Beta You're viewing our redesigned school page. Prefer the classic layout?

James Stephens Elementary School

Public Grades PK, KG-5

2170^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 2,258 Florida Elementary Schools

Better than 4% of Florida elementary schools

Summary

James Stephens Elementary School is a public elementary school serving 541 students in grades PK-5 in Fort Myers, Florida, which is part of the Lee District. The school has faced challenges, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger and fluctuating statewide rankings, ranging from 2170 out of 2258 Florida elementary schools in 2024-2025 to 1688 out of 2240 in 2022-2023.

One key issue at James Stephens Elementary is the consistently high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 30.9% to 36.5% over the past few years, significantly higher than the state and district averages. Additionally, the school's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is significantly below the state and district averages across all grade levels and subject areas. For example, in 2024-2025, only 20% of 5th-grade students were proficient or better in Science, compared to 45% in the district and 55% statewide. The school also has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 64.42% to 70.06% over the past few years, suggesting a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

When comparing James Stephens Elementary to nearby schools in the same district, such as Bayshore Elementary and Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School, it becomes clear that the school is underperforming academically, with significantly higher test scores and lower chronic absenteeism rates at these other schools. The data suggests that targeted interventions and support programs, as well as increased funding and resources, could potentially help address the challenges faced by James Stephens Elementary and improve outcomes for its students.

730

Students ?

20.0

Student/teacher ratio ?

$13,788

Per pupil spending ?

71.1%

Free/discounted lunch ?

1333 Marsh Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33905

(239) 337-1333

District: Lee

Students who attend James Stephens 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:

53.0%

African American:

38.9%

White:

5.5%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare James Stephens Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 3rd percentile in 2014 → 4th in 2025

Worth a look

!Test scores below the Florida average (28% vs 58% meeting standards)

!In the lower quartile statewide (4th percentile)

!Science scores 35 pts below the Florida average

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school28%

District avg50%

Florida avg58%

2,170^th of 2,258

Florida public elementary schools ?

Bottom 4%▲ up 3 pts since 2016

See the entire ranking list of Florida Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

56^th of 59Elementary Schools in the Lee

59^th of 67Lee 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
2025	8.8	2170 of 2258	3.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	18.5	1944 of 2256	13.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	26.8	1688 of 2240	24.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	22.7	1770 of 2219	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	13.3	2043 of 2247	9.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	18.0	1888 of 2182	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	12.5	1959 of 2118	7.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2017	15.1	1909 of 2112	9.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2016	3.6	2061 of 2087	1.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2014	7.3	2004 of 2064	2.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2013	9.2	1944 of 2029	4.2%	☆☆☆☆☆
2012	7.0	1919 of 1984	3.3%	☆☆☆☆☆
2011	7.4	1914 of 1985	3.6%	☆☆☆☆☆

By subject vs Florida (2024-2025) ?

Math32%-29 vs state

English Language Arts26%-30 vs state

Science20%-35 vs state

★

No ratings yet

Be the first to rate James Stephens Elementary School and help other families decide.

Rate James Stephens Elementary School

Have first-hand experience? A quick rating - and a sentence or two about what stands out (teachers, academics, safety, communication) - helps other families know what to expect.

Takes about a minute. We email you a link to verify your review - your address is never shown publicly.

Tap a star to rate

Reviews

No written reviews yet. If you know this school, be the first to share what stands out.

Schools Near James Stephens Elementary School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				FAST English Language Arts (2025)				FAST Math (2025)				Statewide Science Science (2025)	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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	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 Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
James Stephens Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1333 Marsh Ave	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 337-1333	730	37	20.0	71.1%	40 (5.5%)	284 (38.9%)	387 (53.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.5%)	8.8	2170^th of 2258 public elementary schools	3.9%		18.5	1944^th of 2256 public elementary schools	13.8%	226	23.0	41.0	20.0		18.0	41.0	41.0		20.0	$13,788	$1,698	$12,091
Edgewood Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	3464 Edgewood Ave	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 334-6205	598	43	13.9	68.7%	41 (6.9%)	208 (34.8%)	332 (55.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.3%)	21.9	1850^th of 2258 public elementary schools	18.1%		10.8	2132^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	5.5%	282	44.0	43.0	28.0		54.0	51.0	38.0		36.0	$20,498	$2,978	$17,521
Tice Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4524 Tice St	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 694-1257	516	30	17.3	57.8%	13 (2.5%)	32 (6.2%)	467 (90.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	19.5	1927^th of 2258 public elementary schools	14.7%		20.4	1891^st of 2256 public elementary schools	16.2%	36	26.0	44.0	27.0		53.0	52.0	45.0		30.0	$13,980	$1,363	$12,618
Franklin Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2323 Ford St	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 332-1969	505	24	21.0	73.7%	18 (3.6%)	361 (71.5%)	111 (22.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	14 (2.8%)	10.1	2147^th of 2258 public elementary schools	4.9%		13	2088^th of 2256 public elementary schools	7.4%	59	29.0	24.0	27.0		37.0	27.0	49.0		27.0	$12,827	$1,169	$11,657
Orange River Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4501 Underwood Dr	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 694-1258	796	41	19.4	58.9%	36 (4.5%)	72 (9.0%)	683 (85.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.5%)	22.3	1839^th of 2258 public elementary schools	18.6%		23.9	1800^th of 2256 public elementary schools	20.2%	39	31.0	43.0	32.0		51.0	57.0	49.0		33.0	$12,371	$1,362	$11,009
Manatee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5301 Tice St	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 694-2097	728	42	17.3	55.8%	51 (7.0%)	50 (6.9%)	610 (83.8%)	2 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (1.9%)	21.1	1873^rd of 2258 public elementary schools	17.1%		28.5	1662^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	26.3%	211	35.0	22.0	37.0		51.0	52.0	45.0		39.0	$13,263	$1,482	$11,782
Edison Park Creative And Expressive Arts School	Public	PK, KG-5	2401 Euclid Ave	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 334-6232	440	26	16.9	43.9%	179 (40.7%)	109 (24.8%)	138 (31.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (3.2%)	51.2	1087^th of 2258 public elementary schools	51.9%		58.7	889^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.6%	198	68.0	50.0	49.0		65.0	64.0	58.0		46.0	$12,131	$577	$11,553
Colonial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3800 Schoolhouse Rd E	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 939-2242	661	45	14.6	66.7%	69 (10.4%)	247 (37.4%)	323 (48.9%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (2.7%)	13.1	2077^th of 2258 public elementary schools	8.0%		9.5	2163^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	4.1%	86	31.0	36.0	28.0		38.0	57.0	29.0		21.0	$14,469	$1,651	$12,819
Ray V. Pottorf Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4600 Challenger Blvd	Fort Myers	33966	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 274-3932	736	44	16.8	54.9%	104 (14.1%)	231 (31.4%)	348 (47.3%)	18 (2.4%)	3 (0.4%)	1 (0.1%)	31 (4.2%)	32.4	1578^th of 2258 public elementary schools	30.1%		32.7	1541^st of 2256 public elementary schools	31.7%	37	45.0	42.0	48.0		57.0	52.0	44.0		48.0	$13,305	$1,592	$11,713
Bayshore School	Public	PK, KG-6	17050 Williams Rd	North Fort Myers	33917	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 543-3663	685	32	21.2	40.0%	489 (71.4%)	9 (1.3%)	166 (24.2%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	19 (2.8%)	53.3	1034^th of 2258 public elementary schools	54.2%		56.5	934^th of 2256 public elementary schools	58.6%	100	48.0	59.0	59.0	51.0	51.0	67.0	80.0	71.0	51.0	$10,388	$547	$9,840

Frequently Asked Questions about James Stephens Elementary School

Is James Stephens Elementary School a good school?

James Stephens Elementary School ranks in the bottom 3.9% of Florida elementary schools.

What district is James Stephens Elementary School in?

Lee

What is the racial makeup of James Stephens Elementary School?

Students at James Stephens Elementary School are 53% Hispanic, 39% African American, 5% White, 2% Two or more races.

How many students attend James Stephens Elementary School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 730 students attended James Stephens Elementary School.

What schools do graduates of James Stephens Elementary School attend?

Students who attend James Stephens 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

Rate James Stephens Elementary School!

Other helpful SchoolDigger resources...

Compare to nearby schools

FLFlorida Elementary School Rankings

FLFlorida District Rankings

Schools in Fort Myers, FL

Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for James Stephens Elementary School!

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.