The brief
A Polk middle school where students score 16 points below what's typical for similar communities.
It ranks 3,320 of 3,811 schools in Florida and 111 of 155 in Polk.
Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence is listed in Polk, and a district label does not verify attendance for an address: confirm the zoned campus with the district before you commit to a street.
- 202631%
- 202525%
- 202425%
- 2023: no results on file
- 202236%
- 2021*33%
- 2020*33%
* A COVID-affected year: test participation was uneven nationwide, so the model weights it at half.
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026
Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.
Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.
Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 27% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 31% (multi-year average, 2009-2026).
- 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 · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Reading/ELA proficiency
- State department of education · 2026 FAST · Medium confidence
- Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
- Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
- Student progress (growth)
- State assessments · 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 33853; 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, 2009-2026; directory SY 2023–24
The neighborhood
Where it sits, and what the area looks like.The area
- Median income
- $40,938
- Median home value
- $198,100
- Median rent
- $965/mo
- College educated
- 18.7%
- Homeownership
- 55.8%
- Poverty rate
- 23.8%
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33853; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Getting around
- Walk Score
- 26
- Car-Dependent
- Bike Score
- 34
- Somewhat Bikeable
- City reported crime
- 1,505/100K
- Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Lake Wales. This is a city-level reported-crime measure, not a school safety rating.
Walk, transit and bike scores by
FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2025 · city context (Lake Wales), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details
Source period: 2025. Freshness not available.
Programs and who goes here
What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.Programs
- Gifted and talented
- Available
- A program for qualifying students · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Who goes here
- Free or reduced lunch
- 76.1%
- Students qualifying for federal meal assistance. Shown separately, never in the score.
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD).
Compare nearby
Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.
The record
What is on file, and where each number came from.Questions families ask
What grades does Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence serve?
Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence serves students in grades 6th through 10th.
How many students attend Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence?
Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence has an enrollment of approximately 666 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence?
The student-teacher ratio at Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence is 20.2:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence rank in FL?
Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence ranks #3,320 of 3,811 schools in FL.
What is Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence's MySchoolScout rating?
Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.6 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 Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence?
Based on loaded state assessment records, Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence has 27% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 31% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).
Is Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence a charter school?
No, Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.
Is Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence a Title I school?
No, Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence?
76.1% of students at Mclaughlin Academy of Excellence 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 facts
- Grades
- 6th – 10th
- Enrollment
- 666
- Student-teacher ratio
- 20.2:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 33
- Type
- Regular
- Title I
- No
- Setting
- Large Suburb
- County
- Polk County
- Phone
- (863) 678-4233
- Rank in district
- #111 of 155
- Schools in district
- 167
- District spending per student
- $11,242
- NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
- District child poverty rate
- 17.0%
- Census SAIPE · 2024
- Area population (ZIP 33853)
- 12,385
- Area average commute
- 24.8 min
- Area median age
- 37.3
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Florida Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.