The top reported proficiency rate is 61% in Science. The lowest is 48% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School
Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology Middle School sits on Ledwith Avenue in Haines City, occupying a campus that includes the city's historic Old Central Grammar School building. That physical setting places it near the heart of Haines City's walkable downtown grid rather than on a separated campus at the edge of town, which is a distinctly different feel from many newer Florida middle schools.
The school serves grades six through eight and enrolls roughly five hundred students, a mid-sized middle school by Florida standards. The student body is predominantly Hispanic, with a substantial Black student population and smaller shares of white and other students. A large majority of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals a community that carries meaningful economic pressure. Data on English learner and IEP rates were not available in what was provided.
On Florida's FAST assessments, the most recent results show a mixed picture across grades and subjects. ELA proficiency is relatively consistent across all three grade levels, with sixth and seventh graders performing comparably and eighth graders slightly stronger. In math, sixth grade is the high point, seventh grade drops noticeably, and eighth grade rebounds to roughly the middle range. On the eighth-grade science assessment, the school performed at its strongest across all reported subjects and grades. Compared to the overall state, these numbers put most grades and subjects somewhere around or just under the midpoint, with seventh-grade math as the clear soft spot. The comparison framework covers only two districts in Polk County, so a broader peer comparison was not applicable. A parent who wants to understand how these results have moved over time should ask the school directly, as trend data was not available here.
The "Academy of Technology" name signals an intentional academic identity, and publicly reported information indicates the school was built around a technology-integrated approach, with the historic Old Central Grammar School structure as part of its campus story. Program-specific course offerings were not included in the data provided, so parents interested in the depth of that technology focus would benefit from reaching out to the school for curriculum details.
Haines City itself is one of Polk County's faster-growing cities. It began as a railroad and citrus hub, retains a historic downtown commercial core with restored early-twentieth-century buildings, and has seen substantial new residential development spread outward along the I-4 and US-27 corridors. The local economy draws on retail, construction, health care, and agriculture, with a logistics presence anchored by a major distribution center that is publicly reported to be expanding. The city is connected to Winter Haven, Poinciana, Lake Wales, and Davenport by Citrus Connection bus routes, and Lake Eva Park provides a substantial civic amenity nearby.
Housing near the school reflects the broader Haines City market. Home values in the surrounding zip code have dipped modestly year over year and sit below the Florida statewide median, which keeps this an accessible market relative to much of the state. Rents have moved in the opposite direction, ticking upward recently. Monthly ownership costs run meaningfully below comparable rents, which makes purchasing relatively attractive for families in a position to do so. The rent-to-income ratio falls in a range that many housing economists would describe as manageable but not comfortable.
District-level information on Polk County Public Schools' current strategic priorities was not available; the research search ran without confirming lasting changes or initiatives, so that piece was left out rather than guessed at.
For a family weighing this school, the technology identity and the downtown-adjacent historic setting are real distinguishing features. Academic results are generally in the middle range for Florida, with seventh-grade math performance something a parent may want to explore further with the school. The peer environment reflects a community that is diverse, economically stretched, and growing quickly, which shapes both the school's context and the neighborhood around it.
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