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C−

Highlands County School District

Public school districtGrades PK–12Regional · 3 towns

Serves Sebring, Avon Park and Lake Placid.

Sebring’s School Grade C− better than 18% of Florida school districts

Students
12,040
Schools
22
Spent per student
$13,205
FL $13,006
Students per teacher
18:1
Free or reduced lunch
63%
Debt
$30.3M
fiscal 2024
The gist

What stands out about Highlands County School District

  • Its letter, C−: results better than 18% of Florida districts
  • Reading proficiency 10 pts below the state
  • Graduation rate 8 pts below the state
  • 18 students per teacher
  • Debt of $30.3M, about $2,518 per student
The School Grade

What this district adds to its towns’ grade

C−: better than 18% of the 76 Florida school districts we grade. Each town’s School Grade weighs its districts by the students they test; spending and class size are shown but don’t count.

Test scoresReading and math well below the state, 2021–22
C
GraduationFour-year graduation well below the state, class of 2023
C−
The towns it serves, and their School Grades
C−Sebring 12,059C−Avon Park 10,514C−Lake Placid 2,599

How TownRatings grades schools →

Where would my kid go?

The school path for Sebring. Grade by grade →

PK–5Woodlawn Elementary SchoolThis district
6–8Sebring Middle SchoolThis district
9–124 high schoolsThis district

Test scores vs. FL

2021–22 · class of 2023
Math proficiency48%
State average 52.2% · 6,652 students tested
Reading / language arts42%
State average 52.1% · 7,130 students tested
Graduation rate (4-year)80%
State average 88% · 929 in the class

97% of students in the tested grades sat the 2022 tests.

Reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute); the newest year for each measure.

Where the money goes

fiscal 2024
$13,205 per student · 2% above FL
Spending
Classroom instruction 53%Support & administration 40%Other 7%
Paid for by
Local (mostly property tax) 36%State 40%Federal 24%

Fiscal 2022–24 includes federal pandemic relief (ESSER).

U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of School System Finances.

Enrollment over time
11,810’20
11,886’21
12,362’22
12,175’23
12,040’24

About steady since 2020–21.

Students
Hispanic 39%White 38%Black 17%Two or more races 4%Asian 1%American Indian/Alaska Native <1%Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander <1%

Schools in the district

22 public schools. Each public school’s letter compares its own 2020–21 reading and math results with Florida’s other public schools.

Woodlawn Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Sebring
B
834 students18:1
Lake Country Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Lake Placid
B+
604 students15:1
Sun 'N Lake Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Sebring
B+
588 students18:1
Fred Wild Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Sebring
B−
576 students16:1
Lake Placid Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Lake Placid
C−
569 students16:1
Park Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Avon Park
B
557 students17:1
Avon Elementary School
Elementary · Grades PK–5 · Avon Park
B−
503 students14:1
Sebring Pre-K Center
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Sebring
136 students17:1
Non-Enrolled PK Exceptional Ed Program
Prekindergarten · Grades PK · Sebring
6 students
Cracker Trail Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Sebring
B+
710 students16:1
Memorial Elementary School
Elementary · Grades K–5 · Avon Park
C+
466 students17:1
Highlands Virtual School
Other · Grades K–12 · Sebring
C+
141 students
Highlands County Hospital/Homebound Program
Other · Grades K–12 · Sebring
17 students
The Academy at Youth Care Lane
High · Grades 5–12 · Sebring
D
57 students
Sebring Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Sebring
B−
840 students20:1
Hill-Gustat Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–12 · Sebring
B
669 students20:1
Avon Park Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Avon Park
C
600 students17:1
Lake Placid Middle School
Middle · Grades 6–8 · Lake Placid
C
507 students17:1
Sebring High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Sebring
C+
1,849 students25:1
Avon Park High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Avon Park
C
980 students19:1
Lake Placid High School
High · Grades 9–12 · Lake Placid
C
829 students21:1
Highlands County Schools Jail Program
High · Grades 9–12 · Sebring
2 students

Left off: 2 schools reporting no students for 2024–25.

District facts: U.S. Department of Education (NCES school directory 2024–25 and district boundaries) and the U.S. Census Bureau’s school finance survey. Test scores and graduation: state results reported to the U.S. Department of Education (EDFacts via ED Data Express and the Urban Institute). The letters are our own summary, graded within Florida.