Summary:
Zip code 33928 in Estero, Florida, is home to two public schools—Estero High School and Pinewoods Elementary School—serving a total of 2,596 students within the Lee County School District, which ranks in the bottom 20th percentile statewide.
The standout school in this area is Pinewoods Elementary, which consistently earns 4- and 5-star ratings and ranks in the top 10-16% of Florida elementary schools. Its academic performance far exceeds district and state averages, with 5th grade math proficiency at 84% and science at 74%. The school also boasts a low chronic absenteeism rate of 14.4% and a favorable student-teacher ratio of 18.9:1. In contrast, Estero High School is a more average performer, ranking in the 47th-62nd percentile. While it has a strong 95.6% graduation rate and excels in Biology 1 (86% proficiency), it struggles significantly in Algebra 1, where only 37% of students were proficient in 2025-2026 compared to 63% statewide. The high school also has a notably high student-teacher ratio of 25.3:1.
Both schools serve relatively affluent populations, with low free/reduced lunch rates (Pinewoods at 21.66%, Estero at 25.65%). However, the academic performance gap between the two is striking: Pinewoods Elementary provides an excellent foundation, yet this success does not translate to Estero High, suggesting factors like school culture or curriculum may be at play. The high school’s chronic absenteeism rate of 27.0% is better than the district average but remains a concern. Overall, families in zip code 33928 have access to a top-tier elementary school, while the high school offers strong graduation rates and science instruction but needs improvement in foundational math.
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