The brief
A Polk charter elementary school where students score 28 points above what's typical for similar communities.
It ranks 636 of 3,811 schools in Florida and 11 of 155 in Polk.
South Mckeel Academy is a charter school: it enrolls by application rather than by address, so check its enrollment process directly before choosing a neighborhood for it.
- 202686%
- 202583%
- 202480%
- 2023: no results on file
- 202275%
- 2021*74%
- 2020*74%
* 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 84% (multi-year average, 2009-2026) · reading/ELA 80% (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 33803; 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
- $63,180
- Median home value
- $236,200
- Median rent
- $1,337/mo
- College educated
- 33.8%
- Homeownership
- 62.2%
- Poverty rate
- 12.7%
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 33803; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.
Getting around
- Walk Score
- 49
- Car-Dependent
- Bike Score
- 48
- Somewhat Bikeable
- City reported crime
- 1,900/100K
- Reported Part-1 offenses (violent + property + arson) per 100,000 residents, from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program for Lakeland. 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 (Lakeland), 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
- 48.8%
- 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.- 8.5Compare →
- 8.0Compare →
- South Mckeel Academy7.9
- 7.9Compare →
- 6.3Compare →
- 6.3Compare →
- 5.0Compare →
- 4.8Compare →
- 2.9Compare →
Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.
Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.
Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.
The record
What is on file, and where each number came from.Questions families ask
What grades does South Mckeel Academy serve?
South Mckeel Academy serves students in grades Pre-K through 6th.
How many students attend South Mckeel Academy?
South Mckeel Academy has an enrollment of approximately 1,199 students.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Mckeel Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Mckeel Academy is 18.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.
How does South Mckeel Academy rank in FL?
South Mckeel Academy ranks #636 of 3,811 schools in FL.
What is South Mckeel Academy's MySchoolScout rating?
South Mckeel Academy has a current MySchoolScout rating of 7.9 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 South Mckeel Academy?
Based on loaded state assessment records, South Mckeel Academy has 84% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026) and 80% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2026).
Is South Mckeel Academy a charter school?
Yes, South Mckeel Academy is a charter school. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated, often with more flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.
Is South Mckeel Academy a Title I school?
No, South Mckeel Academy is not currently a Title I school.
What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for South Mckeel Academy?
48.8% of students at South Mckeel Academy 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
- Pre-K – 6th
- Enrollment
- 1,199
- Student-teacher ratio
- 18.4:1
- Teachers (FTE)
- 65
- Type
- Regular
- Title I
- No
- Setting
- Midsize City
- County
- Polk County
- Phone
- (863) 510-0044
- Rank in district
- #11 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 33803)
- 29,058
- Area average commute
- 21.8 min
- Area median age
- 42.3
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.