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Sunshine Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

1777^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 21% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Sunshine Elementary School in Lehigh Acres, FL, is a large PK-5 school serving 1,456 students in the Lee district, where 68.5% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting a high-poverty community.

The most notable story at Sunshine Elementary is a dramatic academic turnaround in the most recent school year. After a particularly challenging 2024-2025 year, test scores surged across the board in 2025-2026. For example, 5th grade science proficiency jumped from 32% to 50%, and 5th grade math soared from 30% to 50%, now closely approaching the district average of 59%. This improvement is more pronounced than at nearby schools like Mirror Lakes Elementary School or Treeline Elementary School, which also saw gains but not of this magnitude. However, the school faces persistent challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 33.3% in 2023-2024, significantly higher than Gateway Elementary School (23.0%) and Treeline Elementary School (25.7%).

Despite serving a large, high-needs population, Sunshine Elementary spends the least per student ($9,597) among comparable area schools, compared to $12,078 at Mirror Lakes Elementary School and $11,559 at Amanecer Elementary School. This lean budget makes the recent academic gains even more noteworthy. While the school's overall ranking remains in the 21st percentile, the strong improvement in 5th grade math—now a clear bright spot—suggests that poverty is not an insurmountable barrier to progress. Parents should watch closely to see if this upward trend continues, as it could signal a sustainable turnaround for this historically struggling school.

1,456

Students ?

19.6

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,597

Per pupil spending ?

68.5%

Free/discounted lunch ?

601 Sara Ave N
Lehigh Acres, FL 33971

(239) 369-5836

District: Lee

Students who attend Sunshine Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Harns Marsh Middle School
	Lehigh Acres Middle School
	Oak Hammock Middle School
	Varsity Lakes Middle School
High:	Dunbar High School
	East Lee County High School
	Lehigh Senior High School
	Riverdale High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

63.8%

African American:

24.3%

White:

8.8%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Sunshine Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 41st percentile in 2016 → 21st in 2026

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (49% vs 62% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (21st percentile)

!Ranking has slipped — down 20 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg57%

Florida avg62%

1,777^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 21%▼ down 20 pts since 2016

From bottom 41% (2016) to bottom 21% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

41^st of 59Elementary Schools in the Lee

56^th of 70Lee among Florida districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Florida percentile	Rating
2026	25.6	1777 of 2240	20.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2025	12.6	2093 of 2258	7.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	19.6	1913 of 2256	15.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	21.6	1848 of 2240	17.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	31.5	1532 of 2219	31.0%	★★☆☆☆
2021	29.5	1586 of 2247	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	27.6	1651 of 2182	24.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	21.2	1758 of 2118	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	36.3	1348 of 2112	36.2%	★★☆☆☆
2016	41.5	1230 of 2087	41.1%	★★☆☆☆
2014	40.9	1235 of 2064	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2013	50.0	1004 of 2029	50.5%	★★★☆☆
2012	45.7	1096 of 1984	44.8%	★★☆☆☆
2011	56.1	929 of 1985	53.2%	★★★☆☆
2010	57.0	893 of 1919	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2009	55.0	879 of 1847	52.4%	★★★☆☆
2008	61.7	711 of 1789	60.3%	★★★☆☆
2007	58.3	776 of 1786	56.6%	★★★☆☆
2006	64.0	621 of 1688	63.2%	★★★☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math52%-12 vs state

Science50%-10 vs state

English Language Arts45%-15 vs state

1.0

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★0

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Saturday, September 8, 2018

Gone down hill in the last couple years. Seems like they go through teachers constantly, favoritism seems to be the style at this school. All about who you know, not all kids needs are getting met especially my daughters class , I seen my daughters teacher helper on playground on her phone not even watching the kids, my phone calls haven’t been returned, seems like they loose a lot of good teachers. I’ll be contacting the department of education and getting a advocate for my girl. Don’t seem right what going on there. Close Quote

by a parent
Thursday, February 19, 2015

As per my childs 5th grade teacher, " reading was cut out due to time constraints", this is highly unacceptable. The new principal is very "black and white", " by the book". The last principal made an accomodation I needed for medical reasons and the new pricipal said " I cant due that, then everyone else will want it too", newsflash...... not everyone has the same medical condition, and can provided doctors documentation to support it! It took over 6 weeks to get a teacher conference- my all A student was now falling behind due to a 6 week delay in staff/ front office communication! Think twice, I have seen F schools that CARE more! Close Quote

Schools Near Sunshine Elementary School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2026)				Ranking (2025)				FAST English Language Arts (2026)						FAST Math (2026)						Statewide Science Science (2026)		EOC Algebra 1 (2026)	EOC Geometry (2026)	EOC Civics (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2025)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2026)	Statewide Rank (2026)	State Percentile (2026)	SchoolDigger Rating (2026)	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Sunshine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Sara Ave N	Lehigh Acres	33971	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 369-5836	1,456	74	19.6	68.5%	128 (8.8%)	354 (24.3%)	929 (63.8%)	5 (0.3%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (2.6%)	25.6	1777^th of 2240 public elementary schools	20.7%		12.6	2093^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	7.3%	316	41.0	44.0	51.0				52.0	55.0	50.0				50.0					$9,597	$1,168	$8,429
Harns Marsh Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1800 Unice Ave N	Lehigh Acres	33971	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 690-1249	1,103	57	19.4	67.8%	109 (9.9%)	254 (23.0%)	700 (63.5%)	6 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (3.0%)	29.5	1679^th of 2240 public elementary schools	25.0%		18.8	1954^th of 2258 public elementary schools	13.5%	275	39.0	50.0	56.0				44.0	50.0	62.0				57.0					$10,689	$1,262	$9,429
Tortuga Preserve Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1711 Gunnery Rd N	Lehigh Acres	33971	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 693-5023	1,172	48	24.4	57.5%	163 (13.9%)	229 (19.5%)	734 (62.6%)	11 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (2.9%)	21	1896^th of 2240 public elementary schools	15.4%		9.8	2152^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	4.7%	256	40.0	50.0	48.0				48.0	52.0	45.0				42.0					$9,790	$1,373	$8,417
G. Weaver Hipps Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 Homestead Rd N	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 368-7042	960	40	24.0	71.8%	111 (11.6%)	166 (17.3%)	640 (66.7%)	6 (0.6%)	3 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	32 (3.3%)	19.7	1935^th of 2240 public elementary schools	13.6%		16.7	1992^nd of 2258 public elementary schools	11.8%	57	36.0	43.0	51.0				44.0	49.0	39.0				54.0					$11,166	$1,468	$9,698
Veterans Park Academy For The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	49 Homestead Rd S	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(239) 303-3003	1,937	102	18.9	60.1%	290 (15.0%)	322 (16.6%)	1,247 (64.4%)	10 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.2%)	65 (3.4%)	16.4	2012^th of 2240 public elementary schools	10.2%		20	1908^th of 2258 public elementary schools	15.5%	104	46.0	41.0	49.0	41.0	46.0	56.0	48.0	42.0	39.0	32.0	47.0	56.0	49.0	46.0	69.0	100.0	71.0	$10,821	$1,606	$9,214
Lehigh Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Schoolside Dr	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 369-2477	1,207	62	19.4	65.9%	178 (14.7%)	176 (14.6%)	797 (66.0%)	5 (0.4%)	5 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (3.7%)	23	1847^th of 2240 public elementary schools	17.5%		16.6	1995^th of 2258 public elementary schools	11.6%	148	41.0	42.0	51.0				43.0	50.0	48.0				52.0					$11,423	$1,386	$10,037
Gateway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	13280 Griffin Dr	Fort Myers	33913	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 768-3737	839	43	19.5	41.8%	244 (29.1%)	154 (18.4%)	379 (45.2%)	19 (2.3%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	40 (4.8%)	40	1399^th of 2240 public elementary schools	37.5%		38.3	1411^th of 2258 public elementary schools	37.5%	12	54.0	52.0	53.0				56.0	69.0	56.0				52.0					$10,917	$680	$10,237
Amanecer Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	641 Sunrise Blvd	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(239) 301-1710	1,072	51	21.0	67.2%	153 (14.3%)	207 (19.3%)	668 (62.3%)	9 (0.8%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (2.9%)	23.5	1829^th of 2240 public elementary schools	18.3%		23.4	1812^th of 2258 public elementary schools	19.8%	17	44.0	43.0	46.0				55.0	57.0	49.0				38.0					$11,559	$1,619	$9,940
Mirror Lakes Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	525 Charwood Ave S	Lehigh Acres	33974	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 369-2200	1,237	72	17.2	65.0%	189 (15.3%)	204 (16.5%)	795 (64.3%)	5 (0.4%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	40 (3.2%)	43.4	1310^th of 2240 public elementary schools	41.5%		40.9	1328^th of 2258 public elementary schools	41.2%	18	53.0	52.0	56.0				62.0	63.0	63.0				54.0					$12,078	$1,668	$10,410
River Hall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2800 River Hall Pkwy	Alva	33920	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 693-0349	913	45	20.1	50.2%	334 (36.6%)	107 (11.7%)	417 (45.7%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	45 (4.9%)	38.1	1452^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	35.2%		28.5	1687^th of 2258 public elementary schools	25.3%	235	46.0	50.0	52.0				54.0	65.0	65.0				55.0					$11,178	$1,181	$9,997

Frequently Asked Questions about Sunshine Elementary School

Is Sunshine Elementary School a good school?

Sunshine Elementary School ranks in the bottom 20.7% of Florida elementary schools.

How many students attend Sunshine Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,456 students attended Sunshine Elementary School.

What district is Sunshine Elementary School in?

Lee

What is the racial makeup of Sunshine Elementary School?

Students at Sunshine Elementary School are 64% Hispanic, 24% African American, 9% White, 3% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Sunshine Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Sunshine Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Harns Marsh Middle School
Middle : Lehigh Acres Middle School
Middle : Oak Hammock Middle School
Middle : Varsity Lakes Middle School
High : Dunbar High School
High : East Lee County High School
High : Lehigh Senior High School
High : Riverdale High School

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Florida Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.