Top Rankings
Hardee School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Florida for:
Category
Attribute
Student Attention
Lowest student:teacher ratio (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 5 public preschools serving 2,222 students in Hardee School District. This district's average pre testing ranking is 8/10, which is in the top 30% of public pre schools in Florida.
Public Preschools in Hardee School District have an average math proficiency score of 63% (versus the Florida public pre school average of 57%), and reading proficiency score of 53% (versus the 54% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 69% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the Florida public preschool average of 65% (majority Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (FL)
# Schools
11 Schools
1,902 Schools
# Students
4,725 Students
1,124,074 Students
# Teachers
285 Teachers
71,061 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
16:1
16:1
Student By Grade
District Rank
Hardee School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 73 school districts in Florida (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 85% has increased from 72% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#47 out of 73 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
50%
52%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
52%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
52%
Graduation Rate
85%
87%
Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.53
0.71
% American Indian
n/a
n/a
% Asian
1%
3%
% Hispanic
62%
36%
% Black
6%
21%
% White
29%
35%
% Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
% Two or more races
2%
5%
All Ethnic Groups
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,101 in this school district is less than the state median of $11,962. The school district revenue/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $10,803 is less than the state median of $11,615. The school district spending/student has stayed relatively flat over four school years.
Total Revenue
$53 MM
$34,349 MM
Spending
$51 MM
$33,354 MM
Revenue / Student
$11,101
$11,962
Spending / Student
$10,803
$11,615
Best Hardee School District Public Preschools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
North Wauchula Elementary School
(Math: 61% | Reading: 59%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
1120 N Florida Ave
Wauchula, FL 33873
(863) 773-2183
Wauchula, FL 33873
(863) 773-2183
Grades: PK-5
| 545 students
Rank: #22.
Bowling Green Elementary School
(Math: 65-69% | Reading: 50-54%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
4530 Church Ave
Bowling Green, FL 33834
(863) 773-5471
Bowling Green, FL 33834
(863) 773-5471
Grades: PK-5
| 291 students
Rank: #33.
Zolfo Springs Elementary School
(Math: 65% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
3215 School House Rd
Zolfo Springs, FL 33890
(863) 773-5473
Zolfo Springs, FL 33890
(863) 773-5473
Grades: PK-5
| 550 students
Rank: #44.
Hilltop Elementary School
(Math: 70-74% | Reading: 45-49%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
2401 Us Highway 17 N
Wauchula, FL 33873
(863) 773-2750
Wauchula, FL 33873
(863) 773-2750
Grades: PK-5
| 264 students
Rank: #55.
Wauchula Elementary School
(Math: 57% | Reading: 53%)
Rank:
Rank:
7/
Top 50%10
400 S Florida Ave
Wauchula, FL 33873
(863) 773-3141
Wauchula, FL 33873
(863) 773-3141
Grades: PK-5
| 572 students
Recent Articles

Parents’ Guide to Special Education
Special education law is not easy to decipher, with several regulations that govern special education services for disabled students. In this article, learn about the core components of the laws, rights, and individual education plans that can help create the best public school environment for your child.

Surveillance Cameras: Violation of Rights or Improved Security?
A school district in Virginia has given the green light to schools that want to install surveillance cameras in common areas like cafeterias and hallways. We’ll look at whether this is a violation of student privacy or the best way to keep order in schools.

Teachers in 19 States Allowed to Physically Punish Students
As of 2014, nineteen states still allow corporal punishment – spanking and paddling the most common choices – in their public schools. However, some argue that not only are these punishments physically harmful, they also are disproportionately administered to students of color. As a result, House democrats have taken up the issue in a new bill that would ban all forms of corporal punishment nationwide.