Enrollment
382
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Bartow, FL
Union Academy
Federal NCES profile for Union Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 49/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 120159002457
👥 S:T ratio 24
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 24
📋 Attendance 77
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Union Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Florida schools.
- #2 of 16
- public schools in Bartow · Resource Index
- 49
- Resource Index · Higher
- 19.1:1
- large classes for Florida
- 35.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Union Academy has class sizes larger than 71% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Union Academy ranks #2 of 16 public schools in Bartow, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
19.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+7% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
35.1%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-32% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Union Academy compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Union Academy
Union Academy is a mid-sized middle school in Bartow, Florida, enrolling 382 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 19.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 35.1% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 382 puts it in the smaller third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 221 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #46.
Its student body is led by White (52%) and African American (21%) (diversity index 64/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 382 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance holds up well here: only 9.2% 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 Union 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 Union Academy compares
Union 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 | 19.1:1 | ▲ 7% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.1% | ▼ 32% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 382 | top 72% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
19.1:1
Leaner classes than 19% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
382
Bigger than 45% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
35.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 32% 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
19.1:1
students per teacher
- 7% above state mean
Top 71% in Florida - lower ratio than 29% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
9.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
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 382 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
28
in-school suspensions + 18 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 7.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 12.0 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 52.4%
African American 21.2%
Hispanic or Latino 18.6%
Asian 4.2%
Two or More 3.7%
Largest group: White at 52.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 64.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 64.3, Union 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 Union 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 Union 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 Union 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 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 (~382 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~19.1:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Union Academy's federal record.
- Compare Union 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 Union Academy
How many students attend Union Academy?
Union Academy has 382 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Bartow, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Union Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Union Academy is 19.1:1, which is 7% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 22% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Union Academy?
35.1% of students at Union Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Union Academy?
The largest demographic group at Union Academy is White at 52.4% of enrollment, in Bartow, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 64.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Union Academy?
Union Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 49/100 (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 Union Academy rank among public schools in Bartow?
By Resource Investment Index, Union Academy ranks #2 of 16 public schools in Bartow, 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 Bartow on the city page.
Is Union Academy a good school?
Union Academy earns 49/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 71% of Florida schools. 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 Union 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.