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Gateway Charter School

Public, Charter, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12
1782nd
SchoolDigger Rank ?
of 2,240 Florida Alternative Schools
Better than 20% of Florida alternative schools
Summary

Gateway Charter School in Fort Myers, FL, is a large public charter school serving 3,192 students from Pre-K through 12th grade in the Lee district, a high-poverty area where 53% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This school stands out for its perfect 100% graduation rate, far exceeding the district average of 89.8% and the state average of 92.2%, a remarkable achievement given its 41.4% chronic absenteeism rate—a paradox that suggests strong intervention systems for at-risk students. However, Gateway struggles with math proficiency, especially in middle grades, where only 34% of 5th and 6th graders are proficient compared to state averages of 62% and 60%, while science performance shines with 81% proficiency in Biology 1 EOC, outperforming both the district and state.

Compared to nearby alternative schools, Gateway is an outlier in size and cost. It is vastly larger than specialized centers like Buckingham Exceptional Student Center or Royal Palm Exceptional School Center, which serve under 100 students each, and its per-student spending of $8,203 is a fraction of their costs (e.g., $125,847 at County Wide Exceptional Child Programs). This indicates Gateway operates as a mainstream, cost-efficient school, not a specialized center for severe needs. Its high student-to-teacher ratio of 26.6:1 also contrasts sharply with the low ratios at these other schools, suggesting larger class sizes and less individualized attention.

In contrast, Naples Classical Academy in the Collier district, a high-performing alternative school with a low poverty rate (17.6%) and a low student-teacher ratio (13.8:1), outperforms Gateway in nearly every subject, such as 89% proficiency in Algebra 1 versus Gateway’s 67%. This highlights how socioeconomic factors and district resources impact outcomes, yet Gateway still achieves competitive results in areas like Biology and Civics despite its challenges. Overall, Gateway is a unique school that excels in graduating students but faces significant hurdles in early math and attendance, making it a complex choice for parents seeking a comprehensive education in a high-poverty setting.

3,192
Students ?
26.6
Student/teacher ratio ?
$8,203
Per pupil spending ?
53.1%
Free/discounted lunch ?
 12850 Commonwealth Dr
       Fort Myers, FL  33913

(239) 768-5048

District: Lee

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
48.3%
African American:
28.6%
White:
17.9%
more
 See top rated Florida elementary schools

 Compare Gateway Charter School to nearby alternative schools!
At a glance
▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 48th percentile in 2021 → 61st in 2026
Strengths
✓100% graduate in 4 years — above the Florida average (92%)
✓Ranking is trending up — up 13 percentile points since 2021
Worth a look
!Test scores below the Florida average (56% vs 63% meeting standards)
!In the lower quartile statewide (20th percentile)
!High chronic absenteeism (41% vs 31% Florida)
Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?
This school56%
District avg56%
Florida avg63%
Elementary school
1,782nd of 2,240
Florida public elementary schools ?
Bottom 20%▼ down 43 pts since 2016
From top 37% (2016) to bottom 20% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
Middle school
681st of 1,216
Florida public middle schools ?
Bottom 44%▲ up 6 pts since 2025
From bottom 38% (2025) to bottom 44% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Florida Middle Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
High school
325th of 838
Florida public high schools ?
Top 39%▲ up 15 pts since 2025
From bottom 47% (2025) to top 39% (2026)
See the entire ranking list of Florida High Schools →
★★★★★
SchoolDigger rating ?
2nd of 2Alternative Schools in the Lee
56th 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)
Elementary school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankFlorida percentileRating
202625.31782 of 224020.4%★☆☆☆☆
202520.81880 of 225816.7%★☆☆☆☆
202432.21555 of 225631.1%★★☆☆☆
202351.91049 of 224053.2%★★★☆☆
202242.41258 of 221943.3%★★☆☆☆
202146.61168 of 224748.0%★★☆☆☆
201966.7695 of 218268.1%★★★☆☆
201872.2556 of 211873.7%★★★★☆
201759.0850 of 211259.8%★★★☆☆
201662.9762 of 208763.5%★★★☆☆
201461.6778 of 206462.3%★★★☆☆
201354.2917 of 202954.8%★★★☆☆
201259.6808 of 198459.3%★★★☆☆
201168.3642 of 198567.7%★★★☆☆
201064.8704 of 191963.3%★★★☆☆
200955.7856 of 184753.7%★★★☆☆
200858.7766 of 178957.2%★★★☆☆
200765.6647 of 178663.8%★★★☆☆
200665.5593 of 168864.9%★★★☆☆
200564.5103 of 20249.0%★★☆☆☆
200468.493 of 19953.3%★★★☆☆
Middle school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankFlorida percentileRating
202646.1681 of 121644.0%★★☆☆☆
202539.6750 of 120537.8%★★☆☆☆
High school ranking
Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

YearAvg scoreStatewide rankFlorida percentileRating
202651.0325 of 83861.2%★★★☆☆
202540.9451 of 84446.6%★★☆☆☆
By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?
Biology 181%+7 vs state
Civics78%~ state avg
Algebra 167%+4 vs state
US History67%-7 vs state
English Language Arts56%-5 vs state
Geometry49%-7 vs state
Math48%-13 vs state
Science46%-10 vs state

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What people are saying
by a parent
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Open Quote Now that my son is stuck at this awful place I feel trapped. He is in second grade where the state says no more than 18 kids per class. He is number 26! The teacher he has seems overwhelmed and new to teaching. She is awful at communicating to us. He has spelling words that are not age appropriate. He hates his three p.e. coaches who yell all class. He has homework that has nothing to do with learning. The school informs us of a fire in the building and a criminal apprehended in the area but not about a teacher being arrested during class. Had to find out from my son. The school refused to answer my questions and referred me to hr in another town who called me back and refused to tell me if a criminal was still teaching my son! Unbelievable! The school reminded me of a hospital the first time i saw it. I was not allowed a tour until my child was accepted and at that time i had two days to decide. When i was given a tour (rather quickly since i had to decide so fast) no teachers or students were there. Each classroom in my son's grade is completely different from one another, nothing is consistent at all. There are so many students here it is crazy in the hallways (there are ten classes in 2nd grade!) The office staff is cold when I ask them questions which leads me to email them (at this they are actually pretty prompt with). There is a nice selection of music and art classes (even though his teacher was arrested!) but no sports or foreign language. Parent pick up is a mad house. They only provide buses for a small number of students so the over 1000 students here all get picked up at the same time! I arrive an hour early and I am still nowhere near the front of the line. It is such a headache. If I would have known all these things I would never have put my son here. His teacher has no idea anything about him, he is just another name on her attendance sheet. Sad :( Close Quote




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Frequently Asked Questions about Gateway Charter School

Students at Gateway Charter School are 48% Hispanic, 29% African American, 18% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

In the 2024-25 school year, 3,192 students attended Gateway Charter School.

Gateway Charter School ranks in the bottom 20.4% of Florida alternative schools.


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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.




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