- Enrollment
- 3,105
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Lake Wales, FL
Lake Wales Senior High School
Federal NCES profile for Lake Wales Senior High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 21/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120159001790Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 11
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lake Wales Senior High School earns 21/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 91% of Florida schools.
- #9 of 10
- public schools in Lake Wales · Resource Index
- 21
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.2:1
- large classes for Florida
- 54.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Lake Wales Senior High School has class sizes larger than 91% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Wales Senior High School ranks #9 of 10 public schools in Lake Wales, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+13 students YoY
Lake Wales Senior High School held near 1,599 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+13 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 66.0 → 72.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+13 students YoY 120159001790 · Lake Wales, FL High · MID · CHARTER
1,597 enr · 24.2:1 · 54.2% lunch · RII 21
Nearest enrollment peer: Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students)
Lake Wales Senior High School held near 1,599 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+13 headcount). Teacher FTE added 66.0 → 72.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Lake Wales Senior High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Haines City Se
Haines City Senior High School
3,105 students
- Davenport High
Davenport High School
2,731 students
- Winter Haven S
Winter Haven Senior High School
2,648 students
- Ridge Communit
Ridge Community High School
2,632 students
- George W. Jenk
George W. Jenkins Senior High
2,469 students
- This school
Lake Wales Senior High School
1,597 students
What this shows Lake Wales Senior High School reports 1,597 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lake Wales Senior High School compares
Lake Wales Senior High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.2:1 | ▲ 36% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 54.2% | ▲ 4% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,597 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.2:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,597
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
54.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% 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
24.2:1
students per teacher
- 36% above state mean
Top 91% in Florida - lower ratio than 9% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
35.8%
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
$11,747
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $12,081
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 532 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
40
in-school suspensions + 206 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.4 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 41.2%
Hispanic or Latino 35.5%
African American 18.6%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 2.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 41.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Lake Wales Senior High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 3
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Polk reports $11,747 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Lake Wales Senior High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haines City Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Davenport High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winter Haven Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lake Wales Senior High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,597 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lake Wales Senior High School
How many students attend Lake Wales Senior High School?
Lake Wales Senior High School has 1,597 students enrolled. It is a high school in Lake Wales, FL. CCD year-over-year: 1,586 (2022-23) → 1,599 (2023-24), nearly flat (+13).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lake Wales Senior High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lake Wales Senior High School is 24.2:1, which is 36% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 54% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lake Wales Senior High School?
54.2% of students at Lake Wales Senior High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lake Wales Senior High School?
The largest demographic group at Lake Wales Senior High School is White at 41.2% of enrollment, in Lake Wales, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lake Wales Senior High School?
Lake Wales Senior High School has a Resource Investment Index of 21/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lake Wales Senior High School rank among public schools in Lake Wales?
By Resource Investment Index, Lake Wales Senior High School ranks #9 of 10 public schools in Lake Wales, 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 Wales on the city page.
What other schools are in Polk?
Besides Lake Wales Senior High 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.