Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Elementary· 162 schools in district

MAGNOLIA MONTESSORI ACADEMY

1540 NEW JERSEY, LAKELAND, FL 33803POLK →
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades KG–08Charter
171
Students
Total enrolled
$12,028
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
↓ 16% vs nat'l
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
↓ 15% vs nat'l
35/100
Opportunity Score
Neighborhood outcomes
↓ 31% vs nat'l
⇄ Compare with another school
Small public school
Serves 171 students in grades KG–08 in LAKELAND, Florida.
16% below average funding
District spends $12,028 per pupil, 16% less than the national average of $14,347.
Below-median opportunity
Children from this neighborhood historically reach the 35th income percentile as adults, per Harvard/Census Opportunity Atlas data.
About This School

MAGNOLIA MONTESSORI ACADEMY is a small elementary in LAKELAND, Florida, serving grades KG–08 with 171 students. The district invests $12,028 per student — 16% below the national average of $14,347, and maintains a 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller than the national norm of 15.4:1. With only 7% of students on free or reduced-price lunch, the school primarily serves an economically stable community. A neighborhood opportunity score of 35/100 — below the national median of 50 — is worth factoring into a fuller picture of long-term student outcomes.

Student Body & Demographics at MAGNOLIA MONTESSORI ACADEMY

171
Total Students
13.2 : 1
Student:Teacher
7%
Free Lunch
13
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
Highlighted grades (KG–08) are served by this school
Gender Distribution78 male · 93 female
46%
54%
Male 46%Female 54%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility7%
National avg 52% · 12 students
Student Composition
59%
23%
8%
Asian3%
White59%
Hispanic / Latino23%
Black6%
Multiracial8%
Pacific Islander1%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 120159008234

Academic Outcomes at MAGNOLIA MONTESSORI ACADEMY

Neighborhood Opportunity Score
35
/ 100
Below-median opportunity

Children from modest-income families in this neighborhood reach the 35th income percentile as adults. This school is in the 9th percentile nationally.

0 — Low50 — MedianHigh — 100
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census) · Census tract · ZIP 33803

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,028Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,028
State avg
$12,753
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,292
Student Support$2,285
Administration$1,443
Operations$1,804
Other$1,203
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,028 spent per student, an estimated $5,329 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
44%
35%
State government
43.8%
Local (property tax)
35.2%
Federal programs
21.0%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • 13.2:1 student-teacher ratio — smaller classes than the national norm of 15.4:1
  • Low economic disadvantage rate — only 7% of students on free or reduced lunch
  • Charter school — may offer specialized curriculum or alternative teaching approaches
Worth Considering
  • Below-median neighborhood opportunity score (35/100) — national median is 50
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
K–12 Pathway in District
Elementary
HORIZONS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLCITRUS RIDGE A CIVICS ACADEMYSOUTH MCKEEL ACADEMYDAVENPORT SCHOOL OF THE ARTS
+3 more
↓
Middle
SHELLEY S. BOONE MIDDLE SCHOOLLAKELAND HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOLLAKE GIBSON MIDDLE SCHOOLMULBERRY MIDDLE SCHOOL
+2 more
↓
High School
RIDGE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLHAINES CITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLWINTER HAVEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLGEORGE W. JENKINS SENIOR HIGH
+12 more
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelElementary
GradesKG – 08
Location—
CountyPolk County
CharterYes
VirtualNo
DistrictPOLK →
Phone: (863)797-4991
NCES ID: 120159008234
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in LAKELAND seeking a charter elementary school, especially those prioritizing smaller class sizes and more individualized teacher access. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

More in POLK
High
RIDGE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOL
2,711 students · 09–12
● 37 opp48% FRL
High
HAINES CITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
2,700 students · 09–12
● 42 opp58% FRL
High
WINTER HAVEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
2,467 students · 09–12
● 37 opp51% FRL
High
GEORGE W. JENKINS SENIOR HIGH
2,451 students · 09–12
● 41 opp37% FRL
High
DAVENPORT HIGH SCHOOL
2,333 students · 09–12
● 36 opp37% FRL
High
BARTOW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
2,125 students · 09–12
● 36 opp44% FRL
High
LAKE GIBSON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
2,080 students · 09–12
● 36 opp49% FRL
High
KATHLEEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
2,051 students · 09–12
● 31 opp59% FRL
District School Rankings
Location
1540 NEW JERSEY, LAKELAND, FL 33803
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Elementary
1
How is early reading and literacy taught?
Look for evidence-based, structured approaches
2
How does the school communicate with families?
Frequency, channels, translation support
3
What support exists for students who fall behind?
Tutoring, intervention programs, IEPs
4
What's the average class size here?
National avg is ~23 for elementary
5
What before/after-school programs are available?
Important for working parents
6
How is student social-emotional wellbeing supported?
Counselors, community circles, conflict resolution
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.