Best Elementary Schools in Fort Myers, FL

This analysis examines 22 elementary schools in Fort Myers, Florida, all part of the Lee school district, serving a diverse range of student populations from kindergarten through fifth grade.

The top-performing schools in Fort Myers are Three Oaks Elementary School, Rayma C. Page Elementary School, and Tanglewood Elementary School, all of which are 4-star schools with state rankings in the 71st percentile or higher. These schools share notably low chronic absenteeism rates and strong test scores across all subjects. In contrast, schools like Harlem Heights Community Charter School and James Stephens Elementary School face significant challenges, ranking in the bottom 5% of the state and struggling with high chronic absenteeism rates above 35%. The data reveals a strong link between poverty levels and performance, with top schools having free/reduced lunch rates below 40% while struggling schools exceed 65%. Notably, higher per-student spending does not guarantee better results, as the three highest-spending schools—Edgewood Academy, Villas Elementary, and Colonial Elementary—are all low-performing.

A standout finding is the remarkable improvement at San Carlos Park Elementary School, which jumped 31 percentile points in a single year, suggesting successful interventions. Charter schools in the area show a wide performance gap, with all three—Innovation Preparatory Academy Of South Ft. Myers, Athenian Academy Charter School, and Harlem Heights—ranking in the bottom 12% of the state. For parents, this data highlights that schools with lower poverty rates and lower chronic absenteeism, such as Three Oaks and Rayma C. Page, consistently outperform their peers, while addressing absenteeism appears to be a critical factor for improvement in the city's most challenged schools.