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Honest take: what's the hardest part about being a student at COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING?
Community prompt from u/allk12. Replies below.
Enrollment
479
Elementary
DISTRICT 641 · STATE 604
SCHOOL COMMUNITY·POLK·NCES 120159001709
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
2805 MORGAN COMBEE RD, LAKELAND, FL 33801 · (863) 499-2960 · Polk County
GRADES PK–05ELEMENTARY21-SUBURBTITLE IREGULAR SCHOOL479 STUDENTS
B+
allk12 Grade
Scored higher than 67% of Florida public elementary schools
- B-Test scores Share of students meeting the state standard in reading, math, and other tested subjects, 2023-24 and 2024-25.
- ABeats expectations How far test scores land above or below what the share of low-income students predicts for a school in this state.
- ·Three-year trend Not available for this school, so the grade uses the other parts.
Grades compare a school only with schools in the same state, because every state gives its own test. How grades work · Top-graded Florida public elementary schools
Student : Teacher
13.3:1
36 FTE teachers
DISTRICT 17.3:1 · STATE 17.5:1
Free / Reduced Lunch
76%
365 students
DISTRICT 65% · STATE 50%
Community
6
0 members
Enrollment and student:teacher ratio compared against other elementary schools. Free/Reduced Lunch and demographics compared against all schools.
Enrollment by grade, 2024-25
| Grade | Students | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | 9 | 2% |
| Kindergarten | 59 | 12% |
| Grade 1 | 78 | 16% |
| Grade 2 | 82 | 17% |
| Grade 3 | 90 | 19% |
| Grade 4 | 77 | 16% |
| Grade 5 | 84 | 18% |
This year's kindergarten class (59) is 30% smaller than its 5th grade class (84).
Student demographics
65%Diversity index
The chance that two students picked at random belong to different racial or ethnic groups.
DISTRICT 67% · STATE 70% · US 70%
Student head counts by race/ethnicity from federal NCES enrollment data. District, state, and US figures are each group's share of all public school students in that area (US excludes territories). Very small groups may be suppressed in the source, so categories do not always sum exactly to total enrollment.
Gender split
Test scores
FAST / B.E.S.T. 2024-25 . % at Level 3 or AboveEnglish Language Arts
62.0%
FL avg 56.7% . +8.1pp since 2023
Math
56.0%
FL avg 58.9% . +3.0pp since 2023
What this means: On the FAST / B.E.S.T., Florida's statewide test, about 62 of every 100 students at this school read and write at grade level and about 56 of 100 do math at grade level. Across all Florida schools, those numbers are about 57 and 59. Reading and writing scores are up about 8 points since 2023, while math scores are up about 3 points.
FAST / B.E.S.T. results by year
| School year | English Language Arts | Math |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 62.0% | 56.0% |
| 2023-24 | 53.9% | 53.0% |
% at Level 3 or Above, all students and all tested grades.
Source: FAST / B.E.S.T.. All students, all grades. See all years and grades →
BeatsExpectations
Demographically-adjusted score · methodologyTier
AS EXPECTED
Performing as predicted given the school's student profile
Actual proficiency
56.3%
composite math + reading, all grades
Predicted
43.0%
based on FL schools with similar FRL share
Beats by
+13.3pp
above demographic expectation
What this means: About 56% of students here test proficient in math and reading, compared with the roughly 43% typical for Florida schools with a similar share of low-income students. BeatsExpectations measures results against demographically similar schools rather than by raw scores, and this school falls within the typical range, neither among Florida's top nor bottom 10%.
BeatsExpectations runs a per-state regression of proficiency on free/reduced-lunch share, then scores each school by residual. How this is calculated →
Schools most like COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING's state test result (56.3% proficient) is higher than 5 of the 5 schools below with a result.
| School | Students | Low-income | Proficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING this school | 479 | 76.2% | 56.3% |
| ANNETTE P. EDWINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FORT WALTON BEACH | 490 | 76.9% | 48.4% |
| KATHLEEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LAKELAND | 453 | 78.8% | 41.4% |
| MCDONALD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SEFFNER | 526 | 74.0% | 46.0% |
| GULFSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOLIDAY | 393 | 75.6% | 35.2% |
| ELLIOTT POINT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FORT WALTON BEACH | 583 | 74.6% | 50.2% |
Matched among Florida elementary schools on enrollment, the share of students from low-income families (eligible for free or reduced-price lunch), and racial and ethnic makeup. Proficient is the average share of students meeting the state standard across all of the school's state tests in 2023-24 and 2024-25, the same combined score our test-score rankings use. Online schools and schools serving specialized populations are not matched.
Where COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING ranks
Among elementary schools| Measure | This school | In Florida | In Polk County |
|---|---|---|---|
| State test proficiency ranked highest first | 56.3% | #1,036 of 2,136 | #25 of 85 |
| Math proficiency ranked highest first | 56.0% | #1,285 of 2,149 ▼ 41 | #28 of 86 ▲ 3 |
| Reading proficiency ranked highest first | 62.0% | #745 of 2,149 ▲ 227 | #16 of 86 ▲ 10 |
| Enrollment ranked largest first | 479 | #1,501 of 2,267 | #62 of 89 |
| Students per teacher ranked fewest first | 13.3:1 | #188 of 2,077 | #3 of 85 |
| Diversity index ranked most diverse first | 64.9% | #570 of 2,108 | #41 of 85 |
| Free and reduced lunch ranked highest share first | 76.2% | #250 of 2,188 | #30 of 88 |
| Enrollment change since 2017-18 ranked steepest decline first | -31.3% | #172 of 1,374 | #3 of 39 |
Ranked against other public elementary schools. Online schools are left out of every list, and test-score lists leave out schools that serve specialized populations. Each rank links to the full list. Arrows under a test-score rank show places moved since the prior test year, among schools tested both years.
4-year change
SY 2020-21 vs SY 2024-25Enrollment
479
-144 (-23%) vs 2020
-38% since 1990-91, when it was 775
Student : Teacher
13.3:1
was 14.2:1
Source: NCES Common Core of Data
Enrollment and staffing by year
| School year | Students | Teachers (FTE) | Students per teacher | Free and reduced lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 479 | 36 | 13.3:1 | 76% (365) |
| 2023-24 | 529 | 37 | 14.3:1 | 74% (393) |
| 2022-23 | 551 | 42 | 13.1:1 | 60% (330) |
| 2020-21 | 623 | 44 | 14.2:1 | 70% (435) |
| 2017-18 | 697 | 49 | 14.2:1 | 72% (503) |
| 2015-16 | 766 | 49 | 15.6:1 | 80% (609) |
| 2010-11 | 663 | 50 | 13.3:1 | 92% (607) |
| 2000-01 | 707 | 45 | 15.7:1 | 80% (566) |
| 1990-91 | 775 | 43 | 18.0:1 | N/A |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data. Rows are the federal collections on file for COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.
About COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is listed by the National Center for Education Statistics as an elementary school in LAKELAND, Florida. The school's enrollment of 479 students covers pre-K through 5. Enrollment is 21% lower than the average for elementary schools in Florida, which is about 604.
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is run by POLK, whose 163 schools enroll 116,552 students.
White students form the largest group at COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING, 46% of enrollment. Other groups make up 35% Hispanic, 15% Black, and 4% multiracial. County-wide, 56% of Polk County residents are White. By the diversity index, COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING comes in at 65%.
The teaching staff at COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is 36 full-time-equivalent teachers, and the ratio is 13.3:1. The average ratio among elementary schools in Florida is 17.5:1, higher than at this school. About 76% of students, or 365, qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The rate at public schools in Polk County averages 65%, lower than here.
The allk12 Grade for COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is B+. Compared with Florida public elementary schools, the school scored higher than 67% on a mix of test scores, poverty-adjusted results, and recent trend.
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is 13.3 points above its predicted average proficiency rate on state tests (56.3% versus 43.0%), which places it in neither the top nor the bottom 10% in Florida.
Census estimates describe Polk County this way: median household income is about $65,978, about 24% of adults have at least a bachelor's degree, and roughly 11% of residents are in poverty. Federal data list 172 public schools in Polk County, with a combined enrollment of about 117,004.
DORIS A. SANDERS LEARNING CENTER is the closest public school, about 0.2 miles away in a straight line. There are at least 8 more public schools inside five miles. COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING places 2nd of 4 on proficiency among the closest schools that report scores.
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is coded as Suburb: Large in federal locale data.
The 2024-25 enrollment of 479 was 23% lower than in 2020-21, when it was 623.
To ask about school safety, transportation, and start times, start a discussion on this page. Posting is open to anyone connected to the school.
Polk County at a glance
View full county profilePopulation
790,694
Census ACS
Median income
$65,978
Household, ACS
Bachelor's+
24%
Adults 25+
Poverty rate
11%
Below federal line
Schools in county
172
117,004 students
Quick facts
Related schools
Other schools in POLK
- HAINES CITY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 3,105 students
- DAVENPORT HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,731 students
- WINTER HAVEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,648 students
- RIDGE COMMUNITY HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,632 students
- GEORGE W. JENKINS SENIOR HIGHHigh · 2,469 students
- BARTOW SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 2,276 students
Other schools in LAKELAND
- GEORGE W. JENKINS SENIOR HIGHHigh · 2,469 students
- LAKELAND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,985 students
- LAKE GIBSON SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,973 students
- KATHLEEN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLHigh · 1,861 students
- MCKEEL ACADEMY OF TECHNOLOGYHigh · 1,750 students
- SOUTH MCKEEL ACADEMYElementary · 1,200 students
Nearby schools
- DORIS A. SANDERS LEARNING CENTER0.2 mi · 84
- ECKERD CONNECTS STRIVE ACADEMY0.5 mi · 19
- CRYSTAL LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL2.0 mi · 437
- POLK GRAD ACADEMY2.1 mi · 14
- FRESH START COMMUNITY SCHOOL2.1 mi · 105
- REAL ACADEMY (REACHING EVERY ADOLESCENT LEARNER)2.2 mi · 215
Frequently asked questions
About COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERINGHow large is COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING?
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING enrolls approximately 479 students in grades PK-05.
Is COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING an elementary, middle, or high school?
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is an elementary school covering grades PK-05.
How many students per teacher at COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING?
Approximately 13.3:1 students per teacher at COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING.
How diverse is COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING?
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING reports a student body of 46% White, 35% Hispanic, 15% Black, 1% Asian, 4% Two or more.
Who oversees COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING?
COMBEE ACADEMY OF DESIGN AND ENGINEERING is overseen by POLK in Polk County.
Data sourceSchool profile facts are sourced from the NCES. Community content is posted by allk12 members.