- Enrollment
- 3,105
- Students per teacher
- 23.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Lakeland, FL
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
Federal NCES profile for Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 47/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120159003015
👥 S:T ratio 17
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 30
📋 Attendance 70
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy earns 47/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 79% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 8
- middle schools in Lakeland · Resource Index
- 47
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.7:1
- large classes for Florida
- 32.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy has class sizes larger than 79% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy ranks #2 of 8 middle schools in Lakeland, FL.
School address
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+22 students YoY
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy held near 671 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+22 headcount).
Teacher FTE held 34.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
+22 students YoY 120159003015 · Lakeland, FL Middle · MID · TRAD
704 enr · 20.7:1 · 32.7% lunch · RII 47
Nearest enrollment peer: Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students)
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy held near 671 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (+22 headcount). Teacher FTE held 34.0 → 34.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Florida schools → · Find another →
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy 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 704
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
704 students
What this shows Lawton Chiles Middle Academy reports 704 students on the CCD universe file.
How Lawton Chiles Middle Academy compares
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy 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 | 20.7:1 | ▲ 16% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 32.7% | ▼ 37% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 704 | top 39% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.7:1
Leaner classes than 14% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
704
Bigger than 80% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
32.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 37% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
20.7:1
students per teacher
- 16% above state mean
Top 79% in Florida - lower ratio than 21% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
11.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 352 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
3
in-school suspensions + 103 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 15.1 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 2 expulsions.
Student demographics
White 44.6%
Hispanic or Latino 22.9%
African American 22.2%
Asian 6.8%
Two or More 3.6%
Largest group: White at 44.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.3, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy 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 Lawton Chiles Middle Academy 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 | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lawton Chiles Middle Academy'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 (~704 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.7:1)
Frequently asked questions about Lawton Chiles Middle Academy
How many students attend Lawton Chiles Middle Academy?
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy has 704 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Lakeland, FL. CCD year-over-year: 649 (2022-23) → 671 (2023-24), nearly flat (+22).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy is 20.7:1, which is 16% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 32% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy?
32.7% of students at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lawton Chiles Middle Academy?
The largest demographic group at Lawton Chiles Middle Academy is White at 44.6% of enrollment, in Lakeland, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lawton Chiles Middle Academy?
Lawton Chiles Middle Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 47/100 (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 Lawton Chiles Middle Academy rank among middle schools in Lakeland?
By Resource Investment Index, Lawton Chiles Middle Academy ranks #2 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 Lawton Chiles Middle Academy, 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.