Hamptons Educational Foundation
Every student deserves an opportunity
Why, because we have all chosen to live in Polk County. None of our membership was born in Florida. We have all moved to the same retirement community. The educational need in Polk County is obvious. Despite all the negative statistics that you are about to read, we are able to find students that reject the norm. They have excelled in the classroom, they have overcome enormous obstacles, and they desire to succeed in life. They know that education is the path they must follow. They need our financial help and they need our mentorship.
High School Grades
491 Traditional Highs Schools in Florida
Florida: Nearly 50% earned a school grade of A in 2012.
Polk County: of the 16 traditional high schools in Polk County only 1 school received an A grade, 6%.
Florida: 14 out of 491 schools received a D grade, less than 3%.
Polk County: Out of 16 high schools, 2 received D grades, more than 12%.
Florida high school grades: 82% of all high schools in Florida received school grades of A or B.
Polk County: 50% of Polk County schools received school grades of A or B.
Florida: Of all larger counties (counties with more than 15 high schools) 16% of those schools received school grades of C or D.
Polk County: 8 of Polk County’s 16 high schools received school grades of C or D, 50%
Polk County: On the recent FCAT reading test, only 49% of test takers in Polk County scored satisfactory or higher.
Free or reduced lunch statistics
National average of students that qualify for free or reduced lunch programs is 40%.
Florida average of students that qualify for free or reduced lunch programs is 46%.
Polk County’s average of students that qualify for free or reduced lunch programs is 67%.
To be classified as a title one school in Polk County, 70% of the school’s population must be on free or reduced lunch. 79 of all 158 schools in Polk County are classified as Title 1.
Education attainment levels of population over 25 years old
National Average: 15% did not graduate high school.
Polk County: 26% did not graduate high school.
National Average: 28% achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Polk County: 14% achieved a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Per Florida Department of Education, Polk County School Board and Census Data