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Below Average

#3176 of 3,778 schools in FL

Kathleen Middle School

Middle School · Polk · Lakeland, FL

A Polk middle school where students score 12 points below what's typical for similar communities.

3627 KATHLEEN PNES, Lakeland, FL 33810

  • Math 28% vs FL 53% (2024)
  • Reading 27% vs FL 52% (2024)
  • 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress5.4Average40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-1.07 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics3.4Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency28% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency27% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-27.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-27.4 pts
Overall Proficiency28% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)40% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected-12.2 pts
Adjusted Percentile15th
Resources & Environment4.4Below Average25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio18.2:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism48.3%

Students at Kathleen Middle School score 28% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 40%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency28%(2024 FAST)
School
State
53%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency27%(2024 FAST)
School
State
52%(2024 FAST)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency is down 20 points across the 16-year record (2009–2024) and has held near 28% recently.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
44%
ELA
51%
2010
Math
46%
ELA
51%
2011
Math
31%
ELA
44%
2012
Math
36%
ELA
49%
2013
ELA
41%
2014
Math
24%
ELA
30%
2015
Math
29%
ELA
33%
2016
Math
27%
ELA
32%
2017
Math
34%
ELA
36%
2018
Math
40%
ELA
38%
2019
Math
40%
ELA
38%
2020*
Math
28%
ELA
28%
2021*
Math
28%
ELA
28%
2022
Math
34%
ELA
29%
2024
Math
28%
ELA
27%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 33% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 36% (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

77.5%

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 Kathleen Middle 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 27Car-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

$69,738

Median home value

$245,300

Median rent

$1,407/mo

College educated

20.4%

Homeownership

76.5%

Poverty rate

10.9%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33810; 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
Sleepy Hill Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.26–82.8 mi1,087Compare →
Sparrow AcademyPrivate · tuition7.4private2–113.6 mi53Compare →
Lake Gibson Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.36–84.0 mi1,118Compare →
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
#110 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

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

About Kathleen Middle School

Kathleen Middle School is a public middle school in Lakeland, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 835 students in grades 6th-8th with a 18.2:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.5 out of 10 and ranks #3,176 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Kathleen Middle School

What grades does Kathleen Middle School serve?

Kathleen Middle School serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend Kathleen Middle School?

Kathleen Middle School has an enrollment of approximately 835 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Kathleen Middle School?

The student-teacher ratio at Kathleen Middle School is 18.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Kathleen Middle School rank in FL?

Kathleen Middle School ranks #3,176 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Kathleen Middle School's MySchoolScout rating?

Kathleen Middle School 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 Kathleen Middle School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Kathleen Middle School has 33% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 36% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Kathleen Middle School a charter school?

No, Kathleen Middle School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Kathleen Middle School a Title I school?

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

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

77.5% of students at Kathleen Middle 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
6th – 8th
Enrollment
835
Student-Teacher Ratio
18.2:1
Teachers (FTE)
46
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
48.3%
Area population (ZIP 33810)
52,734
Area average commute
27 min
Area median age
42.2
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 33810; 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

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