Caloosa Elementary School

Caloosa Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school (PK-5) in Cape Coral, FL, serving 968 students as part of the Lee School District. The school has a mixed performance history, consistently earning a 3-star rating from Schooldigger over the last three years, which places it in the 56th-62nd percentile statewide. This represents a notable decline from its peak performance in the 2021-2022 school year, when it achieved a 4-star rating and ranked in the 78th percentile. The school serves a moderately high-needs population, with 52.69% of students qualifying for free or reduced lunch.

Caloosa Elementary’s most significant differentiator is its exceptional performance in Mathematics, where proficiency rates significantly outperformed both the district and state averages across all tested grades in the most recent school year. For example, 4th-grade math reached 75% proficiency (vs. 60% district, 65% state), and 5th-grade math reached 67% proficiency (vs. 59% district, 62% state). The school also stands out for strong English Language Arts (ELA) scores, particularly in the lower grades, with 3rd-grade ELA at 61% proficiency (vs. 52% district) and 4th-grade ELA at 67% proficiency (vs. 53% district). This is a clear advantage over nearby schools like Dr Carrie D Robinson Littleton Elementary School, Patriot Elementary School, and Skyline Elementary School, which all struggle to meet district averages in these grades.

However, the most telling comparison is with Diplomat Elementary School, located just 3 miles away with similar demographics (51.78% free/reduced lunch). Diplomat is a clear outperformer, earning a 4-star rating (71st percentile) and beating Caloosa in every subject and grade level. For instance, Diplomat’s 5th-grade math reached 79% proficiency vs. Caloosa’s 67%, and its chronic absenteeism rate is much lower (22.1% vs. 27.3%). This suggests Caloosa has the potential to improve, with key differentiators likely being school culture, instructional quality, and student attendance. While Caloosa’s per-student spending of $12,890 is the highest among its immediate peers, it does not translate into a top-tier ranking, unlike the more efficient Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School, a magnet school that dramatically outperforms Caloosa in nearly every subject.