A Shared Vision - Businesses and K-12 Education Working Together for Our Graduates' Futures.
Our Opportunities
We have studied the nation’s most celebrated, locally-led school district reform efforts from around the country and identified common ingredients to success: districts and public education stakeholders working together to deliver high-quality educational options that parents want using a multi-pronged approach.
Access
Lakeland has great schools and educators, but our parents need more access to high-quality educational options: To be competitive and forward-thinking, we need to focus on reducing waiting lists and bringing more options to create the best educational ecosystem.
Availability
Most of Lakeland’s A-rated public schools have long waiting lists and leaving thousands of students with no availability to attend. Lakeland’s talent pipeline is at risk: Due to a lack of available qualified professionals, Lakeland businesses must recruit from outside the county. But many, citing lack of access to A-rated public schools for their children, won’t move here. Instead, they send their children — and the per-pupil funding that follows them — to other Florida school districts.
Quality
Lakeland’s future is brighter if we get this right: Rising student achievement today means a more prosperous Lakeland tomorrow. Lakeland employers will be able to hire the high-skill talent they need — whether found locally or from outside of Lakeland — to operate and thrive in Lakeland. Lakeland’s tax base will have the means to meet local government budget demands. Lakeland will be able to compete and thrive in the 21st-century knowledge economy.
The Need
Instead of taking a neutral role in education performance and policy, Lakeland Leads stands beside their education leaders to work in partnership to produce a skilled workforce of tomorrow.
Currently, 71% of our Lakeland Schools are C/D rated, therefore only 29% of students attend high-performing schools.
For the past ten years, Polk School District has been the lowest-ranked district compared to similar size districts.
Statewide Polk District is currently ranked 55 out of 67 districts and for the past ten years has been in the lowest 25% of all districts in Florida.
Thirty-two of our forty-two schools in Lakeland have a 75% to 100% economically disadvantaged student population.
Data pulled from Florida School Accountability Reports (fldoe.org)
Our Approach
Research
Lakeland Leads will research and launch best practices for education in Lakeland.
Results
Our decisions will be data-driven for quality improvement and future strategies.
Communication
Lakeland Leads will hold performance accountability and conduct transparent communication.
Support our mission to transform Lakeland's Schools
Now is your chance to get involved and make an impact on education solutions. We know school quality matters for students and their futures, which is why it is our goal to increase the number of students learning in great public schools.
