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McLaughlin Academy of Excellence
C−

McLaughlin Academy of Excellence

PublicSecondaryGrades 6–11

800 4th St S, Lake Wales, FL 33853 · (863) 678-4233 · Part of Polk County School District

Lake Wales’ School Grade D better than 12% of Florida school districts

Directions
Photo: Dante brevity · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Students
758
Students per teacher
24:1
Free or reduced lunch
80%
Setting
Suburb
Grades
6–11
The gist

What stands out about McLaughlin Academy of Excellence

  • Its own letter, C−: better results than 24% of Florida’s public schools
  • Math proficiency 14 pts below the state
  • Reading / language arts 20 pts below the state
  • Larger classes: 24 students per teacher
  • Enrollment up 68.1% since 2020–21
  • Next stop for Lake Wales kids: 15 high schools

On the path

Where Lake Wales kids come from and go next. The whole path →

PK–5Spook Hill Elementary School574 students
6–11McLaughlin Academy of ExcellenceYou are here
1215 high schoolsDepends on your address

Test scores

2020–21
Math proficiency34%
State average 48%
Reading / language arts32%
State average 52.1%

Its own letter, C−, places these results among Florida’s 3,542 public schools with results. Source: EDFacts via Urban Institute Education Data Portal (SY2020-21).

Location

Directions ↗

800 4th St S, Lake Wales

Students

Enrollment by grade
Grade 6110
Grade 7144
Grade 8172
Grade 9133
Grade 10123
Grade 1176
Enrollment over time
451’20
449’21
542’22
666’23
758’24

Up 68.1% since 2020–21.

Who goes here
Hispanic 44%Black 28%White 26%Two or more races 2%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Asian <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

As reported to NCES, share of students with a reported race or ethnicity.

Parents talk

Questions and answers about McLaughlin Academy of Excellence from Lake Wales families.

Other schools in Polk County School District

The district →
Horizons Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Davenport
C
1,543 students19:1
Bella Citta
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Bartow
1,459 students24:1
Davenport School of the Arts
Elementary · Grades PK–8 · Davenport
A
1,440 students17:1
South McKeel Academy
Elementary · Grades PK–6 · Lakeland
A
1,200 students17:1
Loughman Oaks Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Davenport
C
1,179 students21:1
Laurel Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Poinciana
C−
1,126 students20:1

School facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), 2024–2025 school year. Test scores: EDFacts via Urban Institute Education Data Portal (SY2020-21). A school’s letter is our own summary of its reading and math results against Florida’s other public schools; Lake Wales’s School Grade is built from its districts’ results. Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors.