Enrollment
996
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Mulberry, FL
Willow Oak School
Federal NCES profile for Willow Oak School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120159008950
👥 S:T ratio 28
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 28
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Willow Oak School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Florida median.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Mulberry · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 18.1:1
- students per teacher
- 67.2%
- free-lunch eligible
Willow Oak School has class sizes near the Florida median. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Oak School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Mulberry, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
55.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+2% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
67.2%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Willow Oak School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Willow Oak School
Willow Oak School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Mulberry, Florida, enrolling 996 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 18.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 67.2% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 996 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 706 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #353.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (59%) and White (33%) (diversity index 54/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 498 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.6% 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.
Polk also operates Haines City Senior High School (3,105 students) and Davenport High School (2,731 students) alongside Willow Oak 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 Willow Oak School compares
Willow Oak 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 | 18.1:1 | ▲ 2% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 67.2% | ▲ 29% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 996 | top 19% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.1:1
Leaner classes than 24% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
996
Bigger than 91% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
67.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
18.1:1
students per teacher
- 2% above state mean
Top 64% in Florida - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
28.6%
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
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 498 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 16 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 58.6%
White 33.2%
African American 5.8%
Two or More 2.1%
Asian 0.1%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 54.3/100
Simpson diversity index - at 54.3, Willow Oak 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 Willow Oak 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 Willow Oak School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haines City Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Davenport High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Winter Haven Senior High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ridge Community High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| George W. Jenkins Senior High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Willow Oak 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 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 (~996 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Willow Oak School's federal record.
- Compare Willow Oak 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 Willow Oak School
How many students attend Willow Oak School?
Willow Oak School has 996 students enrolled. It is a public school in Mulberry, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Willow Oak School?
The student-teacher ratio at Willow Oak School is 18.1:1, which is 2% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 15% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Willow Oak School?
67.2% of students at Willow Oak School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Willow Oak School?
The largest demographic group at Willow Oak School is Hispanic or Latino at 58.6% of enrollment, in Mulberry, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 54.3/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Willow Oak School?
Willow Oak School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Willow Oak School rank among public schools in Mulberry?
By Resource Investment Index, Willow Oak School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Mulberry, 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 Mulberry on the city page.
Is Willow Oak School a good school?
Willow Oak School earns 32/100 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 Willow Oak 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.