Top Rated 15 Schools in Lakeland, FL - A Guide for Parents and Students

Malice As a current student (junior) at the time of writing, this is one of the most INCOMPETENT schools ive been to. While yes, the classes and education generally are above average and often times fantastic, the administration and the way this school is ran leaves much to be desired. Schedules have been getting worse and worse, while issues are caused due to a general lack of foresight at best, as a bus already nearly filled has 2 extra stops, making 60 kids attempt to sit on a bus designed for 51 kids. Often times I wont be notified of any changes until a few hours, some times minutes before their effects would be felt. These are just my experiences, and if youd ask anyone who has graduated recently or is enrolled now, youd find many more stories from this administration. In all, this school is fantastic for education, but the administration is very lacking.

B.D.K. Maybe this school used to be good but currently its terrible to newer and transfer students. The school is incredibly classist toward poorer or lower income students. It doesnt help that the administrators try to sweep all incidents under the rug to say its a "bully free" school. No one gets in trouble for rude comments about a classmates appearance but if youre late because of your parents twice then you get after school detention. Too much of the population accepted is stuck up white rich kids who come from money, God forbid someone isnt wearing new shoes after Christmas. One of the first things I noticed on the first day of school was how Clique-ey the school was, I wouldve had no friends if a clique hadnt accepted me. Most of the kids there have known each other since elementary and wont accept new kids into their group, creating a hostile environment for new students.

Esmeralda This is the worst school I have went to if u want to enroll your child here or is a student wanting to go here please dont this school is racist, rude and ignorent, have the worst uniforms and dont care at all for there students there are a lot of stuff wrong with this school if you care about your childs education and well being then dont enroll here. Im currently a student here and its terrible the teacher and staff dont care at all about you they are rude and ignorant they want to be respected but dont even show you a little bit of respect towards you there are a few teachers there are kind and actually try and help you out but the rest are straight trash especially the main office they say there and anti-bulling school but that aint true every one there judges you, talks stuff about you, its just the worst oh and dont get me started on the uniforms they are the most uncomfortable thing ever the only thing that is some what comfortable is the medical uniform other then that just not comfortable another thing to keep in mind is if your skirt is long you will get made fun of and if your skirt is short and you have a specific body type the teachers will yell at you even if theres another student thats showing half their ass they wont say anything to them but they will to you, they say that they have cold weather dress day but no they dont it could be freezing out and they dont allow you to wear jeans it only when they feel like it but the teachers and staff will be wearing jeans and warm clothing and have their class rooms cold for no reason so trust you will get sick a lot. Yeah some of the education is good but if your not good at school then this school is not for you there is a lot of pressure and stress and at the end of the day you wont end up learning and your only focus will be to pass even if your not gonna remember the stuff in the future. The only thing you get out of this school is to say "oh I go to mckeel" n everyone thinks and says thats a good school when it really isnt.

Gia Rosario I was not wanting to leave a review but this school has RUINED my credit and my finances. They lure you in to make you feel they’re the best school and will start promising so many things and then will ghost you. Back in 2020-2021 I was sure I wanted to be a nurse and was promised help, guidance, and assistance to get into the nursing program. I was 19 at the time and communicated for the most part with Carla Kirby and Erin McCauley. How pushy were they for me to co-sign with my parents for private student loans and I’m glad I didn’t co-sign because these loans have ruined my finances, I would’ve been dragging my parents with me. They did not breakdown what I was signing up for & was not explained things so I signed everything to be able to “start school”. At the end of this I had roughly $20k+ in student loan debt. I already had an associates degree but they said I needed more classes to get into the nursing program which I said fine to because I really wanted to get into their nursing program. First semester passed they come back to me and said that I missed the deadline for the TEAS exam which is the required nursing entrance exam and that I couldn’t apply to the program because I missed taking the test. I had a minor surgery and had been communicating with them, I was told I would be accommodated to take it on X date. To be then told I missed it and couldn’t take it on the promised date took me by surprise. I was told I was going to have guidance the entire time, I was not happy about this. To add to the above, I took a microbiology class and it disappeared from my transcripts!! Yes, a class vanished from my transcripts and they were trying to make me take another science class when I had already taken what I needed. No one tells you anything, and when they do MAKE SURE you have it written because if you don’t you will need to have to prove. Unfortunately this happened to me on many occasions, have everything down in writing. They said I needed to wait another year to get into the nursing program and that a spot in the program would not be guaranteed. That’s when I made the decision to finish a random associates with what I had (because I had already spent so much money!!) stayed another semester (another mistake I made, should’ve ran after my first semester), and finished an associates in healthcare administration. That to say, to work in healthcare administration you essentially start from the bottom and work your way up, this degree doesn’t guarantee you a job, it will only help you work as a patient access associate (front desk) which you can already do without a degree. I did work in patient access for a bit to give it a try and it takes a BIT to be promoted to what you went to school for. Do not waste your money and time when you can already work in the field and work your way up. Once you finish school you have a certain amount of time and your student loans will start charging you monthly payments, you don’t dictate the monthly payment (doesn’t matter how much you make), and they don’t care whether you’re struggling or not. I hit a rough patch financially and was making like 30k a year, I attempted to work with the loan lenders and they legitimately said that I “made too much money” and threw me to collections. My credit is now affected and the private loans are in collections. I make small payments that are only taking care of the interest (13% when I had excellent credit when I applied for these), so my balance isn’t even going down. Please stay away from this school and the loans they offer, if I could go back and not do it I definitely would!

Makeup by babyliv This is by far the best experience I’ve had with any school. I have 0 complaints about the school and teachers. Anessa was so easy to talk to and helped me out TREMENDOUSLY getting my foot in the door. I love everyone there and recommend this school to anyone thinking of starting a new career. You won’t regret going here.

linen If you’re considering Keiser University’s nursing program, I strongly recommend you look elsewhere. This review is based on my own experience. The 5-star reviews you see online are misleading and deceptive. They often focus on irrelevant things like the admissions process or staff friendliness, rather than addressing any actual programs. Given the poor reputation of Keiser University across multiple campuses, I wouldn’t be surprised if admissions is encouraging students to leave these reviews to boost the school’s image. The admissions process may seem smooth and welcoming, but once youre in, youre left to figure things out on your own. The program is intentionally overwhelming, and many students fail early on, forcing them to retake classes. This tactic is used to boost their NCLEX passing numbers—students who fail early but eventually pass after retaking classes are counted as "successful," creating the illusion of a higher passing rate. At first, this might not seem like a big deal because students do eventually pass, but consider how much money this process is draining from you. Not only is your education being prolonged, but youre also racking up more debt as you repeat courses, pay additional fees, and stretch out your time in the program. This deceptive tactic hides the real success rate and creates a financial burden that many students aren’t prepared for. Why pay more than full price for below-average results? The instructors treat their roles like side jobs and offer very little support. You’ll mostly be teaching yourself, with minimal help from the instructors or nursing director. They often act like they don’t know what they’re doing half the time, leaving you to do their job for them. If you ask for guidance, they won’t help you directly—instead, they’ll brush you off and tell you to use secondary sources like PrepU. If you want a nursing program that actually prepares you for your career without draining your time and money, Keiser’s program isn’t it. It’s overpriced, disorganized, and instructors expect you to know everything already—this seems to be a problem across all campuses. Not to mention, Keiser had the audacity to send students to a rundown Valencia nursing home for clinicals, where patients were being neglected. Despite being a private college, Keiser is extremely unprofessional and will accept anyone with a pulse and money to spend. Don’t get your hopes up. Save your time and money—look for a different program.

Ilijah Not bad at all shoutout to all my teachers that helped me including Mrs Hume mrs c mrs clement mrs morales mrs wetherington mrs faircloth coach retslaff and mr w

india hairston The rules for this school are insane and the fact that kids have to get checked in order to use the bathroom is beyond unacceptable. The rules about the hair is clearly towards black kids and the rule “their bodies have to be clean” is this school checking the kids bodies to make sure it’s to their standard of clean? Absolutely ridiculous. They try to make literally every way possible and anything to discipline the kids

Steve Scheloske I have had kids at Blake for 8 straight years and will have kids at Blake for 7 more years. Blake is very clear about its procedures, rules and expectations. While I have experienced a few teachers who are not working with students the huge majority are there working hard to help and teach kids. The staff is hard working and dedicated to the students and parents. Communication from the teachers has always been good with a few exceptions. My kids love the school and I am very happy with it as well.

Kamali Chamberlain Zero communication from certain teachers. As parents we take full responsibility for our kids in their ability to learn and progress. with that being said whenever they are at school we do not know 100% of whats taking place it is up to the instructor/teacher to make the parent aware of what is going on in the classroom my 8yr old son went to Ms. Miller for help and she told him "I aint got time for this" what kind of example are you setting by not offering any kind of assistance? Me and my wife came to you for help to try and figure out a solution and you didnt offer any we asked about home work you said you dont have any to send home to we asked about sending home additional work sheets and you said you cant send any. You are no help when its all said and done how many kids will remember you for having a positive impact on their lives? How many of them will say that you really cared? How many of them will remember you for your kindness and exceptional teaching abilities? These children are our future doctors, lawyers, judges, law enforcement officers, politicians, city officials, ect...do right by our future generation.

Yamira Bordas My daughter loves this school and think the middle school teachers are terrific! So, happy my daughter was accepted in this school:)

Joshua Bengoa Bad experiences all around. Some parts of being in this school are cool like band concerts and dance recitals but academically speaking the teachers dont care they just want to clock in and clock out. They always wait until your kid is failing by the third qtr to tell the parent. Yesterday Sunday Mrs. Nolan sent an email at 8pm to tell the parents that there was an assignment due today and its the last day to turn it in before the qtr is over. Maybe she shouldve told us on Friday not Sunday night during bed time hours.

Mochii Haus The lack of communication, delayed response or even lack there of happening between parents and staff is insane. Not to mention the safety hazard of letting church events n clubs NOT associated with the school be held during school hours in the building is so unsafe. Yes, they have a quilting club happening DURING school hours. Getting in and out of the school parking lot is ridiculous, you’d think with how much tuition is they would be able to have someone out there directing traffic. The amount of times I’ve almost gotten into an accident just trying to leave after dropping Off or picking up my kid-if I had a choice to remove my child I would. Unfortunately my personal life issues prevent me from doing so but the moment I can, I will. This school is a joke.

Mark S This school has been a complete disappointment. CES Academy of Lakeland claims to support neurodivergent students and tailor their education—but that couldn’t be further from the truth. My son, who is on the spectrum and highly intelligent, has been singled out and nitpicked daily for normal child behavior: tapping a pencil, making noises, friendly banter with peers, and even drawing during class time. He’s not disruptive or malicious, but the school treats him like a problem. While other students behave similarly, only my son receives daily “behavior reports” for trivial things like calling a friend “Mr. Clean” or touching a teacher’s shoe with a pencil. He’s been suspended twice without documentation or even proper notice—both times I found out when I dropped him off and they acted surprised to see him. That’s how I was told he was suspended—no paperwork, no explanation. The final straw? The school withdrew him verbally, in mid-April, with no plan, no paperwork, and no concern that their actions are leaving a student without education for the rest of the year. This isn’t support. This is incompetence and targeted bullying by inexperienced staff who clearly have no business working with neurodivergent kids. If youre a parent looking for an understanding, tailored education for your child—run far away from CES Academy.

Nathaniel Harris I have 4 grandkids at this school and they love it, I love the smaller class rooms. More attention given to students. CES is a great school.

Amy Sykes As a parent, finding a childcare that balances safety, nurturing care, and educational enrichment is a top priority. I’m thrilled to have found that at Alta Schoolhouse. The staff fosters a warm, welcoming environment, and my child has shown significant growth since joining. From learning to recognize letters and colors in Spanish to identifying his own name at just three years old, the academic focus is impressive. Daily updates and photos from the teachers highlight their genuine care and commitment to my childs development. The facility is always clean, well-maintained, and sanitized, providing peace of mind. While we currently attend part-time, I truly wish we could take advantage of full-time care. I highly recommend Alta Schoolhouse to any parent looking for a place where their child will feel safe, loved, and encouraged to learn.

Anna Crump We love Alta Schoolhouse! My youngest of three is about to start at Alta. The administration and all of the teachers are extremely caring, attentive, and loving to all of the students. They’ve allowed me to feel comfortable taking my kids somewhere outside the home knowing they are safe, having fun, and learning so much! Updates are provided throughout the day, and they have many great events for parents to attend. My kids have loved the Montessori based education. Highly recommend!!

Kadie Stengel We love Alta school house so so much! It is such a special preschool. All the staff and teachers are so warm and friendly. You can really tell that their hearts are in it and that they love the students. I love how intentional the teachers are with each lesson and activity that they do. They are also very good with communication and I really like that they post pictures through out the day of the students working and learning so we are able to see first hand what they are focused on that day. My son is THRIVING here and we are so fortunate to have found Alta.

Lazaro Suarez Im writing this review to share my thoughts and experience with my son which is in third grade. I am truly Blown Away by everyone every staff member at this school it has been a great experience from the first day we walked in and met the principal Miss Tapia and Miss Rivera. My sons teacher Ms Sterling is great in many ways. Her dedication and overall passion to help students shows and everything that she does like her communication with me and my wife has been stellar. I transferred my son from another school because he is learning English as a second language and he just wasnt advancing much, yet Miss Sterling has truly taken him to another level and his English is getting better daily. Miss Rivera, coach Zim & everyone at the school has been great every step.of the way. Those are the some of the names that we know, but truly a great staff and team. So from the bottom of our hearts, me and my wife thank you all very much and we look forward to next year and the following years because we dont plan on changing him from schools. Ms Sterling again,a huge thank you, you are a true gem to this world.

Miguel Morrobel The school is great and follows the PACE method of learning. The school is full of really nice staff and teachers. The facilities have a big gym and they promote a lot of sports and fun activities. Were really happy to have found this school when we moved. Update 1/13/25 **Here’s a revised version after a few months of having my daughter experience a whole semester before I changed schools ** I am extremely disappointed by the stark disparities in quality at this private school, especially considering its accreditation. Many of the glowing reviews appear to be incentivized, with parents offered benefits like discounted field trips in exchange for five-star ratings, casting doubt on their authenticity. The teaching staff is largely unqualified and unable to create a challenging or stimulating educational environment. The school’s standards are shockingly low, with a greater focus on enforcing compliance than encouraging curiosity or fostering collaboration. This approach has stifled student engagement and creativity. My daughter’s experience has been particularly disheartening. Her natural inclination to ask questions or assist classmates has been actively discouraged, leaving her feeling unsupported and disengaged. Furthermore, commitments such as physical education have been neglected; despite being promised as part of the curriculum, it has only been held once in the past four months. Despite bringing these serious issues to the attention of the principal and various directors throughout the first semester, the administration remained indifferent. Rather than working toward solutions or compromises, their only recommendation was that we consider enrolling elsewhere. My concerns were neither unreasonable nor excessive, yet they were completely dismissed. The lack of compassion and alignment with the faith-based values the school claims to uphold has been deeply disillusioning. Based on our experience, I cannot in good conscience recommend this school and urge parents to thoroughly evaluate other options for their children’s education.

Nickie Moore So excited about my son starting off this school year here! He is so happy to be attending and enjoys the PACE style learning. The Christian environment is hands-down our biggest reason for switching from public school but the friendly, loving staff and professional yet caring attention given to each individual has been a huge blessing! Cant wait to see the progress my son makes throughout this school year!

Shay Lewis My children have came here for many years, they started on the preschool side and transitioned into the K-8 side. The preschool teachers were all so nice and welcoming, they made sure my children were ready for school! The director was always accommodating and willing to work with me on payments during hard times. The assistant principal and principal on the K-8 side were always very involved and helpful. My children all test at the top of their class and love going to school! I cant thank HCLC enough for not only teaching my children but loving them too!

Lisa Manning My grandson has attended this school for years. I couldn’t be happier with the way he has excelled! The school is always clean. The staff is amazing. The director goes above & beyond in every aspect. My grandson has gone from hating school to loving it & from refusing to do his work to high honor roll! I would give HCLC a thousand stars if I could!!

aukiis lewis We looked at many schools before enrolling our kids and I was beginning to think we would never find any to fit my wifes expectations. From the minute we stepped in HCLC, I knew this school was different. From the sweet ladies up front to the nice teachers in the classrooms our children have thrived here. The school is always so clean and I have dropped off before when they were cooking lunch and wanted to stay and eat! They really go above and beyond and it shows! Its a hidden gem in Lakeland for sure!

Carolina Melendez 20 years ago I learned English at this school. My teacher at that time was Mrs. Chaplin. The programs structured approach covered grammar, vocabulary, reading, writing, and conversation skills. Interactive lessons and real-life examples made learning engaging and fun. She took us shopping, to restaurants she even taught us how to take the bus. She was knowledgeable, patient, and passionate about teaching.

Daniela Rojas I took the ESOL program and completed it with no problem because all the teachers and staff are amazing. After completing the ESOL program I took the GED classes and in less than a year I earned my high school diploma and received a scholarship to go to college and became a licensed cosmetologist! I love this school and I’m very thankful for all the teachers that helped me reach my goals. I LOVE THIS SCHOOL! ❤️ 10/10

Rhonda Wilmot My daughter came here at the age of 15 to get her high school diploma. She was only in classes for 3 weeks and received her diploma. Its been 20 years now and I cThank you West Area

Cj Rivenbark Hadley’s has been a blessing to our family. My daughter has been there over a year and we have never had any problems. She comes home clean everyday with a smile on her face. Everyone has always been welcoming. The whole place is very clean. My three year old knows more than most Kindergarten students. She also sits and eats with her fork without making messes. They go above and beyond with teaching and manners. I highly trust and recommend them.

Ebony Phillips My child has been attending Hadleys for over 2 years. The center is conveniently located and affordable. They provide a loving atmosphere, great education and family centered. The childrens safety and health is their number one priority. I highly recommend Hadleys Early Education. The staff show professionalism and are always friendly.

J L Thank you Hadleys Early Education. My first day on campus and meeting the principal was very pleasant and I was well informed on the curriculum and feel safe with my kids attending the school. I met with a few instructors and everyone was inviting and had been educators for many years and that was a plus for me. I appreciate your care and support of the education of my kids.

Kennesha Whyte I have been calling for days without an answer or the ability to leave a message. I drove 35 minutes for the building to be dark at 11:30am. There has been a sheet with hours and an emergency number left on the window.

Lauren Canto My daughter was in the Head start program in Lakeland, and it was AMAZING! The program was so great for her learning and self confidence! She is soaring now that she is in private elementary school! Thanks to Mrs Zimmerman at Oscar J Pope Elementary in Lakeland!

Brittany Brittany (Dorrian) Idk whose idea it was to move the facility to this raggedy run down building in the middle of the ghetto, but they need to be fired. ESPECIALLY when they didnt even put any signs up around the building because they are now located inside the west area adult school which apparently is not even here anymore either !!! I wasted 20 minutes driving around looking for this place. Smh. OTHER THAN THAT, Mrs. Jakubik is the best VPK teacher there is (:

Melinda Draffin So kind and accepting- I wish this school had existed when I was a student! Once you spend some time at Cygnet, its easy to understand why they are constantly full and on a waitlist. It is truly a special place to be!

Amy Johnson The best school around! Professional caring teachers, my child is happy to go to school again.

Sara Jones I wish I went to school here!

Hallie We love this school!

Pizza When I went here for elementary school, THERE IS SO MUCH DRAMA a lot of girls who think there better than everyone as well, my middle school has way less drama, more fights but at code, there were multiple problems with police involved, I was involved in 2 of them but, not that good of a school drama wise, quality wise, pretty good, I had some good teachers there

Grimsley Michael Good school