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Diplomat Elementary School

Q: Is Diplomat Elementary School a good school?

Diplomat Elementary School ranks 655 th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Public Grades PK, KG-5

655^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,240 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 71% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

Diplomat Elementary School is a large public elementary school in Cape Coral, FL, serving 1,066 students from Pre-K through 5th grade, and it stands out as a high-performing beacon within the Lee County School District, which ranks near the bottom of Florida districts.

Diplomat Elementary has consistently earned a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past six years, placing it in the 71st to 75th percentile of all Florida elementary schools. This is a significant achievement given that over half of its students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. The school’s strongest asset is its math program, with 4th-grade math proficiency reaching 85%—a staggering 25 percentage points above the district average and far outpacing nearby schools like Patriot Elementary School and Caloosa Elementary School. In 5th-grade science, Diplomat scored 64% proficient, outperforming the state and district averages, while neighbors like J. Colin English Elementary School and Hancock Creek Elementary School fell below. Additionally, Diplomat’s chronic absenteeism rate of 22.1% is significantly lower than the district average of 34.6% and much better than nearby schools like Heritage Charter Academy Of Cape Coral (46.6%) and Hancock Creek (42.8%).

What makes Diplomat particularly impressive is its ability to "beat the odds" by achieving high rankings despite a moderate-to-high percentage of students from low-income families. Nearby schools with similar poverty rates, such as Patriot Elementary and Caloosa Elementary, do not achieve the same academic results, suggesting that factors like school leadership, teaching quality, and school culture are driving Diplomat’s success. While charter schools like Mid Cape Global Academy show pockets of excellence in advanced courses, they struggle with core elementary subjects—for example, Mid Cape’s 5th-grade math proficiency was just 37%, compared to Diplomat’s 79%. This makes Diplomat a more reliable choice for a well-rounded elementary education, offering consistent, broad-based strength across all grades and subjects.

1,066

Students ?

17.1

Student/teacher ratio ?

$11,980

Per pupil spending ?

51.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1115 NE 16th Ter
Cape Coral, FL 33909

(239) 458-0033

District: Lee

Students who attend Diplomat Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Caloosa Middle School
	Challenger Middle School
	Diplomat Middle School
	Gulf Middle School
	More...
	Mariner Middle School
	Trafalgar Middle School
High:	Cape Coral High School
	Ida S. Baker High School
	Island Coast High School
	Mariner High School
	More...
	North Fort Myers High School

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

52.9%

White:

37.1%

African American:

4.8%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Diplomat Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▼ Ranking trend: Declining — 85th percentile in 2016 → 71st in 2026

Strengths

✓Test scores above the Florida average (70% vs 62% meeting standards)

✓Among the top-ranked schools in Lee

✓Above the Florida median (71st percentile)

Worth a look

!Ranking has slipped — down 14 percentile points since 2016

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school70%

District avg57%

Florida avg62%

655^th of 2,240

Florida public elementary schools ?

Top 29%▼ down 14 pts since 2016

From top 15% (2016) to top 29% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

11^th 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	69.1	655 of 2240	70.8%	★★★★☆
2025	71.4	597 of 2258	73.6%	★★★★☆
2024	73.2	569 of 2256	74.8%	★★★★☆
2023	71.6	596 of 2240	73.4%	★★★★☆
2022	80.5	399 of 2219	82.0%	★★★★☆
2021	72.0	605 of 2247	73.1%	★★★★☆
2019	69.8	629 of 2182	71.2%	★★★★☆
2018	68.6	643 of 2118	69.6%	★★★☆☆
2017	79.7	387 of 2112	81.7%	★★★★☆
2016	83.1	316 of 2087	84.9%	★★★★☆
2014	77.0	426 of 2064	79.4%	★★★★☆
2013	82.2	310 of 2029	84.7%	★★★★☆
2012	78.5	380 of 1984	80.8%	★★★★☆
2011	87.9	157 of 1985	92.1%	★★★★★
2010	88.1	145 of 1919	92.4%	★★★★★
2009	80.9	307 of 1847	83.4%	★★★★☆
2008	81.0	290 of 1789	83.8%	★★★★☆
2007	80.8	309 of 1786	82.7%	★★★★☆
2006	83.9	229 of 1688	86.4%	★★★★☆

By subject vs Florida (2025-2026) ?

Math78%+14 vs state

Science64%+4 vs state

English Language Arts64%+3 vs state

5.0

1 rating

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

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Schools Near Diplomat 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 Biology 1 (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 Biology 1 End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Diplomat Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1115 NE 16th Ter	Cape Coral	33909	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 458-0033	1,066	62	17.1	51.8%	396 (37.1%)	51 (4.8%)	564 (52.9%)	9 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	46 (4.3%)	69.1	655^th of 2240 public elementary schools	70.8%		71.4	597^th of 2258 public elementary schools	73.6%	58	61.0	64.0	66.0				71.0	85.0	79.0				64.0						$11,980	$1,706	$10,273
Dr Carrie D Robinson Littleton Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	700 Hutto Rd	North Fort Myers	33903	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 995-3800	640	33	19.2	58.3%	227 (35.5%)	67 (10.5%)	317 (49.5%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	22 (3.4%)	36.7	1485^th of 2240 public elementary schools	33.7%		38.4	1405^th of 2258 public elementary schools	37.8%	80	48.0	57.0	64.0				53.0	54.0	55.0				53.0						$12,094	$1,516	$10,578
Tropic Isles Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5145 Orange Grove Blvd	North Fort Myers	33903	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 995-4704	804	45	18.0	66.7%	243 (30.2%)	100 (12.4%)	412 (51.2%)	6 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	42 (5.2%)	34.8	1531^st of 2240 public elementary schools	31.7%		33.3	1548^th of 2258 public elementary schools	31.4%	17	44.0	51.0	53.0				52.0	51.0	71.0				55.0						$11,810	$1,504	$10,305
Hector A. Cafferata Junior Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	388 Santa Barbara Blvd	Cape Coral	33993	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 458-7391	606	34	17.8	60.6%	124 (20.5%)	32 (5.3%)	430 (71.0%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (2.0%)	34.2	1553^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	30.7%		28.2	1696^th of 2258 public elementary schools	24.9%	143	43.0	48.0	64.0				44.0	54.0	54.0				63.0						$20,406	$1,919	$18,487
Caloosa Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	620 Del Prado Blvd S	Cape Coral	33990	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 574-3113	968	58	16.5	52.7%	347 (35.8%)	72 (7.4%)	475 (49.1%)	19 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	55 (5.7%)	57.7	942^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	57.9%		54.9	989^th of 2258 public elementary schools	56.2%	47	61.0	67.0	59.0				67.0	75.0	67.0				50.0						$12,890	$1,531	$11,359
Mid Cape Global Academy	Public, Charter	PK, KG-8	76 Mid Cape Ter	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 995-0904	1,145	53	21.6	55.8%	160 (14.0%)	101 (8.8%)	858 (74.9%)	4 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	20 (1.7%)	35.8	1503^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	32.9%		22	1847^th of 2258 public elementary schools	18.2%	344	59.0	51.0	52.0	60.0	54.0	70.0	66.0	52.0	37.0	46.0	72.0	68.0	53.0	61.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	82.0	$8,008	$35	$7,973
Hancock Creek Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1601 Skyline Dr	North Fort Myers	33903	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 995-3600	814	43	18.8	61.3%	290 (35.6%)	85 (10.4%)	396 (48.6%)	7 (0.9%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (4.1%)	51.1	1110^th of 2240 public elementary schools	50.4%		30.4	1631^st of 2258 public elementary schools	27.8%	521	60.0	57.0	63.0				62.0	57.0	67.0				60.0						$10,517	$1,228	$9,288
J. Colin English Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	120 Pine Island Rd	North Fort Myers	33903	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 995-2258	530	29	18.2	69.1%	183 (34.5%)	25 (4.7%)	297 (56.0%)	5 (0.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (3.6%)	40.4	1386^th of 2240 public elementary schools	38.1%		19.4	1931^st of 2258 public elementary schools	14.5%	545	49.0	58.0	60.0				68.0	50.0	54.0				52.0						$12,978	$1,620	$11,358
North Fort Myers Academy For The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	1856 Arts Way	North Fort Myers	33917	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	No	(239) 997-2131	1,353	70	19.2	53.2%	687 (50.8%)	59 (4.4%)	531 (39.2%)	7 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	67 (5.0%)	27	1745^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.1%		32	1593^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	29.5%	152	53.0	61.0	40.0	50.0	51.0	54.0	53.0	60.0	38.0	49.0	22.0	57.0	35.0	49.0	80.0			68.0	$9,655	$678	$8,978
Patriot Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	711 SW 18th St	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 242-1023	954	50	19.0	52.1%	322 (33.8%)	67 (7.0%)	515 (54.0%)	6 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	44 (4.6%)	35.5	1512^th of 2240 public elementary schools	32.5%		40.2	1353^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	40.1%	159	61.0	47.0	54.0				66.0	52.0	49.0				47.0						$10,291	$1,148	$9,144

Frequently Asked Questions about Diplomat Elementary School

What is the racial makeup of Diplomat Elementary School?

Students at Diplomat Elementary School are 53% Hispanic, 37% White, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races.

How many students attend Diplomat Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 1,066 students attended Diplomat Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of Diplomat Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Caloosa Middle School
Middle : Challenger Middle School
Middle : Diplomat Middle School
Middle : Gulf Middle School
Middle : Mariner Middle School
Middle : Trafalgar Middle School
High : Cape Coral High School
High : Ida S. Baker High School
High : Island Coast High School
High : Mariner High School
High : North Fort Myers High School

Is Diplomat Elementary School a good school?

Diplomat Elementary School ranks 655^th of 2240 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

What district is Diplomat Elementary School in?

Lee

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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.