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Excellent

#714 of 3,778 schools in FL

Top 19% in state

Highlands Grove Elementary School

Elementary School · Polk · Lakeland, FL

A Polk elementary school where students score 13 points above what's typical for similar communities.

4510 LAKELAND HIGHLANDS RD, Lakeland, FL 33813

  • Math 71% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 60% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress8.0Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-0.39 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics8.5Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency70.7% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency59.7% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg+10.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+4.5 pts
Overall Proficiency65% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)52% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected+13.0 pts
Adjusted Percentile77th
Resources & Environment7.6Very Good20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio15.8:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism26.5%

Students at Highlands Grove Elementary School score 65% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 52%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency71%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency60%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 13 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 65% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
79%
ELA
77%
2010
Math
78%
ELA
75%
2011
Math
65%
ELA
65%
2012
Math
63%
ELA
60%
2013
ELA
65%
2014
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2015
Math
78%
ELA
68%
2016
Math
78%
ELA
70%
2017
Math
82%
ELA
70%
2018
Math
73%
ELA
62%
2019
Math
73%
ELA
62%
2020*
Math
69%
ELA
59%
2021*
Math
69%
ELA
59%
2022
Math
77%
ELA
62%
2024
Math
71%
ELA
60%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 73% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 64% (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

46.9%

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 Highlands Grove Elementary 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 4Car-Dependent
  • Bike 37Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average575/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

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

Median income

$96,723

Median home value

$330,100

Median rent

$1,637/mo

College educated

39.2%

Homeownership

77.3%

Poverty rate

8.1%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33813; 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
Parkway Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition7.7privatePK–120.5 mi275Compare →
Carlton Palmore Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.1PK–51.9 mi413Compare →
The Cape AcademyPrivate · tuition7.0privateK–121.9 mi205Compare →
Mi Escuela MontessoriCharter · enrollment unverified8.5PK–62.1 mi239Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

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

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
#20 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

Highlands Grove Elementary School is listed in POLK; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Highlands Grove Elementary School

Highlands Grove Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lakeland, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 712 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 15.8:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 out of 10 and ranks #714 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Highlands Grove Elementary School

What grades does Highlands Grove Elementary School serve?

Highlands Grove Elementary School serves students in grades Pre-K through 5th.

How many students attend Highlands Grove Elementary School?

Highlands Grove Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 712 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Highlands Grove Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Highlands Grove Elementary School is 15.8:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Highlands Grove Elementary School rank in FL?

Highlands Grove Elementary School ranks #714 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Highlands Grove Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Highlands Grove Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.1 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 Highlands Grove Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Highlands Grove Elementary School has 73% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 64% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Highlands Grove Elementary School a charter school?

No, Highlands Grove Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Highlands Grove Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Highlands Grove Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Highlands Grove Elementary School?

46.9% of students at Highlands Grove Elementary 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
Pre-K – 5th
Enrollment
712
Student-Teacher Ratio
15.8:1
Teachers (FTE)
45
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
26.5%
Area population (ZIP 33813)
38,112
Area average commute
24.9 min
Area median age
39.9
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 33813; 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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