Enrollment
1,200
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Lakeland, FL
South Mckeel Academy
Federal NCES profile for South Mckeel Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 50/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120159005341Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 100
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Mckeel Academy earns 50/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #8 of 38
- schools in Lakeland · Resource Index
- 50
- Resource Index · Higher
- 17.6:1
- students per teacher
- 28.2%
- free-lunch eligible
South Mckeel Academy has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Mckeel Academy ranks #8 of 38 schools in Lakeland, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
68.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.6:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
-1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
28.2%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-46% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Mckeel Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Mckeel Academy
South Mckeel Academy is a large charter combined-grade school in Lakeland, Florida, enrolling 1,200 students.
At 17.6:1, 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 28.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 1,200 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 465 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #24, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (60%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 58/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 1200 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance holds up well here: only 0.1% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 21.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students) and Davenport High School (2,731 students) alongside South Mckeel Academy.
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 South Mckeel Academy compares
South Mckeel Academy on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.6:1 | ▼ 1% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 28.2% | ▼ 46% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,200 | top 13% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.6:1
Leaner classes than 27% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,200
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
28.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 46% 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
17.6:1
students per teacher
- 1% 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
0.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
Below 5%, comfortably under the pre-pandemic national baseline for chronic absenteeism.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 1200 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 4 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
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 59.9%
Hispanic or Latino 21.0%
African American 8.6%
Asian 5.5%
Two or More 4.9%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 59.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.4, South Mckeel Academy 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 South Mckeel Academy.
$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 South Mckeel 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 South Mckeel Academy'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 other 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 (~1,200 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Mckeel Academy's federal record.
- Compare South Mckeel Academy 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 South Mckeel Academy
How many students attend South Mckeel Academy?
South Mckeel Academy has 1,200 students enrolled. It is a public school in Lakeland, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Mckeel Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at South Mckeel Academy is 17.6:1, which is 1% lower than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 12% 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 South Mckeel Academy?
28.2% of students at South Mckeel Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Mckeel Academy?
The largest demographic group at South Mckeel Academy is White at 59.9% of enrollment, in Lakeland, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Mckeel Academy?
South Mckeel Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 50/100 (higher 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 South Mckeel Academy rank among schools in Lakeland?
By Resource Investment Index, South Mckeel Academy ranks #8 of 38 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 schools in Lakeland on the city page.
Is South Mckeel Academy a good school?
South Mckeel Academy earns 50/100 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 South Mckeel 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.
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.