Polk State’s collegiate high schools claim top two grades from district for 2024-25

When it came to student achievement during the 2024-25 Academic Year, Polk State College’s collegiate high schools occupied the top two spots throughout the district.

Polk State Lakeland Collegiate High School and Polk State Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School finished first and second, respectively, for the past academic year among Polk County Public Schools, based on the Florida School Accountability Reports.

“This came with lots of hard work on our team’s part,” Lakeland Collegiate Principal Rick Jeffries said. “During the mid-year testing session, we had a number of students who did not pass the test, so our team sprung into action and worked with that group as well as all of our other students. All of them made significant learning gains.”

Categories included gains and achievement in English and language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Gains measure the number of students who maintained proficiency or improved their test scores from the previous school year. Achievement measures pass rate for each of the categories listed. High schools were also graded for graduation rate – 100% for both Lakeland Collegiate and Chain of Lakes – and college and career acceleration.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the district’s top two performing schools—an achievement that, while gratifying, comes as no surprise,” Chain of Lakes Principal Patrice Bryant-Thigpen said. “This distinction reflects the diligence and hard work of our students, faculty and staff.”

Lakeland Collegiate was scored for eight categories and achieved 98% of its possible points. Chain of Lakes was scored for nine categories and achieved 87% of its points possible – 10 percentage points higher than the next highest school in the Polk County Public Schools district.

“This is not an easy thing to do, and we are just so proud,” Jeffries added. “We worked hard to make sure every student got across the graduation finish line. There were some significant challenges, but we achieved a 100% graduation rate.”

For Polk State’s collegiate high schools, which include Polk State Lakeland Gateway to College Collegiate High School, the test scores are another feather in the cap for what has been a historic academic year. The 2024-25 year saw all three schools achieve an A school grade for the first time.

It was the first year that Lakeland Collegiate and Chain of Lakes offered 10th grade. Gateway serves students who have earned at least 45% (11 credits) of their required credits for high school graduation.

Polk State’s three charter high schools allow students to complete requirements for their high school diploma while completing college credits at no cost to them. Most students graduate high school with their college degrees.

“The addition of 10th grade raised the bar for our academic performance,” Bryant-Thigpen concluded. “We are thrilled to see our collective efforts rewarded in such a meaningful way.”