Teachers Trapped in Trailers...

THE PROBLEM
Florida’s education system is not producing the quality and quantity of graduates required
to ensure that it has the high quality leadership, workforce, and citizenry needed to sustain a
vibrant economy and society.
• Three out of ten ninth graders drop out and do not attain a high school diploma.
• Of the seven ninth graders who will later graduate from high school, only four will enter a
college or university degree program. Forty percent of those students will require
remediation.
• Over 13,000 high school seniors did not have the skills and knowledge to attain a passing
score on the FCAT in 2003.
• High quality career education opportunities are limited for those six out of ten high school
students who do not graduate from high school or attend postsecondary education.

The Polk

In 1914, the county issued a $1.5 million bond to pave a number of roads. That bond issue was considerable for those days, and allowed for 9-foot (2.7 m)-wide roads to start from Bartow to Mulberry, Lake Wales, Fort Meade, Winter Haven, Lakeland and Auburndale. According to historical reports, then-county commission clerk W.S. Wev had the idea of erecting an arch over every paved road at its entrance to Polk County, proclaiming that the motorist was about to enter "Imperial Polk County." The name has since remained.