Polk County Schools: Research Your School Options – Magnet, Charter, IB, Academies, Performing Arts & More {plus 2024 Open Enrollment Dates}

This is the elementary, middle, or high school where you are assigned based on your address.

To find out the schools where you are zoned, use GeoZone – a visual map application that allows you to search using your address.

Note that you will have to check and uncheck the zones you are looking for.

We highly recommend using a laptop for this search.

Click here to read the requirements for enrolling your child in a Polk County Public School. If you are enrolling a child in kindergarten for the upcoming school year, the annual Kindergarten Registration will be held in the month of April, exact dates are TBD. You can also check with your zoned school for kindergarten registration information in the spring.

Magnet/Choice schools are Polk County Public Schools that provide students with special learning themes, such as science, technology, math or the arts, in addition to the standard required curriculum of general education. Elementary Schools, Middle Schools, and combined Elementary/Middle Schools are listed below.

These schools require an application during the Open Enrollment period. You may only apply for the magnet or choice schools listed for your zoned area (see explanation under Important Info tab).

Visit the Polk County Schools Magnet/Choice page to verify your Magnet Zone and do any necessary research. Then submit an application in the Parent Portal during Open Enrollment, see section above for dates.

Important information to know before applying to a Magnet or Choice School: (Read the full FAQ on the application page)

• KNOW YOUR ZONE: You may only apply for the magnet or choice schools listed for your zoned area (for example: if you live in Lakeland, you can’t apply to attend Bartow Elementary Academy or Union Academy in Bartow). When you get to page 2 of the application, it will list all eligible schools based on the address you enter. Take note – there are some streets with a Lakeland address that are assigned to Zone D (Bartow), there is not a clear dividing line but they seem to be streets at the east end of Clubhouse Road and 540A in South Lakeland. (Use the zoned school finder to find out if you are in Magnet Zone A, B, C or D)
• MULTIPLE SCHOOLS: You CAN apply to multiple magnet or choice schools within your zone.
• SIBLING PRIORITY: If you are completing applications for more than one of your children, there is no guarantee that all siblings will be able to attend the magnet or choice school. Incoming kindergartners with a sibling enrolled in the school at the time of open enrollment will receive a priority.  Only 50% of the kindergarten class will be reserved for siblings.  No other sibling priority is given. (This means that if a younger sibling is admitted, they WILL NOT put the older child at the top of the waiting list.)
• WAITING LIST: Your application will be kept on file for the entire academic year to which you are applying. Open seats will be filled by a random selection from that year’s applicant pool.
• REAPPLY YEARLY: If you are not selected for an open seat, YOU MUST apply again next year. The applicant pool does not carry over from year to year.
• TRANSPORTATION: If the residence address is 2 or more miles from the school, transportation will be provided.
• ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION: There will be multiple acceptance windows with notifications typically beginning in March. After the first round of students are notified and they accept/deny, a second round of notifications will go out. Be sure to keep your contact information updated in the parent portal.

Editors Note: Magnet schools in Polk County are very popular and only a few spaces per grade are open each year, with the exception of kindergarten when all seats are open. 

All of the Fine Arts Schools are also Magnet or Choice schools (and are included above). This means they provide students with fine arts education in addition to the standard required curriculum of general education.

These schools require an application during the Open Enrollment period. You may only apply for the magnet or choice schools listed for your zoned area.

Greater Lakeland Magnet Zone A: 
Rochelle School of the Arts (K-8) – Lakeland
(Eligible to apply if you are zoned for Lakeland High School, George Jenkins High School, Lake Gibson High School, Kathleen High School, Tenoroc High School*)

Zone B
Jewett School of the Arts (K-8) – Winter Haven
(Eligible to apply if you are zoned for Auburndale High School, Lake Region High School, Tenoroc High School*, Winter Haven High School)

Zone C 
Davenport School of the Arts (PreK-8) – Davenport
(Eligible to apply if you are zoned for Haines City High School, Ridge Community High School)

Visit the Polk County Schools Magnet/Choice page to verify your Magnet Zone and do any necessary research. Then submit an application in the Parent Portal during Open Enrollment, see section above for dates.

Editors Note: Magnet schools in Polk County are very popular and only a few spaces per grade are open each year, with the exception of kindergarten when all seats are open

Important information to know before applying to a Magnet or Choice School: (Read the full list on the application page)

• KNOW YOUR ZONE: You may only apply for the magnet or choice schools listed for your zoned area (for example: if you live in Lakeland, you can’t apply to attend Davenport School of the Arts). When you get to page 2 of the application, it will list all eligible schools based on the address you enter. Take note – there are some streets with a Lakeland address that are assigned to Zone D (Bartow), there is not a clear dividing line but they seem to be streets at the east end of Clubhouse Road and 540A in South Lakeland. (Use the zoned school finder to find out if you are in Magnet Zone A, B, C or D)
• MULTIPLE SCHOOLS: You CAN apply to multiple magnet or choice schools within your zone.
• SIBLING PRIORITY: If you are completing applications for more than one of your children, there is no guarantee that all siblings will be able to attend the magnet or choice school. Incoming kindergartners with a sibling enrolled in the school at the time of open enrollment will receive a priority.  Only 50% of the kindergarten class will be reserved for siblings.  No other sibling priority is given. (This means that if a younger sibling is admitted, they WILL NOT put the older child at the top of the waiting list.)
• WAITING LIST: Your application will be kept on file for the entire academic year to which you are applying. Open seats will be filled by a random selection from that year’s applicant pool.
• REAPPLY YEARLY: If you are not selected for an open seat, YOU MUST apply again next year. The applicant pool does not carry over from year to year.
• ACCEPTANCE NOTIFICATION: There will be multiple acceptance windows with notifications typically beginning in March. After the first round of students are notified and they accept/deny, a second round of notifications will go out. Be sure to keep your contact information updated in the parent portal.

Polk Career Pre-Academies are small, personalized learning communities within a middle school. Each pre-academy is focused on a specific area of study where the student should have a genuine interest. Students enter the academy through a voluntary process; they must apply and be accepted with parental knowledge and support.

You can apply for an academy that is NOT located at your zoned school, however priority is given in the order listed under the Important Info tab.

Examples of topics covered in middle AND/OR high school academies:

• Agriscience
• Agriculture
• Aerospace
• Audio Production
• Automotive
• Biotechnology
• Business
• Construction
• Criminal Justice
• Culinary
• Distribution/Logistics
• Early Childhood Education
• Education
• Engineering
• Fashion
• Firefighting
• Graphic Design
• Hospitality and Tourism
• IT
• Legal
• Marketing
• Medical
• Power
• Robotics
• Video Production
• Veterinary
• Web Design

To see what is offered at each school, CLICK HERE.

Visit the Career Academies website to research available academies.

Non-Zoned Schools: Submit an application in the Parent Portal during Open Enrollment, see section above for dates. Students can apply for academies outside of their zoned school but transportation is not provided.

Zoned School: For your zoned school, speak with the School Counselor to inform him/her of your desire to enroll in an In-Zone Career Academy.

Visit the Polk County Schools Career Academies page for a list of FAQ’s. 

Polk Career Academies are small, personalized learning communities within a Polk County High School. Each academy is focused on a specific area of study where the student should have a genuine interest. Students enter the academy through a voluntary process; they must apply and be accepted with parental knowledge and support.

A career academy includes the following essential elements:

• A small learning community supported by a local advisory committee
• A career theme that includes a college-prep curriculum and lead to industry certification
• Partnerships with employers, the community, and higher education

You can apply for an academy that is NOT located at your zoned school, however priority is given in the order listed under the Important Info tab.

Examples of topics covered in middle AND/OR high school academies:

• Agriscience
• Agriculture
• Aerospace
• Audio Production
• Automotive
• Biotechnology
• Business
• Construction
• Criminal Justice
• Culinary
• Distribution/Logistics
• Early Childhood Education
• Education
• Engineering
• Fashion
• Firefighting
• Graphic Design
• Hospitality and Tourism
• IT
• Legal
• Marketing
• Medical
• Power
• Robotics
• Video Production
• Veterinary
• Web Design

To see what is offered at each school, CLICK HERE.

Visit the Career Academies website to research available academies.

Non-Zoned Schools: Submit an application in the Parent Portal during Open Enrollment, see section above for dates. Students can apply for academies outside of their zoned school but transportation is not provided.

Zoned School: For your zoned school, speak with the School Counselor to inform him/her of your desire to enroll in an In-Zone Career Academy.

Visit the Polk County Schools Career Academies page for a list of FAQ’s. 

Founded in 1989, Harrison School for the Arts is Polk County’s only Fine Arts High School.

Harrison offers an arts-education experience in a state-of-the-art facility. Students can audition and enroll in any one of twelve different artistic disciplines: Chorus, Creative Writing, Dance, Guitar, Jazz, Motion Picture Arts, Musical Theatre, Piano, Orchestra,  Theatre, Technical Theatre, and Visual Arts. Our facilities, coupled with our incredibly gifted faculty, ensure that our current students and future Polk County generations have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential in the arts through premier arts instruction. Harrison students achieve their general academia through Lakeland Senior High School, online courses, dual enrollment, and Harrison’s Summer Academy.

Harrison offers courses in 12 artistic disciplines:

Chorus
Creative Writing
Dance
Guitar
Jazz
Motion Picture Arts
Musical Theatre
Orchestra
Piano
Technical Theatre
Theatre
Visual Arts

Harrison School for the Arts has an application and audition process separate from Open Enrollment. Applications will be accepted in the Harrison office for a limited window each year, typically November through early January. Check the website for this year’s application dates and informational meetings.​

Students with a complete application turned in before the deadline are then scheduled for an audition. Auditions are conducted in late January and are closed to observers. Auditioners are then notified in mid-February in regards to their audition results.

Click here for application information.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a rigorous high school academic program designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge to be successful in advanced college placement options through high school college credit courses. IB high schools use a specific rigorous curriculum that aims to develop and challenge inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who are motivated to succeed.

IB schools strive to develop students who will build a better world through intercultural understanding and respect.

(There are also IB programs located at elementary and middle schools, but the regular magnet application process applies. At the elementary and middle school levels, students will participate in interactive academic courses with technology-based science labs and dynamic self-directed projects and classroom activities.)

International Baccalaureate at Bartow High School
Website / 1270 S Broadway Ave, Bartow, 33830

Haines City High School International Baccalaureate
Website / 2800 Hornet Drive, Haines City, 33844

For High School IB Programs, submit an application during Open Enrollment through the Magnet/Choice application process.

The Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) is an accelerated method of academic study offered solely through the University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE), a division of the University of Cambridge. AICE provides a flexible, broad-based curriculum that is offered at schools and colleges in over 161 countries, and is recognized by the Florida State Department of Education as a rigorous curriculum.

Tenoroc Senior High Cambridge AICE
Website / 4905 Saddle Creek Rd, Lakeland, FL 33801

Cambridge AICE at Winter Haven High School
Website / 600 6th Street SE, Winter Haven, FL, 33880

In order to attend Cambridge at Winter Haven High School, a student must apply and qualify for one of the limited seats during the open enrollment period during his/her eighth-grade year. For the upcoming school year, interested students must apply by completing two steps:

Step 1: Submit an online application during Open Enrollment

Step 2: Qualify for a seat by signing up for, and scoring high enough on, a district test to be administered in February OR through your state test scores. 

Click here to learn more about AICE and see the application information and test dates.

Summerlin Academy is a Polk County Public School of Choice, where rigorous academics are taught in a military-structured environment. Summerlin Academy promotes academic achievement, personal accountability, civic responsibility and leadership skills in order to prepare students to succeed in higher education, the workforce, community and life. Students must complete four years of JROTC and 150 hours of community service, as well as two years of a foreign language to graduate.

Located at Bartow High School – 1500 S. Jackson Avenue, Bartow, Florida 33830

Submit an application during Open Enrollment through the Magnet/Choice application process.

Charter collegiate high schools provide academic and technical education for serious high school students who desire to undertake college-level study. Students are offered a program of high school and college courses to meet the requirements for a standard Florida high school diploma with the opportunity to take dual-enrolled courses at Polk State College.

Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy (9-10th grades)
111 Ave R NE, Winter Haven, FL 33881
Website
Polk Pre-Collegiate Academy (PPCA) is a unique 9th and 10th grade Academy of Applied Discovery program where instructors expose learners to innovative experiences and guide them through relevant application and evaluation of those experiences. PPCA students are goal-oriented with aspirations of becoming future-ready for college and career success. Polk Pre-Collegiate is a tuition-free public/charter school for college-minded 9th and 10th grade students.

Parent Information Meetings held in January. Interested applicants must attend one of the two meetings. Open Enrollment is typically in March. Click here for application information. 

Polk State College Collegiate High (11-12th grades)
3425 Winter Lake Rd. LAC Bldg., Lakeland, 33803
Website
Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School is a charter high school housed within Polk State College and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The purpose of the school is to provide academic and technical education for serious high school junior and senior students who desire to undertake college-level study. The two-year curriculum enables students to complete a high school diploma and many of the requirements for an associate degree, simultaneously, in either academic transfer or technical education options.

Students should apply during their Sophomore or Junior year of high school. The lottery application period begins in mid-January each year.  Informational meetings held in January & February. Click here for application information.

Chain of Lakes Collegiate High (10-12th grades)
999 Avenue H N.E., Winter Haven, 33881
Website
Polk State College Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School is a public charter school that provides highly motivated 10th, 11th and 12th grade students from throughout Polk County with a distinctive experience, blending traditional high school with collegiate coursework. The two-year curriculum enables students to complete a high school diploma and many of the requirements for an associate degree, simultaneously, in either academic transfer or technical education options.

Students should apply during their Sophomore or Junior year of high school. The lottery application period begins in early February each year.  Informational meetings are held in February. Click here for application information.

Each school has its own application process. Check their websites for details.

The Schools of McKeel Academy are local charter schools that incorporate challenging traditional academics with a focus on technology. Charter schools are independent, state funded public schools. Charter Schools are able to be more innovative, while still being held accountable for improved student achievement. McKeel Schools are tuition-free public schools with certified teachers governed by an independent board of trustees. We comply with the school-average size mandate and the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

McKeel Academy Central (PreK – 6th)
Website / 411 North Florida Avenue, Lakeland, 33801

South McKeel Academy (PreK – 6th)
Website / 2222 Edgewood Drive South, Lakeland, 33815

South McKeel Academy and Mckeel Academy Central incorporate challenging traditional academics with a focus on technology. Career exploration and cultural awareness are included in their programs as well as character education. Giving back to the community is an important cultural component of McKeel, and students participate in a variety of service-learning activities in support of local organizations.

McKeel Academy of Technology (7th – 12th)
Website / 1810 W Parker St, Lakeland, FL 33815
McKeel Academy of Technology provides a rigorous academic program for grades 7-12 with AP and Honors classes and a strong focus on technology with the 1:1 iPad Initiative launched at the start of the 2013-14 school year. Graduation requirements are set higher with 4 years of math and science, 4 years of social studies, and 4 years of language arts, exceeding the state requirements. The academic program requires 12th graders to participate in a senior internship in their chosen career field, and all middle and high school students to participate in job shadowing twice a year. High school students may choose to participate in the Dual-Enrollment Program with Polk State College providing classes on campus.

Career Academies at McKeel Academy of Technology include the Polk County Schools Career Academy “iMedia” specializing in digital graphics and web design with industry certification from Adobe. Other career clusters focus on computer programming, robotics and health science.

Click here to read more about each of the McKeel schools.

Applications for the 2023 – 2024 school year will be accepted from Nov 28, 2022 through Dec 11, 2022.  Applications will only be accepted online during that time.

ALL interested students now must reapply to The Schools of McKeel Academy every year. All applicants will be entered into a lottery for any available openings before or during the school year, and the wait list will not carry over from year to year. To read more about the Admissions Policies and enrollment preferences, visit the McKeel Enrollment website.

CLICK HERE for more information and an application (the application will only be available during open enrollment)

Editor’s Note: The Schools of McKeel Academy are very popular and very limited spaces per grade are open each year, with the exception of kindergarten when all seats are open. 

Preschool Enrollment – Both McKeel Central and South McKeel have a VPK program for students who will have turned 4 by September 1 of the upcoming school year. Most preschool students at McKeel attend a full-day program and parents are required to pay the difference in tuition. Note that PreK students do receive enrollment priority for kindergarten, as outlined in the Enrollment Preferences. Applications for the McKeel Preschools will be accepted online during McKeel Open Enrollment.

The Montessori Method of education, developed by Dr. Maria Montessori, is a child-centered educational approach based on scientific observations of children from birth to adulthood. Dr. Montessori’s Method has been time tested, with over 100 years of success in diverse cultures throughout the world. Components necessary for a program to be considered authentically Montessori include multiage groupings that foster peer learning, uninterrupted blocks of work time, and guided choice of work activity.

Magnolia Montessori Academy (PreK3 – 6th)
Website / 815 S Central Ave., Lakeland, Florida 33815
Magnolia Montessori Academy is a free public charter school that opened its doors in August 2013 and was started by a group of like-minded parents who had a wish to provide more Montessori education in a neighborhood setting to more students in Polk County. Magnolia Montessori’s 5-acre campus is nestled among the trees in the heart of Lakeland, FL. Children demonstrating the following qualities would be the most likely to succeed in our authentic Montessori environment: self-respect, respect for the environment, respect for others, respect for personal and academic undertakings, personal responsibility, self-motivation, curiosity, and passion for learning.

Admission: Applications are typically accepted from November to early January. Click here for application information.

Magnolia Montessori includes a PreK3 and PreK4 program, and these students receive preference when applying for Kindergarten. However, the wait list does not carry over from year to year so all applicants have an equal chance to be selected for any open seats.  This means that if you have applied for Magnolia Montessori in the past, YOU MUST REAPPLY EACH YEAR!

Lakeland Montessori Schools (PreK3 – 8th)
Lakeland Montessori Schooolhouse –  1124 N. Lake Parker Avenue, Lakeland, 3380
Lakeland Montessori Middle School at Polk Museum of Art – 800 East Palmetto St., Lakeland, 3380
Website

Serving Students Age Three through Eighth Grade as a Tuition free (K-8) Public Charter Montessori Program. It is our mission to facilitate the well-rounded, advanced and challenging authentic Montessori curriculum that instills a sense of wonder and awareness about the universe and the child’s place within that universe. Lakeland Montessori Schoolhouse also has a tuition based PreK for ages 3-4.

Admission: Preschool Applications are accepted beginning any time after a child’s birth. We encourage families to apply early as there are very few openings after age 3. Visit the website to learn more about the application process and relevant dates.

Editor’s Note: Lakeland Montessori Schoolhouse includes a PreK3 and PreK4 (VPK), and your best chance to be admitted is to apply at age 3. Students that attend Lakeland Montessori for PreK receive automatic entrance to Kindergarten and are not subject to the waiting list for Kindergarten. The current waiting list for K-8 is more than 1,500 students and does carry over each year, so new applicants are placed at the end of the waiting list.

Mi Escuela Montessori
Website / 6129 US Hwy 98 S., Lakeland, 33812
Mi Escuela Montessori is a dual language charter school that fuses two well-researched and innovative approaches to education: the educational program developed by Dr. Maria Montessori and the two-way, dual-language immersion program advocated by most language learning experts. Our interdisciplinary, hands-on and experiential curriculum will be delivered in English and Spanish with the goal of developing biliteracy, bilingualism and cross cultural competence in both languages. This program is offered to all students, including those who speak only Spanish, some Spanish or no Spanish at all.

Mi Escuela Montessori is a tuition-free, public charter school in Polk County, Florida. Our Kindergarten through eighth grade families do not pay tuition. Students in our preschool and pre-Kindergarten programs pay tuition with sliding scale scholarships based on income. Mi Escuela Montessori currently serves grades PreK3 – 6th grade with a 7th-8th grade program coming in 2024.

Admission: Visit the website for upcoming open enrollment dates – typically January – mid February.

Cypress Junction Montessori (PreK3 – 7th)
Website / 220 5th Street SW, Winter Haven, 33880
Cypress Junction Montessori is a quality preschool and free public K-8 charter school in Winter Haven that follows the Montessori Method.  CJM serves students in K–8th grade under the charter as a free public charter school that offers an authentic Montessori education. CJM is also home to a Montessori Preschool for ages 3-4. Preschool offers full & half day options, and accepts the ELC’s School Readiness Funding, & offers scholarships through our Early Learning Scholarship Fund. Cypress Junction Montessori accepts applications from any student eligible to attend a Polk County public school. Our primary focus is to serve families in the Greater Winter Haven area.

Admission: Visit the website to see application dates and other information.

The Montessori schools listed here are free charter schools for K-12. Polk County is home to other Montessori Schools that are considered private schools with tuition and not free charter schools. These are listed in our Directory.

Each school has its own admission process. Visit the school website for more details.

Charter schools are independent, state funded public schools. They are able to be more innovative, while still being held accountable for improved student achievement. They are tuition-free public schools with certified teachers governed by an independent board of trustees. They must comply with the school-average size mandate and the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

Charter schools are able to accept applications from anywhere in Polk County, however transportation is not guaranteed and some schools do have a specific residential zone.

Berkley Charter School (PreK-5)
Website / 5240 Berkley Road, Auburndale, 33823
Berkley Charter School is committed to Learning For All, Whatever It Takes! We provide an optimal learning environment that emphasizes research-based effective practices, time on task, and an integrated relevant curriculum. Berkley is a Kagan Cooperative Learning School. Feeds directly into Berkley Accelerated Middle School.

Berkley Accelerated Middle School (6-8)
Website / 5316 Berkley Road, Auburndale, 33823
The goal of BAMS is to have all students studying Algebra in grade 8 and reading on at least an 8th grade reading level thus allowing all students to follow whatever path they choose in higher education, college and career planning. Our motto is: “Accelerated Learning for All; Whatever it takes.”

Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred (6-8)
Website / 1000 N. Buena Vista Dr., Lake Alfred, 33850
We are a 6-8 public charter school that engages students in an enriched innovative curriculum using various teaching strategies with an emphasis on technology.

Discovery High School (9-12)
Website / 640 Evenhouse Road, Lake Alfred, 33850
Discovery High School (DHS) is a charter expansion supported by its parent organization, Discovery Academy of Lake Alfred (DALA). Parents asked us for a high school so their children do not need to leave the Discovery system, and this sentiment was our motivation for opening our high school.

Hartridge Academy (K-5)
Website / 1400 Us Highway 92, Winter Haven, 33881
Hartridge Academy is an elementary school (K-5) with traditional academic subjects, ESE inclusion, single gender class opportunities, gifted program, grade combination classes, and accelerated curriculum classes.

Ridgeview Global Studies Academy (K-8)
Website / 1000 Dunson Road, Davenport, 33896
In our ever-changing, multicultural world, we will spark the desire in our school family to become responsible and caring decision makers. The global studies strand will be threaded throughout the academic, exploratory and enrichment curriculum. Integrated thematic units will supplement this additional academic program and include cultures, environments and economies, and emphasis on the appreciation of the cultural diversity represented in these studies will provide a core focus.

Lake Wales Charter Schools (K-12)
Website
The six conversion charter schools in the Lake Wales system are governed by a local Board of Trustees rather than the county-wide District School Board. The schools are Lake Wales High, Bok Academy, a middle school, and four elementary schools: Hillcrest, Janie Howard Wilson, Polk Avenue and Dale R. Fair Babson Park. Majority of these schools became a conversion charter school at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year with Bok coming in after that.

Each charter school has its own admission process and timeframe. Visit their websites for information on the application process.

These schools are designed for students who do not fit the “typical” middle school or high school mold, or who have had behavioral issues and can benefit from a non-traditional school setting.

Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Charter High School (ages 16-21)
Website / 3425 Winter Lake Rd., LAC Bldg, Lakeland, 33803
Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Collegiate High School is an exciting new opportunity for area students, typically between the ages of 16 and 21, who have earned 45% of the credits required for high school graduation.  All courses are taught on the Polk State Lakeland campus and offered during morning and afternoon hours, to provide students with maximum flexibility and opportunity for success. Gateway was designed for students who don’t fit the traditional high school mold.

New Beginnings Middle/High School (ages 16-24)
Website
Winter Haven Campus – 3425 Lake Alfred Rd., Winter Haven, FL 33881
Lakeland Campus – 320 W. Main St., Lakeland FL 33815
Fort Meade Campus – 1002 NE 6th Street, Fort Meade, FL 33841
Most of you have a friend, neighbor, or acquaintance who is either having or has had issues in the public high school system. We understand how easy it is to get derailed and off track. With that in mind, we have created an alternative. New Beginnings High School will help get you back on track with our creative and highly motivating, innovative style of learning. We firmly believe our unique teaching techniques allow us to engage and service everyone who attends NBHS. Accepting students up to age 24.

Applications accepted year round. Visit their website for application information.

Compass Charter Middle School (grades 5-8)
Website / 550 E. Clower Street, Bartow, FL 33830
Compass Charter Middle School is designed for any child, in grades 5-8, who feels they are struggling in the regular classroom, is in danger of failing their current grade, or who has been retained in one of their elementary or middle school years.

Any student considered at risk of academic failure may submit an application for admission to Compass Charter Middle School.  At risk is defined by indicators such as State Tests scores, school grades, previous retention, attendance, etc and will determine status.  Students at Bartow Middle School will receive a priority to attend the Compass Middle Charter School.  However, the charter school will be open to any students within the district who qualify based on available seats.

Click here for application information.

Polk Education Pathways

Polk Education Pathways is offered by Polk County Public Schools as a way to help adult students find their own path, the right path, to the career they’re looking for. Ridge Technical College and Travis Technical College Applicants must be at least sixteen (16) years of age, and have the interest, ability, and desire to benefit in career education.

Learn more on the Polk Education Pathways website.

Each charter school has its own admission process and timeframe. Visit their websites for information on the application process.