DORIS A. SANDERS LEARNING CENTER

84 Students

Other Pre-K - 12th

School Overview

Doris A. Sanders Learning Center, located in Lakeland, Florida, is a specialized educational facility operating under the Polk County Public Schools district. The school is specifically designed to serve students with significant cognitive and physical disabilities. By providing a highly supportive and structured environment, the center focuses on helping students develop essential life skills, communication abilities, and functional independence tailored to their individual needs.

The curriculum at the center emphasizes personalized instruction, utilizing small class sizes and a multidisciplinary approach that often includes support from therapists and specialized educators. Beyond academics, the school fosters a nurturing community that encourages social growth and personal development, ensuring that each student receives the necessary resources to reach their unique potential in a safe, inclusive, and compassionate setting.

Total Students

15.0

Full-Time Teachers

5.6

Student/Teacher Ratio

69.0%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for DORIS A. SANDERS LEARNING CENTER
Demographic	Student Count
White	37
Hispanic	19
Black	20
Asian	3
Two or More	4
Pacific Islander	1

White
37 (44.0%)
Black
20 (23.8%)
Hispanic
19 (22.6%)
Two or More
4 (4.8%)
Asian
3 (3.6%)
Pacific Islander
1 (1.2%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Other
School Type:	Special Education School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	POLK
Phone:	(863)499-2980
Website:	http://schools.polk-fl.net/dslc
Grade Range:	Pre-K - 12th
Total Students:	84
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	15.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	5.6
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	58
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 1

Grade 1 4

Grade 3 3

Grade 4 3

Grade 5 3

Grade 6 5

Grade 7 5

Grade 8 7

Grade 9 9

Grade 10 10

Grade 11 9