MCLAUGHLIN ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE

542 Students

Middle School 6th - 10th

School Overview

McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy, located in Lake Wales, Florida, serves as a specialized educational institution within the Polk County Public Schools district. Distinguished by its dual focus, the school provides a standard middle school curriculum while simultaneously operating as a magnet-style Fine Arts Academy. This unique environment is designed to foster both academic growth and artistic development, offering students dedicated pathways to explore disciplines such as music, visual arts, dance, and theater alongside their core subjects.

The school is committed to cultivating a creative and supportive atmosphere where students are encouraged to express themselves through the arts while meeting state academic standards. By integrating arts education into the daily experience, McLaughlin Middle School aims to improve student engagement, enhance critical thinking skills, and build confidence. Serving the local Lake Wales community, the institution serves as a creative hub that prepares middle-schoolers for high school transition by balancing rigorous instruction with specialized enrichment opportunities.

542

Total Students

35.0

Full-Time Teachers

15.5

Student/Teacher Ratio

112.2%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for MCLAUGHLIN ACADEMY OF EXCELLENCE
Demographic	Student Count
White	151
Hispanic	221
Black	152
Asian	5
Two or More	11
American Indian	1
Pacific Islander	1

Hispanic
221 (40.8 %)
Black
152 (28.0 %)
White
151 (27.9 %)
Two or More
11 (2.0 %)
Asian
5 (0.9 %)
American Indian
1 (0.2 %)
Pacific Islander
1 (0.2 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Middle School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	POLK
Phone:	(863)678-4233
Website:	http://[email protected]
Grade Range:	6th - 10th
Total Students:	542
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	35.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	15.5
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	605
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	3

* 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 6 153

Grade 7 127

Grade 8 168

Grade 9 94