Enrollment
168
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Bartow, FL
Compass Middle Charter School
Federal NCES profile for Compass Middle Charter School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 120159003925Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 16
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Compass Middle Charter School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools.
- #9 of 16
- public schools in Bartow · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21:1
- large classes for Florida
- 79.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Compass Middle Charter School has class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Compass Middle Charter School ranks #9 of 16 public schools in Bartow, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
8.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+18% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.1%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+52% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Compass Middle Charter School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Compass Middle Charter School
Compass Middle Charter School is a high-poverty, small charter elementary school in Bartow, Florida, enrolling 168 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need is high: 79.1% of students qualify for free meals, 52% above the Florida average, a Title I-weighted population that federal funding formulas prioritise.
Enrollment of 168 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 112 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #94, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (28%) (diversity index 66/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 60.7% 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.
Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students) and Davenport High School (2,731 students) alongside Compass Middle Charter 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 Compass Middle Charter School compares
Compass Middle Charter 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 | 21:1 | ▲ 18% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.1% | ▲ 52% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 168 | top 85% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21:1
Leaner classes than 13% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
168
Bigger than 16% of US schools by enrollment, a small campus.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21:1
students per teacher
- 18% above state mean
Top 81% in Florida - lower ratio than 19% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
60.7%
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
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 20 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 43.5%
White 28.0%
African American 26.8%
Two or More 1.8%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.0, Compass Middle Charter 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 Compass Middle Charter 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 Compass Middle Charter School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haines City Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Davenport High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winter Haven Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Compass Middle Charter 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 elementary 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 (~168 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Compass Middle Charter School's federal record.
- Compare Compass Middle Charter 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 Compass Middle Charter School
How many students attend Compass Middle Charter School?
Compass Middle Charter School has 168 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Bartow, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Compass Middle Charter School?
The student-teacher ratio at Compass Middle Charter School is 21:1, which is 18% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 34% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Compass Middle Charter School?
79.1% of students at Compass Middle Charter School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Compass Middle Charter School?
The largest demographic group at Compass Middle Charter School is Hispanic or Latino at 43.5% of enrollment, in Bartow, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Compass Middle Charter School?
Compass Middle Charter School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Compass Middle Charter School rank among public schools in Bartow?
By Resource Investment Index, Compass Middle Charter School ranks #9 of 16 public schools in Bartow, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Bartow on the city page.
Is Compass Middle Charter School a good school?
Compass Middle Charter School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 81% of Florida schools. 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 Compass Middle Charter 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.