Is Gulf Coast Charter Academy South a good school?

Gulf Coast Charter Academy South ranks in the bottom 21.9% of Florida elementary schools.

How many students attend Gulf Coast Charter Academy South?

In the 2023-24 school year, 679 students attended Gulf Coast Charter Academy South.

What is the racial makeup of Gulf Coast Charter Academy South?

Students at Gulf Coast Charter Academy South are 55% Hispanic, 23% White, 19% African American, 2% Two or more races.

Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Summary:

Gulf Coast Charter Academy South is a public charter elementary and middle school in Naples, Florida, serving 673 students from kindergarten through 8th grade. The school is part of the Collier County school district, which is ranked 14th out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 4-star rating.

Gulf Coast Charter Academy South has a significantly higher percentage of Hispanic students (57.06%) compared to the surrounding public schools, which range from 22.31% to 78.5% Hispanic students. The school also has a high chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 14.8% to 21.1% over the past few years, notably higher than the surrounding public schools, which have rates ranging from 6.3% to 22.6%. Additionally, the school's test scores are generally lower than the Collier County and Florida state averages across various subjects and grade levels, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math significantly below the district and state averages, particularly in 4th and 5th grades. The school's statewide ranking has declined over the years, from being ranked 939 out of 2,247 Florida elementary schools in 2020-2021 to 1,761 out of 2,256 in 2023-2024, placing it in the bottom 20% of elementary schools in the state with a 1-star rating.

Compared to the nearby public schools, such as Herbert Cambridge Elementary School, Osceola Elementary School, and Golden Terrace Elementary School, Gulf Coast Charter Academy South is underperforming academically, with lower test scores, higher chronic absenteeism rates, and a lower statewide ranking, despite serving a similar student population in terms of socioeconomic status and racial demographics. The school's unique challenges, including lower spending per student and a higher student-teacher ratio, may be contributing factors to its academic performance, and addressing these areas could be crucial in improving student outcomes.

Detail:

Public, Charter K-8

215 Airport Pulling Rd N
Naples, FL 34104

(239) 784-1539

District: Collier

SchoolDigger Rank:
1761^st of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,540

Student/teacher ratio: 16.5

Number of students: 679

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

55.2%

White:

23.0%

African American:

18.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 45.4%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Gulf Coast Charter Academy South to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gulf Coast Charter Academy South ranks worse than 78.1% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 34^th among 35 ranked elementary schools in the Collier School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 25.15. (See more...)

Compare Details Gulf Coast Charter Academy South ranks better than 60.9% of middle schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.26. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Student population at Gulf Coast Charter Academy South is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (55.2%), White (23%), African American (18.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 45.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gulf Coast Charter Academy South is 16.5. 30 elementary schools in the Collier School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Gulf Coast Charter Academy South employs 41 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gulf Coast Charter Academy South is $9,540, which is the lowest among 35 elementary schools in the Collier School District!

Schooldigger Rankings:

Gulf Coast Charter Academy South was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Gulf Coast Charter Academy South 468^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Gulf Coast Charter Academy South in the ranking list.)

Collier:

SchoolDigger ranks Collier 14^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2016	45.14	1141^st	2087	45.3%
2017	40.86	1262^nd	2112	40.2%
2018	38.56	1332^nd	2118	37.1%
2019	36.98	1393^rd	2182	36.2%
2021	57.17	939^th	2247	58.2%
2022	43.64	1236^th	2219	44.3%
2023	31.23	1577^th	2240	29.6%
2024	25.15	1761^st	2256	21.9%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2016	71.85	261^st	997	73.8%
2017	67.74	308^th	1031	70.1%
2018	73.43	253^rd	1035	75.6%
2019	73.49	266^th	1099	75.8%
2021	55.87	470^th	1136	58.6%
2022	58.03	444^th	1148	61.3%
2023	53.00	523^rd	1177	55.6%
2024	58.26	468^th	1196	60.9%

See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

Data source: test scores: Florida Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 4)

75%

25%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, May 31, 2018

Wonderful school! My daughter is in Kindergarten and is going into to first grade next year. She has been taught what she needs to know to be successful in the coming year. She has talked about her hands on Stem activities they do in class, lessons she has learned and how loving all the staff have been. She especially feels loved and heard by the principal and the dean at GCCAS. Teachers communicated all year with me regarding her academic and social skills. I couldn't be happier with Gulf Coast Charter Academy! We will be staying for first grade and beyond. I highly recommend this school where parent concerns are heard! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, November 1, 2017

The Middle School science teacher is a bully. She does nothing but complain about students. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2014	159	43	6	106	2	0	8	324
2015	269	83	13	204	2	0	12	583
2016	262	118	15	248	2	0	18	663
2017	258	110	5	277	2	0	17	669
2018	203	123	3	288	2	0	22	641
2019	182	112	4	319	2	0	18	637
2020	169	121	6	354	1	0	17	668
2021	149	106	7	346	1	0	11	620
2022	143	100	5	371	0	1	13	633
2023	162	110	4	384	0	1	12	673
2024	156	126	6	375	0	1	15	679

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	324	21.0	15.4	6.2
2015	583	39.0	14.9	55.7
2016	663	46.0	14.4	39.4
2017	669	55.0	12.1	60.7
2018	641	49.0	13.0	50.9
2019	637	47.0	13.5	78.6
2020	668	46.0	14.5	65.9
2021	620	45.0	13.7	69.7
2022	633	40.0	15.8	73.5
2023	673	45.0	14.9	15.6
2024	679	41.0	16.5	45.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2014	324	21.0	15.4	6.2
2015	583	39.0	14.9	55.7
2016	663	46.0	14.4	39.4
2017	669	55.0	12.1	60.7
2018	641	49.0	13.0	50.9
2019	637	47.0	13.5	78.6
2020	668	46.0	14.5	65.9
2021	620	45.0	13.7	69.7
2022	633	40.0	15.8	73.5
2023	673	45.0	14.9	15.6
2024	679	41.0	16.5	45.4

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$00 (0.0%)	$7,838 (100.0%)	$7,838
2019	$00 (0.0%)	$8,278 (100.0%)	$8,278
2020	$10 (0.1%)	$7,697 (99.9%)	$7,706
2021	$288 (3.4%)	$8,138 (96.6%)	$8,426
2022	$694 (7.8%)	$8,177 (92.2%)	$8,871
2023	$249 (2.6%)	$9,291 (97.4%)	$9,540

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 1393^rd of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1577^th of 2240 Elementary schools	6.6%
Ranks 266^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 523^rd of 1177 Middle schools	20.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	66	48	18%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Collier)	61	59	2%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	36	48	12%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Collier)	68	65	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	39	62	23%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Collier)	58	66	8%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	39	66	27%
4th Grade Mathematics (Collier)	65	73	8%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	51	42	9%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Collier)	60	61	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	46	33	13%
5th Grade Mathematics (Collier)	67	66	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	47	35	12%
5th Grade Science (Collier)	56	62	6%
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	68	55	13%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Collier)	56	57	1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	63	48	15%
6th Grade Mathematics (Collier)	61	60	1%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	52	52
7th Grade English Language Arts (Collier)	55	51	4%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	84	62	22%
7th Grade Mathematics (Collier)	66	63	3%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	77	44	33%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Collier)	58	53	5%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	40	64	24%
8th Grade Mathematics (Collier)	36	47	11%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	66	52	14%
8th Grade Science (Collier)	52	45	7%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	66	74	8%
End of Course Civics (Collier)	72	68	4%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Gulf Coast Charter Academy South)	80	75	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Collier)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	637	673	5.7%
African American	112	110	1.8%
American Indian	2	0	100%
Asian	4	4
Hispanic	319	384	20.4%
Pacific Islander	0	1
White	182	162	11%
Two or More Races	18	12	33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	78.6%	15.6%	63%

Schools Near Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				FAST English Language Arts (2024)						FAST Math (2024)						Statewide Science Science (2024)		EOC Algebra 1 (2024)	EOC Civics (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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 (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gulf Coast Charter Academy South	Public, Charter	K-8	215 Airport Pulling Rd N	Naples	34104	Collier County	Collier	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 784-1539	679	41	16.5	45.4%	156 (23.0%)	126 (18.6%)	375 (55.2%)	6 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	15 (2.2%)	25.1	1761^st of 2256 public elementary schools	21.9%		31.2	1577^th of 2240 public elementary schools	29.6%	184	43.0	31.0	35.0	51.0	61.0	50.0	46.0	52.0	26.0	51.0	68.0	26.0	31.0	57.0	49.0	73.0	$9,540	$249	$9,291
Shadowlawn Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2161 Shadowlawn Dr	Naples	34112	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 377-8400	465	36	13.0	65.4%	70 (15.1%)	51 (11.0%)	324 (69.7%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.4%)	47.8	1148^th of 2256 public elementary schools	49.1%		52.7	1027^th of 2240 public elementary schools	54.2%	121	48.0	41.0	46.0				56.0	64.0	68.0				52.0				$18,665	$3,219	$15,446
Poinciana Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2825 Airport Rd N	Naples	34105	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 377-8100	484	36	13.5	52.5%	110 (22.7%)	36 (7.4%)	317 (65.5%)	6 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.9%)	61	842^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	62.7%		70.6	618^th of 2240 public elementary schools	72.4%	224	53.0	61.0	56.0				60.0	70.0	65.0				51.0				$17,784	$2,655	$15,129
Lake Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1295 14th Ave N	Naples	34102	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	No	(239) 377-7200	506	33	15.4	37.4%	306 (60.5%)	59 (11.7%)	116 (22.9%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (4.3%)	92.6	98^th of 2256 public elementary schools	95.7%		93	95^th of 2240 public elementary schools	95.8%	3	76.0	66.0	86.0				86.0	81.0	93.0				87.0				$15,330	$1,892	$13,436
Bridgeprep Academy Collier	Public, Charter	K-8	3161 Santa Barbara Blvd	Naples	34116	Collier County	Collier	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 677-4211	279	14	19.9	78.1%	47 (16.8%)	40 (14.3%)	186 (66.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	15.1	2031^st of 2256 public elementary schools	10.0%		19	1934^th of 2240 public elementary schools	13.7%	97	33.0	33.0	39.0	38.0	32.0	29.0	33.0	21.0	31.0	33.0	32.0		38.0	24.0	33.0	58.0	$12,542	$1,061	$11,481
Calusa Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4600 Santa Barbara Blvd	Naples	34104	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 377-6400	679	48	14.0	58.9%	119 (17.5%)	154 (22.7%)	371 (54.6%)	13 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (3.2%)	62.6	807^th of 2256 public elementary schools	64.2%		67.1	688^th of 2240 public elementary schools	69.3%	119	55.0	52.0	57.0				63.0	62.0	63.0				70.0				$14,649	$2,156	$12,493
Avalon Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3300 Thomasson Dr	Naples	34112	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 377-6200	341	22	15.8	70.1%	42 (12.3%)	35 (10.3%)	254 (74.5%)	2 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (2.3%)	35.8	1464^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.1%		43.6	1237^th of 2240 public elementary schools	44.8%	227	30.0	14.0	46.0				54.0	64.0	57.0				49.0				$17,314	$2,994	$14,320
Herbert Cambridge Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5055 20th Place SW	Naples	34116	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 354-2259	288	27	10.7	65.3%	18 (6.3%)	44 (15.3%)	222 (77.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (1.0%)	46.6	1182^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	47.6%		54.9	971^st of 2240 public elementary schools	56.7%	211	41.0	40.0	53.0				52.0	67.0	60.0				54.0				$17,300	$2,593	$14,706
Osceola Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5770 Osceola Trl	Naples	34109	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	No	(239) 377-7800	574	36	15.8	34.7%	255 (44.4%)	25 (4.4%)	253 (44.1%)	17 (3.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	23 (4.0%)	82.9	340^th of 2256 public elementary schools	84.9%		88.9	200^th of 2240 public elementary schools	91.1%	140	74.0	64.0	66.0				78.0	76.0	72.0				69.0				$13,867	$1,554	$12,314
Golden Terrace Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2711 44th Ter SW	Naples	34116	Collier County	Collier	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 377-7000	480	32	14.9	63.8%	38 (7.9%)	54 (11.3%)	383 (79.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.8%)	32.6	1544^th of 2256 public elementary schools	31.6%		42.3	1276^th of 2240 public elementary schools	43.0%	268	35.0	52.0	38.0				33.0	64.0	50.0				38.0				$15,892	$2,708	$13,184

Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

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Rank History for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Rank History for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

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Enrollment information for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Student/Teacher Ratio Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Per Pupil Expenditures for Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Impact of COVID-19 on Gulf Coast Charter Academy South

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Gulf Coast Charter Academy South