Bayshore School

Bayshore School in North Fort Myers, FL, is a public elementary school serving 685 students in grades PK through 6 as part of the Lee school district, and it stands out for its exceptional academic performance in upper grades despite having larger class sizes and lower spending per student than many nearby schools.

Bayshore’s biggest strength is its upper-grade math and civics results. In 6th grade math, 67% of students scored proficient, well above the district average of 48% and the state average of 60%. Even more impressive, 7th grade math proficiency hit 78%, a 41-point lead over the district average of 37%. Civics scores were also outstanding, with 90% proficiency compared to 71% for the district. However, the school shows a split in performance: while upper grades excel, 3rd and 4th grade math and ELA scores are more modest, often trailing state averages. This suggests that students who stay at Bayshore through 6th grade experience significant academic growth. The school also has a lower percentage of students eligible for free or reduced lunch (40%) compared to nearby schools like North Fort Myers Academy For The Arts (53%) and J. Colin English Elementary School (74%).

Despite these strong results, Bayshore’s overall state ranking dropped sharply to the 44th percentile (2 stars) for the 2025-2026 school year, after a decade of consistent 3-star ratings. This decline may be driven by weaker lower-grade performance or changes in ranking methodology. The school also faces a persistent chronic absenteeism rate of 27.7%, though this is better than the district average of 34.6% and many peers like Hancock Creek Elementary School (42.8%). Notably, Bayshore achieves its upper-grade success while spending just $10,388 per student (second-lowest among peers) and maintaining a student-teacher ratio of 21.2:1, the highest in the area. This efficiency makes it a compelling choice for families focused on strong math and civics outcomes, especially for students entering upper elementary grades.