POLK STATE LAKELAND GATEWAY TO COLLEGE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

www.polk.edu/gateway

Charter School 255 Students

High School 11th - 12th

School Overview

Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Charter High School is a unique educational partnership between Polk County Public Schools and Polk State College. Located on the college’s Lakeland campus, the school is specifically designed for students who are at risk of dropping out or who need a different environment to complete their high school requirements. By providing a bridge between secondary and post-secondary education, the program allows students to earn their high school diplomas while simultaneously accumulating transferable college credits, often at no cost to the students.

The school’s mission focuses on re-engaging students through a supportive, college-like atmosphere that emphasizes personal responsibility and academic rigor. By placing high school students in a college environment, the institution encourages a faster transition toward career and higher education goals, helping students gain the confidence and skills necessary for long-term success. It serves as an ideal pathway for those who thrive outside of a traditional high school setting and are eager to get a head start on their college or professional careers.

255

Total Students

7.0

Full-Time Teachers

36.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for POLK STATE LAKELAND GATEWAY TO COLLEGE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
Demographic	Student Count
White	86
Hispanic	70
Black	83
Asian	3
Two or More	11
Pacific Islander	2

White
86 (33.7 %)
Black
83 (32.5 %)
Hispanic
70 (27.5 %)
Two or More
11 (4.3 %)
Asian
3 (1.2 %)
Pacific Islander
2 (0.8 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Charter School
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	POLK
Phone:	(863)669-2322
Website:	http://www.polk.edu/gateway
Grade Range:	11th - 12th
Total Students:	255
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	7.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	36.4
NSLP Participation:¹	No
Qualified Free Lunch:	N/A
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	N/A

* 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

Grade 11 126

Grade 12 129

Grades Taught Data Table

Grades Taught and Student Counts for POLK STATE LAKELAND GATEWAY TO COLLEGE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
Grade	Student Count
Grade 11	126
Grade 12	129

Gender Ratio

Student Gender Ratio Data Table

Student Gender Ratio for POLK STATE LAKELAND GATEWAY TO COLLEGE CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL
Gender	Student Count	Percentage
Female	168	65.9%
Male	87	34.1%

Nearby High Schools (Within 10 Miles)