Enrollment
1,118
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
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
Teachers (FTE)
64.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
40.6%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-22% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lakeland Highlands Middle School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lakeland Highlands Middle School
Lakeland Highlands Middle School is a large middle school in Lakeland, Florida, enrolling 1,118 students.
At 17.5:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Florida median, within a few percentage points of the 17.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 40.6% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,118 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 656 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #368.
Its student body is led by White (49%) and Hispanic or Latino (30%) (diversity index 65/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 373 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 34.8% 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.
Discipline events run high: 274 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,118 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 2 expulsions 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 Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 Lakeland Highlands Middle School compares
Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 | 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 (what these measure)
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
$11,454
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 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.
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
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
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Polk, which includes Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 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
- 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 (~1,118 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~17.5:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lakeland Highlands Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Lakeland Highlands Middle 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 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.
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, counselor availability, attendance rates. 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.
Is Lakeland Highlands Middle School a good school?
Lakeland Highlands Middle School earns 35/100 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 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.
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.