Summary:
In zip code 33901 (Fort Myers, FL), there is one middle school, Fort Myers Middle School, serving grades 6 through 8 with 687 students in the Lee district, which ranks in the bottom 20% of Florida districts.
Fort Myers Middle School presents a mixed picture for parents. The school has a high chronic absenteeism rate of 42.6%, significantly worse than state and district averages, and its overall state ranking has been in the bottom 10-16% for the past three years. Test scores in core subjects are concerning: only about 33% of students are proficient in English Language Arts, and math proficiency averages around 35%, with 7th grade math particularly low at 29%. Science proficiency in 8th grade is just 27%, well below the state average of 52%. The school also has a high student-teacher ratio of 20.8 to 1 and serves a predominantly low-income population, with 62.88% of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.
However, there is one notable bright spot: Fort Myers Middle School excels in Algebra 1, with 89% of students proficient in the most recent year—a dramatic 22-point increase from the prior year and far exceeding district (56%) and state (63%) averages. This suggests the school effectively accelerates a select group of students in advanced math, while the majority struggle with grade-level work. The school spends $12,354 per student, but this investment has not translated into strong overall outcomes, indicating a need for a comprehensive strategy focused on improving attendance and foundational skills in math and literacy.
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