- Enrollment
- 3,105
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lakeland, FL
Lakeland Highlands Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Lakeland Highlands Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 35/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120159001793
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 25
📋 Attendance 13
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lakeland Highlands Middle School earns 35/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #3 of 8
- middle schools in Lakeland · Resource Index
- 35
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.5:1
- students per teacher
- 40.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Lakeland Highlands Middle School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lakeland Highlands Middle School ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Lakeland, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-5 students YoY
Lakeland Highlands Middle School held near 1,260 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 64.0 → 65.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-5 students YoY 120159001793 · Lakeland, FL Middle · MID · TRAD
1,118 enr · 17.5:1 · 40.6% lunch · RII 35
Nearest enrollment peer: Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students)
Lakeland Highlands Middle School held near 1,260 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-5 headcount). Teacher FTE added 64.0 → 65.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 1,118
Lakeland Highlands Middle School
1,118 students
What this shows Lakeland Highlands Middle School reports 1,118 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lakeland Highlands Middle School compares
Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 | 17.5:1 | ▼ 2% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 40.6% | ▼ 22% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,118 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.5:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,118
Bigger than 93% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
40.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 22% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
17.5:1
students per teacher
- 2% below state mean
Top 60% in Florida - lower ratio than 40% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
34.8%
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 373 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 269 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 24.5 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 48.6%
Hispanic or Latino 29.6%
African American 15.2%
Asian 3.5%
Two or More 2.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: White at 48.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.1, Lakeland Highlands Middle School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
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 Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 middle 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 (~1,118 students)
Frequently asked questions about Lakeland Highlands Middle School
How many students attend Lakeland Highlands Middle School?
Lakeland Highlands Middle School has 1,118 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lakeland, FL. CCD year-over-year: 1,265 (2022-23) → 1,260 (2023-24), nearly flat (-5).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lakeland Highlands Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Lakeland Highlands Middle School is 17.5:1, which is 2% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 11% higher 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 Lakeland Highlands Middle School?
40.6% of students at Lakeland Highlands Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lakeland Highlands Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Lakeland Highlands Middle School is White at 48.6% of enrollment, in Lakeland, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.1/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lakeland Highlands Middle School?
Lakeland Highlands Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 35/100 (typical 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 Lakeland Highlands Middle School rank among middle schools in Lakeland?
By Resource Investment Index, Lakeland Highlands Middle School ranks #3 of 8 middle schools in Lakeland, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all middle schools in Lakeland on the city page.
What other schools are in Polk?
Besides Lakeland Highlands Middle 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.