Area average commute
29.6 min
Area median age
43.5
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 33850; 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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