Enrollment
1,007
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Winter Haven, FL
Chain of Lakes Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Chain of Lakes Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120159005714
👥 S:T ratio 41
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Chain of Lakes Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #7 of 14
- schools in Winter Haven · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.8:1
- students per teacher
- 36.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Chain of Lakes Elementary School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Chain of Lakes Elementary School ranks #7 of 14 schools in Winter Haven, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.8:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-17% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
36.8%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Chain of Lakes Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Chain of Lakes Elementary School
Chain of Lakes Elementary School is a mid-sized combined-grade school in Winter Haven, Florida, enrolling 1,007 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 14.8:1 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 36.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,007 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 654 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #489, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (38%) and White (31%) (diversity index 71/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1007 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 33.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 1 expulsion at this campus for 2021-22.
Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students) and Davenport High School (2,731 students) alongside Chain of Lakes Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Chain of Lakes Elementary School compares
Chain of Lakes Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.8:1 | ▼ 17% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 36.8% | ▼ 29% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,007 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.8:1
Leaner classes than 49% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,007
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
36.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
14.8:1
students per teacher
- 17% below state mean
Top 31% in Florida - lower ratio than 69% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
33.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,454
per pupil, district-wide
- above Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1007 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
31
in-school suspensions + 49 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 3.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 1 expulsion.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 37.6%
White 30.7%
African American 21.9%
Asian 5.6%
Two or More 3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 37.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 71.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 71.2, Chain of Lakes Elementary School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Polk, which includes Chain of Lakes Elementary School.
$11,454
Per student
+3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-31%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 35.2%
State 43.8%
Federal 21.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Chain of Lakes Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haines City Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Davenport High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winter Haven Senior High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Chain of Lakes Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,105
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 2,731
- Students per teacher
- 32.1:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 2,648
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 2,632
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 2,469
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,007 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Chain of Lakes Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Chain of Lakes Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Polk's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Chain of Lakes Elementary School
How many students attend Chain of Lakes Elementary School?
Chain of Lakes Elementary School has 1,007 students enrolled. It is a public school in Winter Haven, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Chain of Lakes Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Chain of Lakes Elementary School is 14.8:1, which is 17% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 6% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Chain of Lakes Elementary School?
36.8% of students at Chain of Lakes Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Chain of Lakes Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Chain of Lakes Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 37.6% of enrollment, in Winter Haven, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 71.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Chain of Lakes Elementary School?
Chain of Lakes Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Chain of Lakes Elementary School rank among schools in Winter Haven?
By Resource Investment Index, Chain of Lakes Elementary School ranks #7 of 14 schools in Winter Haven, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Winter Haven on the city page.
Is Chain of Lakes Elementary School a good school?
Chain of Lakes Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Polk?
Besides Chain of Lakes Elementary School, Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students), Davenport High School (2,731 students), and Winter Haven Senior High School (2,648 students). See the Polk district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.