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Needs Improvement

#3702 of 3,778 schools in FL

Sandhill Elementary School

Elementary School · Polk · Haines City, FL

A Polk elementary school where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1801 TYNER RD, Haines City, FL 33844

  • Math 40% vs FL 58% (2024)
  • Reading 35% vs FL 54% (2024)
  • 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress1.4Needs Improvement50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.92 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics4.7Below Average30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency39.7% (2024 FAST)
Reading/ELA Proficiency34.7% (2024 FAST)
Math vs. State Avg-20.8 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-20.5 pts
Overall Proficiency37% (2024 FAST, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)42% (model expectation from 2024 FAST)
vs. Expected-4.4 pts
Adjusted Percentile28th
Resources & Environment5.0Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.4:1
District spending per student$11,242
Chronic Absenteeism52.1%

Students at Sandhill Elementary School score 37% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 42%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 FAST proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. FL average.

Math Proficiency40%(2024 FAST)
School
State
58%(2024 FAST)
ELA Proficiency35%(2024 FAST)
School
State
54%(2024 FAST)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 16-year record (2009–2024), then recovered 8 points since 2020, reaching 37% in 2024.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
85%
ELA
75%
2010
Math
74%
ELA
68%
2011
Math
63%
ELA
56%
2012
Math
66%
ELA
60%
2013
ELA
55%
2014
Math
60%
ELA
44%
2015
Math
54%
ELA
42%
2016
Math
52%
ELA
42%
2017
Math
50%
ELA
43%
2018
Math
43%
ELA
40%
2019
Math
43%
ELA
40%
2020*
Math
21%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
21%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
34%
ELA
35%
2024
Math
40%
ELA
35%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 49% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 46% (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

72.9%

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 Sandhill 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 3Car-Dependent
  • Bike 25Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: Elevated926/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Haines City), 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

$60,426

Median home value

$212,700

Median rent

$1,158/mo

College educated

17.3%

Homeownership

69.9%

Poverty rate

16.2%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33844; 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
Dundee Elementary AcademyEnrollment path unverified9.0PK–53.7 mi636Compare →
Esthers School Inc - Haines CityPrivate · tuition4.8privateK–124.2 mi91Compare →
Alta Vista Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified5.0PK–54.9 mi760Compare →
Laurel Elementary SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.2PK–55.0 mi1,049Compare →

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.

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
#147 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

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

About Sandhill Elementary School

Sandhill Elementary School is a public elementary school in Haines City, FL, part of Polk, serving approximately 1,017 students in grades Pre-K-5th with a 16.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 3.1 out of 10 and ranks #3,702 of 3,778 schools in FL. State assessment records show 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Sandhill Elementary School

What grades does Sandhill Elementary School serve?

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

How many students attend Sandhill Elementary School?

Sandhill Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 1,017 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Sandhill Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Sandhill Elementary School is 16.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Sandhill Elementary School rank in FL?

Sandhill Elementary School ranks #3,702 of 3,778 schools in FL.

What is Sandhill Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Sandhill Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 3.1 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 Sandhill Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Sandhill Elementary School has 49% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 46% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Sandhill Elementary School a charter school?

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

Is Sandhill Elementary School a Title I school?

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

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

72.9% of students at Sandhill 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
1,017
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
62
Type
regular
Setting
Fringe Rural
County
Polk County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
52.1%
Area population (ZIP 33844)
49,133
Area average commute
36.2 min
Area median age
39.4
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 33844; 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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