POLK AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Charter School 531 Students

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th

School Overview

Polk Avenue Elementary School, located in Lake Wales, Florida, is a central part of the Lake Wales Charter Schools system. The school serves a diverse student population, typically ranging from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. As a charter school, it emphasizes a structured academic environment while fostering a strong sense of community, aiming to provide a personalized educational experience that prepares students for success in middle school and beyond.

The school is well-known for its commitment to "The Lake Wales Way," a collaborative educational philosophy shared across the charter network that prioritizes student character development alongside academic rigor. Polk Avenue focuses on integrating modern instructional technology and comprehensive curriculum standards to meet the individual needs of its learners. By maintaining close ties with the local community and encouraging parental involvement, the school strives to create a supportive, inclusive atmosphere that promotes both intellectual growth and social-emotional well-being for all students.

531

Total Students

28.0

Full-Time Teachers

19.0

Student/Teacher Ratio

97.6%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for POLK AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	152
Hispanic	225
Black	136
Asian	4
Two or More	10
American Indian	3
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
225 (42.4 %)
White
152 (28.6 %)
Black
136 (25.6 %)
Two or More
10 (1.9 %)
Asian
4 (0.8 %)
American Indian
3 (0.6 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	POLK
Phone:	(863)678-4244
Website:	http://lwcharterschools.com/polkave
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 5th
Total Students:	531
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	28.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	19.0
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	518
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 89

Grade 1 90

Grade 2 90

Grade 3 97

Grade 4 74

Grade 5 91

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for POLK AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Grade	Student Count
Kindergarten	89
Grade 1	90
Grade 2	90
Grade 3	97
Grade 4	74
Grade 5	91

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for POLK AVENUE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	263	49.5%
Male	268	50.5%

Elementary School Pre-K - 5th