Enrollment
1,039
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lake Alfred, FL
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred
Federal NCES profile for Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120159003112Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 14
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 31
📋 Attendance 14
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% of Florida schools.
- #3 of 5
- public schools in Lake Alfred · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.6:1
- large classes for Florida
- 66.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred has class sizes larger than 83% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Lake Alfred, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
48.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+21% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
66.3%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+27% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is a higher-need, mid-sized charter middle school in Lake Alfred, Florida, enrolling 1,039 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 21.6:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 66.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,039 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.
Against 685 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #339.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (29%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 346 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.2% 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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred.
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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred compares
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.6:1 | ▲ 21% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 66.3% | ▲ 27% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,039 | top 18% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.6:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,039
Bigger than 92% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
66.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 27% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.6:1
students per teacher
- 21% above state mean
Top 83% in Florida - lower ratio than 17% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
34.2%
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
Counselors3.0 FTE
Per 346 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 8 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.8 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 48.6%
White 29.1%
African American 17.6%
Two or More 3.6%
Asian 1.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.7, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred 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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred.
$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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haines City Senior High School | Larger | Similar 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 | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred'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 middle 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 (~1,039 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred's federal record.
- Compare Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred 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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred
How many students attend Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred has 1,039 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lake Alfred, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?
The student-teacher ratio at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is 21.6:1, which is 21% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?
66.3% of students at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?
The largest demographic group at Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred is Hispanic or Latino at 48.6% of enrollment, in Lake Alfred, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred?
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred 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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred rank among public schools in Lake Alfred?
By Resource Investment Index, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred ranks #3 of 5 public schools in Lake Alfred, 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 Lake Alfred on the city page.
Is Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred a good school?
Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 83% 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 Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred, 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.