Celebrating the Power of Public Education – PCPS Improves, Earns Another “B” Grade
Throughout the year, Polk County Public Schools and school districts across Florida are joining forces to celebrate the unmatched value and positive impact public education is having on our communities.
Florida’s Future: Powered by Public Schools is an awareness campaign highlighting our school district and school successes, innovations, and achievements as well as celebrating the diverse school choice options we offer that can only be found in Florida public schools.
More than 75% of parents choose Florida public schools to educate their children. Every day, teachers and school staff undertake life-changing work that helps students achieve their fullest potential.
We look forward to sharing these stories and how our school district continues to build on past successes.
PCPS had another momentous year in 2025-26, and it showed up on our report card.
Our school district maintained and improved its B grade, as many of our schools earned higher marks, according to data released by the Florida Department of Education.
PCPS students saw widespread achievement gains in state assessment data for 2025-26, improving in math, science and English language arts. In addition, the district’s latest graduation rate climbed to a historic 87.7%. The grad rate for traditional PCPS high schools (excluding charter and alternative schools) was even better, rising to 92.7%.
A total 29 traditional PCPS schools improved their own grades in 2025-26, which more than doubled the count from the year prior.
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When School Buses Stop, You Stop; No Excuses 
More than 45,000 children in Polk County begin and end their school day with a trip on a bus. Every bus stop is a moment that could end tragically if motorists illegally pass.
Two years ago, the school district and Polk County Sheriff’s Office launched Safe Stop, a campaign to stop people from illegally passing school buses. We installed video cameras to help fine people for this dangerous act.
The Sheriff’s Office even posts weekly "Stop Arm Saturday" videos on social media highlighting outrageous examples of drivers illegally passing stopped school buses … and people STILL aren’t getting the hint!
Sadly, more than 22,000 violations have been racked up so far, and we continue to see motorists endangering our children’s lives.
Please watch and share this video to help get the word out.
Every motorist must pay attention, follow the law and drive responsibly. Remember to always stop when a school bus extends its stop sign.
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Parent Portal – Essential Resource for All PCPS Families
All PCPS families are encouraged to sign up for a free Parent Portal account.
Parent Portal is the secure method for parents and guardians to access many essential online tools and student records.
The service is completely free and easy-to-use.
To create a Parent Portal account or access your existing account, visit polkschoolsfl.com/parentportal.
Through Parent Portal, parents and guardians can:
- Track their students’ classes, schedules, attendance, grades, report cards, state tests, and graduation requirements
- Communicate directly with teachers (Focus Communication)
- View student assignments and lessons (Schoology)
- Use SchooLinks, a college and career readiness tool that helps prepare secondary students for college and careers
- Manage and limit books and media materials their student can access in school/classroom libraries (Insignia)
- Access real-time bus information (MyReaXium App)
SchooLinks: New Digital Tool to Help Students Prepare for College & Careers
PCPS is excited to unveil a new digital tool that will help students get ready for the future!
Our school district is partnered with SchooLinks, a college and career readiness platform to prepare secondary students for what comes after graduation.
SchooLinks will help students discover their interests and strengths, explore colleges and careers, and create an individualized career and academic plan that best reflects their post-secondary goals.
SchooLinks also provides our community partners with the ability to post internships, job shadowing, volunteer and employment opportunities while enabling local businesses to connect directly with students who are exploring specific industries.
Parents and guardians must access SchooLinks exclusively through Parent Portal.
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Insignia: Online App Helps Families Manage Library Books and Media Materials for PCPS Students
Families can manage what books and media materials their children can access in their
school libraries through an easy-to-use online app called Insignia.
Insignia is available for free to parents and guardians, and helps them restrict their children's access to any library books or media materials that they find objectionable.
Parents and guardians can check the online app throughout the year to determine if any new books or materials added to their child’s library should be restricted.
Any titles on the restricted list will not be able to be checked out by the student and cannot be overridden by school staff.
Parents and guardians can visit the restricted list whenever they would like and adjust what titles are on the restricted list, but they will need to repeat the process each year as the libraries are updated.
Insignia is only accessible through Parent Portal, which also has a video tutorial covering how to use this app and its important features.
To create a Parent Portal account or access your existing account, visit polkschoolsfl.com/quicklinks/parentportal.
MyReaXiumApp: PCPS Families Monitor Students Ridership on Buses Using Digital Tool
Our district uses technology to improve how we track our school buses, as well as monitor
student ridership.
PCPS school buses are equipped with a tablet, which allows students to scan themselves on and off a bus using their district-issued student ID card.
The MyReaXiumApp is available through Parent Portal and is a convenient way to know when your child’s bus is picking up or dropping off at stops.
We encourage all families to use this app for the most accurate updates on their child’s ridership on our school buses. The MyReaXiumApp is free to download and available to all PCPS parents and guardians.
To access the MyReaXiumApp, parents must log in to Parent Portal and select the MyReaXiumApp link.
Parent Portal also has written tutorials and a helpful video showing how to download and access the MyReaXiumApp, as well as another video demonstrating how this technology works.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please remember that once the MyReaXiumApp is installed on your cell phone or device, you must return to Parent Portal and tap the ReaXium button. This will open and log you in to the app.
Again, to create a Parent Portal account or access your existing account, visit polkschoolsfl.com/parentportal.
Temporary Transportation Call Center Available to Answer Questions for PCPS Families
Polk County Public Schools’ transportation call center will be available starting Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026 through Friday, Aug. 28, 2026
Parents who have bus-related questions and concerns may call 863-534-7300. The temporary call center will be staffed on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
(Please note: From 11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. each day there will be a shift change. Calls will be answered but hold times could be longer than usual.)
Staff members will be able to provide help with all manner of transportation questions, including student bus numbers, stop times and locations, transportation eligibility, and bus delays. Busing information is also provided at orientation and posted in Parent Portal.
Families are encouraged to check Parent Portal for student busing information, and access the MyReaXiumApp to know when your child’s bus is picking up or dropping off at stops.
Please understand that bus delays are common at the beginning of the school year, as students and drivers settle into their daily routines. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
School Nutrition – Free Breakfast & Lunch for All PCPS Students
All PCPS schools will continue to offer breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost. Our
entire district has been covered by the United States Department of Agriculture’s Community Eligibility Provision for several years.
Our school nutrition professionals serve more than 67,000 lunches, 33,000 breakfasts, and 1,600 after school snacks and meals every day — all at no charge — ensuring every student has access to nutritious food they can count on.
Nutritious meals are a key component to students’ success in school, and life. It’s difficult to stay focused and do your best in the classroom on an empty stomach.
Not all children have access to healthy food at home, so programs like the Community Eligibility Provision help us ensure that all PCPS students have their basic needs met when they come to school every day.
Hazel Health – Free Telehealth Services for All PCPS Students
All PCPS students have access to free telehealth services, including mental and physical health services.
Our telehealth program is an option available to all PCPS students and their families through a partnership with Hazel Health, a telehealth provider for K-12 schools.
With Hazel, students can immediately speak with a licensed medical professional or mental health clinician right from home. Hazel services are provided at no charge for all students at this time.
Parents and guardians must give consent if they want their children to receive health care services from Hazel Health. To learn more about Hazel Health and submit a Consent for Care form to opt-in to this service, visit my.hazel.co/polkschoolsfl.
Optional Device Insurance Available
All PCPS students are issued a device every year as part of our One-to-One Digital Learning Initiative.
Device insurance is available for $29 per year, but entirely optional. After your student receives their device (and serial number), you can sign up online at smarttechins.com/polk.
All PCPS students will be issued a device and expected to have them for classroom use, but families can opt out of having their student bring the device home. Please contact your school for details.
Important School Safety Message for PCPS Families
Last year, more than 30 students were arrested in Polk County for making written threats to harm their classmates, teachers, or others at their school.
Students have posted careless comments on social media, wrote threatening messages on campus, made bomb threats or other bad decisions.
We urge parents to click here and watch a short video that explains the serious consequences of such threats.
PCPS works closely with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement agencies to keep our campuses safe and secure. We take every tip and potential threat seriously. The safety of our students and staff members is the highest priority.
The state of Florida launched FortifyFL, where anyone can submit an anonymous tip. Tips submitted through FortifyFL are sent directly to the district safety team, local law enforcement, and state officials. We work together to investigate and respond to all tips promptly.
PCPS is urging parents to speak with their children about the severe, lifelong consequences of making threats.
We also want to emphasize that submitting false tips is extremely reckless and wastes the time and resources needed for actual emergencies. Any student found filing false tips via FortifyFL, or by any other means, will face severe consequences, up to and including arrest, restitution and expulsion.
We strongly urge parents and guardians to have a serious discussion with their children about the consequences of making threats or submitting false tips.
Please let them know that one bad decision can haunt their life and make it incredibly hard to get back on track toward a successful future. All of this can be avoided if they just stop and take a moment to think before making a mistake that they will regret forever.
As a reminder, our school district will continue to conduct random screenings at middle and high schools for the 2026-2027 school year.
Our middle and high schools regularly conduct random screenings of students for weapons and other dangerous items prohibited by the PCPS Code of Student Conduct.
In addition to handheld metal detector wands, we have walk-through devices, which make the process more efficient and increase the number of students who can be screened on campus.
Here are some other key points about the screenings:
- ALL screenings are done randomly.
- Schools vary the screening locations on campus, and the times when screenings take place.
- School and district staff conduct the screenings.
- Law enforcement DO NOT conduct the screenings, but they are present should dangerous or illegal items be found.
- Bags and purses are also subject to screening.
- Schools send out automated messages to let families know when a random screening was conducted on campus.
- Students cannot refuse to be screened; refusal may result in disciplinary action.
Important Departments/Contacts
Here are some useful links and contact information to assist you as we settle into a new school year. You can also learn more about our district departments by visiting: polkschoolsfl.com/about/departments
- Transportation - (863) 534-7300 - Student busing, including rules
- School Nutrition - (863) 647-4804 - Setting up accounts, food items, allergies, menus, etc.
- Health and Wellness - (863) 291-5355 - School physicals, vaccinations, health care services
- School Calendars - Printable school calendars (2026-2027, 2027-2028, 2028-2029)
- Enrolling/Registering a Student - Call your child’s school for assistance - Registration, enrollment, forms, requirements
- Athletics - (863) 647-4203 - Physicals, rules, seasons
- Fine and Performing Arts - (863) 647-4729 - Overview of programs
- Volunteering - (863) 457-4708 Option 2 - Registration, policies, existing and new opportunities
- Exceptional Student Education (ESE) - (863) 535-6488 - IEP services, parent resources
- Student Services - (863) 956-2082 - 504 Plans, psychological and social work services, bullying concerns, school supplies or uniform assistance, disability evaluations for students in grades PK-12
- Behavior and Mental Health - (863) 535-6487 - Behavior supports, private instructional personnel, mental health supports