South McKeel Academy, 2222 Edgewood Drive S.: a charter school for pre-K to 6, 1,200 students (2024-25), a 2026 state grade of A. 863-510-0044.
Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Sources: The Schools of McKeel Academy and its online enrollment page, Polk County Public Schools, the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 school grades and the federal NCES school directory.
South McKeel Academy is a public charter school on Edgewood Drive South, inside the Lakeland city limits, and one of The Schools of McKeel Academy. It opened in August 2006 with kindergarten through fifth grade and has been “a K-6th grade school of technology” since 2020, when its seventh grade moved to McKeel Academy of Technology, according to its about page. Its home page says it serves pre-K through sixth grade. Charter schools are sponsored by the Polk County School Board, run by their own boards and have no attendance zones.
Who to call
- Front office: 863-510-0044, 2222 Edgewood Drive S., Lakeland, FL 33803
- School website: southmckeel.com
- Enrollment questions: openenrollment@mckeelschools.com; online enrollment page
- District charter office: Polk County Public Schools Office of Charter Schools, 863-534-0625
| Address | 2222 Edgewood Drive S., Lakeland, FL 33803 |
| Phone | 863-510-0044 |
| Grades | Pre-K to 6 |
| Principal | Lisa Hancock |
| Type | Public charter school |
| 2026 state grade | A (77% of points) |
Principal. Lisa Hancock is the principal, according to the school’s staff directory.
Enrollment and teachers
- Federal count: 1,200 students in the 2024-25 school year, with 69 full-time-equivalent classroom teachers, according to the NCES directory. That is about 17 students per teacher.
State report card
Florida gave South McKeel Academy an A in its 2026 school grades, its third A in a row, with 77% of the points possible, according to the Florida Department of Education’s 2026 school grades file. Its state report card has results by student group; it is an interactive dashboard that could not be read for this page.
| 2026 school grade measure | Result |
|---|---|
| School grade | A (77% of points) |
| Grade 3 English language arts achievement | 88% |
| English language arts achievement | 82% |
| English language arts learning gains | 69% |
| Math achievement | 87% |
| Math learning gains | 77% |
| Science achievement | 82% |
Florida grades schools A to F on the share of possible points earned across these measures. Achievement is the share of tested students on grade level; learning gains is the share who improved from the year before. The state’s file lists the school as an elementary school, where A is 62% of points or more.
How admission works
From The Schools of McKeel Academy:
- When. Any student entering pre-K through grade 12 may apply to any McKeel campus during a 14-day open enrollment period. For 2027-28, it runs from 7 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2026, to 11:59 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2026.
- How. Applications are made online through McKeel Online Office, in one sitting. To apply to more than one McKeel school, families fill out one application and select every school at the end.
- Now. McKeel is not accepting applications outside the open enrollment period, its page says. The school’s site also links a controlled open enrollment page.
Florida charter schools are open to all students in the state, pending seats; when applications exceed capacity, “all applicants shall have an equal chance of admittance through a random selection process or lottery,” according to Polk County Public Schools’ charter schools page.
Calendar and hours
The school’s website links its schedule from a Contact & Hours page; call the front office at 863-510-0044 for the 2026-27 calendar and bell times. Polk County Public Schools’ 2026-27 calendar (PDF) covers district-run schools.
More on Lakeland schools
- The district’s charter schools page, with how charter schools are run and the charter office’s contacts
- McKeel Academy Central, the McKeel elementary campus downtown
- Every public school in Lakeland, with zones and report cards
- Our Lakeland schools guide for the full calendar, enrollment steps and School Board meetings
Frequently asked questions
How do I apply to South McKeel Academy?
Apply online through McKeel Online Office during open enrollment. For the 2027-28 school year, open enrollment runs from 7 a.m. Dec. 1, 2026, to 11:59 a.m. Dec. 15, 2026, according to The Schools of McKeel Academy.
What is South McKeel Academy’s school grade?
South McKeel Academy earned an A in Florida’s 2026 school grades, with 77% of possible points, its third A in a row.
Who is the principal of South McKeel Academy?
Lisa Hancock is the principal, according to the school’s staff directory.
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