Key Indicators – Hardee County
Maps – Education
Map – School Funding
The average expenditure per student in the local public school system.
At $10,936 per student, Hardee County is near the median expenditure for the state, however, this per pupil expenditure is less than most of the surrounding counties.
Source: County Health Data, Hardee, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Map – Kindergarten Readiness
Kindergarten readiness is the percentage of students beginning kindergarten each year who score 690+ on the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking(FAST) Star Literacy Test. This test is administered within 30 days of the start of the school year.
In Hardee County 31% of students score well enough on the FAST test to be considered “kindergarten ready”. This puts Hardee County in the lowest 20% of counties in the state of Florida for kindergarten readiness.
Map – High School Graduation
In Hardee County 80.5% of students successfully graduate from high school within four years of enrollment. Hardee County is just above the lowest 20% of counties in the state of Florida for graduation rate.
Source: High School Graduation Rate, FLhealthcharts.gov, 2023
Map – Adult Literacy
This map shows the estimated percentage of adults that have a basic level of literacy or above. The basic level of literacy is considered the minimum level of literacy needed to hold most jobs involving written instructions. Adults with basic literacy are capable of reading paragraph-length texts, paraphrasing this information, and comparing read information to known outside knowledge.
In Hardee County approximately 58% of adults have achieved a basic level of literacy. Hardee County has one of the lowest adult literacy rates in the state of Florida.
Source: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies(PIAAC)
Education Statistics – Hardee County
Child Care Costs
Child care costs in Hardee County are identical to the statewide average and slightly above child care costs in comparable counties such as DeSoto County.
Source: County Health Data, Hardee, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Kindergarten Readiness
Kindergarten readiness in Hardee County is consistently below the state average. Students that do not demonstrate “kindergarten readiness” have a reduced chance of success acquiring necessary literacy and mathematics skills to graduate from high school.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Student Test Performance – End of Course Testing
How well do Hardee County students perform on state standardized tests?
EOC assessments are computer-based assessments that measure student proficiency against Florida state academic standards for specific courses. These tests are designed to allow benchmarking of students against peers statewide and nationally in various subject matter.
A score of 3 is considered to be passing and reflects adequate knowledge of the course subject matter. A score of 4 is above average performance. A score of 5 is excellent and reflects a very high mastery of subject matter. Students that score a 1 or 2 are considered not to have learned course material on a level sufficient to pass the course.
As a whole, students in Hardee County score lower than their counterparts statewide. Hardee County students are more likely to receive scores of 1 or 2, reflecting inadequate knowledge of course material. Consequently, Hardee students are less likely to receive a score of 4 or 5, demonstrating high level mastery of course material.
Source: 2024-25 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
High School Graduation Rate
How well do Hardee County students perform in high school?
In the 2019-2020 school year, Hardee County’s graduation rate was nearly identical to the statewide graduation rate(approx. 90%), however, since then, Hardee County’s graduation rate has declined to 73.6%, while the statewide rate stayed relatively stable(89.7% in 2023-2024). The 2023-2024 graduation rate is more in line with graduation rates in Hardee County prior to Covid-19. It is likely that the 2019-2020 spike in graduation rates is attributable to relaxed graduation standards caused by Covid-19 interruptions.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Testing – ACT and SAT
How are Hardee County students scoring on college entrance exams?
Fewer than 30% of Hardee County high school graduates take the ACT. Statewide, 43% of high school graduates take the ACT. Additionally, Hardee County graduates typically score below the statewide average on the ACT.
Conversely, the percentage of Hardee County graduates that take the SAT regularly exceeds the state average. Hardee County graduates typically score below the state average on the SAT, however, since 2020, the gap between Hardee County and statewide SAT scores has narrowed. The average SAT score in Hardee County has increased since 2020 from 922 to 959. Over that same time period, the statewide average SAT score actually decreased slightly, from 1018 to 1002.
Post-Secondary School Enrollment
Are Hardee County students pursuing higher education?
Students that enrolled in college or technical school after graduating from high school.
More than 50% of Florida high school graduates enroll in some type of post-secondary program. In Hardee County, less than 40% of students enroll in a post-secondary program(38.7% in the 2021-22 school year). The lower post-secondary enrollment in Hardee County may be due to lower average college entrance exam scores.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Educational Attainment
Less than 1/5 of Hardee County residents over the age of 18 have completed a post-secondary program(17.9%), nearly half of Hardee County residents have no education beyond high school(44.3%), and more than 1/5 of Hardee County residents did not complete high school(21.6%).
Source: American Community Survey, 2023
Adult Literacy
42% of Hardee residents rate below a Basic Literacy Level(Level 2). This represents an adult literacy rate well below the state average of 24%, but is identical to the adult literacy rate of neighboring DeSoto County. Individuals reading below “Basic Literacy” struggle to read paragraphs, summarize information, and compare read information to outside knowledge.
Source: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies(PIAAC), 2017
Child Care Costs
Child care costs in Hardee County are identical to the statewide average and slightly above child care costs in comparable counties such as DeSoto County.
Source: County Health Data, Hardee, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Kindergarten Readiness
Kindergarten readiness in Hardee County is consistently below the state average. Students that do not demonstrate “kindergarten readiness” have a reduced chance of success acquiring necessary literacy and mathematics skills to graduate from high school.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Student Test Performance – End of Course Testing
How well do Hardee County students perform on state standardized tests?
EOC assessments are computer-based assessments that measure student proficiency against Florida state academic standards for specific courses. These tests are designed to allow benchmarking of students against peers statewide and nationally in various subject matter.
A score of 3 is considered to be passing and reflects adequate knowledge of the course subject matter. A score of 4 is above average performance. A score of 5 is excellent and reflects a very high mastery of subject matter. Students that score a 1 or 2 are considered not to have learned course material on a level sufficient to pass the course.
As a whole, students in Hardee County score lower than their counterparts statewide. Hardee County students are more likely to receive scores of 1 or 2, reflecting inadequate knowledge of course material. Consequently, Hardee students are less likely to receive a score of 4 or 5, demonstrating high level mastery of course material.
Source: 2024-25 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
High School Graduation Rate
How well do Hardee County students perform in high school?
In the 2019-2020 school year, Hardee County’s graduation rate was nearly identical to the statewide graduation rate(approx. 90%), however, since then, Hardee County’s graduation rate has declined to 73.6%, while the statewide rate stayed relatively stable(89.7% in 2023-2024). The 2023-2024 graduation rate is more in line with graduation rates in Hardee County prior to Covid-19. It is likely that the 2019-2020 spike in graduation rates is attributable to relaxed graduation standards caused by Covid-19 interruptions.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Testing – ACT Performance
How are Hardee County students scoring on college entrance exams?
Fewer than 30% of Hardee County high school graduates take the ACT. Statewide, 43% of high school graduates take the ACT. Additionally, Hardee County graduates typically score below the statewide average on the ACT.
Testing – SAT Performance
The percentage of Hardee County graduates that take the SAT regularly exceeds the state average. Hardee County graduates typically score below the state average on the SAT, however, since 2020, the gap between Hardee County and statewide SAT scores has narrowed. The average SAT score in Hardee County has increased since 2020 from 922 to 959. Over that same time period, the statewide average SAT score actually decreased slightly, from 1018 to 1002.
Post-Secondary School Enrollment
Are Hardee County students pursuing higher education?
Students that enrolled in college or technical school after graduating from high school.
More than 50% of Florida high school graduates enroll in some type of post-secondary program. In Hardee County, less than 40% of students enroll in a post-secondary program(38.7% in the 2021-22 school year). The lower post-secondary enrollment in Hardee County may be due to lower average college entrance exam scores.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Educational Attainment
Less than 1/5 of Hardee County residents over the age of 18 have completed a post-secondary program(17.9%), nearly half of Hardee County residents have no education beyond high school(44.3%), and more than 1/5 of Hardee County residents did not complete high school(21.6%).
Source: American Community Survey, 2023
Adult Literacy
42% of Hardee residents rate below a Basic Literacy Level(Level 2). This represents an adult literacy rate well below the state average of 24%, but is identical to the adult literacy rate of neighboring DeSoto County. Individuals reading below “Basic Literacy” struggle to read paragraphs, summarize information, and compare read information to outside knowledge.
Source: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies(PIAAC), 2017
Child Care Costs
Child care costs in Hardee County are identical to the statewide average and slightly above child care costs in comparable counties such as DeSoto County.
Source: County Health Data, Hardee, FL, countyhealthrankings.org, 2025
Kindergarten Readiness
Kindergarten readiness in Hardee County is consistently below the state average. Students that do not demonstrate “kindergarten readiness” have a reduced chance of success acquiring necessary literacy and mathematics skills to graduate from high school.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Student Test Performance – End of Course Testing
How well do Hardee County students perform on state standardized tests?
EOC assessments are computer-based assessments that measure student proficiency against Florida state academic standards for specific courses. These tests are designed to allow benchmarking of students against peers statewide and nationally in various subject matter.
A score of 3 is considered to be passing and reflects adequate knowledge of the course subject matter. A score of 4 is above average performance. A score of 5 is excellent and reflects a very high mastery of subject matter. Students that score a 1 or 2 are considered not to have learned course material on a level sufficient to pass the course.
As a whole, students in Hardee County score lower than their counterparts statewide. Hardee County students are more likely to receive scores of 1 or 2, reflecting inadequate knowledge of course material. Consequently, Hardee students are less likely to receive a score of 4 or 5, demonstrating high level mastery of course material.
Source: 2024-25 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
High School Graduation Rate
How well do Hardee County students perform in high school?
In the 2019-2020 school year, Hardee County’s graduation rate was nearly identical to the statewide graduation rate(approx. 90%), however, since then, Hardee County’s graduation rate has declined to 73.6%, while the statewide rate stayed relatively stable(89.7% in 2023-2024). The 2023-2024 graduation rate is more in line with graduation rates in Hardee County prior to Covid-19. It is likely that the 2019-2020 spike in graduation rates is attributable to relaxed graduation standards caused by Covid-19 interruptions.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
ACT/SAT Performance
How are Hardee County students scoring on college entrance exams?
Fewer than 30% of Hardee County high school graduates take the ACT. Statewide, 43% of high school graduates take the ACT. Additionally, Hardee County graduates typically score below the statewide average on the ACT.
Conversely, the percentage of Hardee County graduates that take the SAT regularly exceeds the state average. Hardee County graduates typically score below the state average on the SAT, however, since 2020, the gap between Hardee County and statewide SAT scores has narrowed. The average SAT score in Hardee County has increased since 2020 from 922 to 959. Over that same time period, the statewide average SAT score actually decreased slightly, from 1018 to 1002.
Post-Secondary School Enrollment
Are Hardee County students pursuing higher education?
Students that enrolled in college or technical school after graduating from high school.
More than 50% of Florida high school graduates enroll in some type of post-secondary program. In Hardee County, less than 40% of students enroll in a post-secondary program(38.7% in the 2021-22 school year). The lower post-secondary enrollment in Hardee County may be due to lower average college entrance exam scores.
Source: 2023-24 Hardee School District Report Card, Florida Department of Education
Educational Attainment
Less than 1/5 of Hardee County residents over the age of 18 have completed a post-secondary program(17.9%), nearly half of Hardee County residents have no education beyond high school(44.3%), and more than 1/5 of Hardee County residents did not complete high school(21.6%).
Source: American Community Survey, 2023
Adult Literacy
42% of Hardee residents rate below a Basic Literacy Level(Level 2). This represents an adult literacy rate well below the state average of 24%, but is identical to the adult literacy rate of neighboring DeSoto County. Individuals reading below “Basic Literacy” struggle to read paragraphs, summarize information, and compare read information to outside knowledge.
Source: Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies(PIAAC), 2017