Pelican Elementary School

Q: Is Pelican Elementary School a good school?

Pelican Elementary School ranks 995 th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Pelican Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Cape Coral, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a student population of 917. The school is part of the Lee District, which is ranked 50 out of 68 districts in Florida and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Pelican Elementary School has a more diverse student population compared to nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students (39.37%) and a lower percentage of White students (50.6%). The school has consistently ranked in the middle range of Florida elementary schools, ranking between 668 and 995 out of 2,256 schools in the past few years, with a SchoolDigger rating that has fluctuated between 3 and 4 stars out of 5. However, the school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 9.2% in 2019-2020 to 27.1% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state and district averages. Academically, Pelican Elementary School generally performs better than the Lee District and Florida averages in science and math proficiency, but lags behind in English Language Arts proficiency, particularly in 4th grade.

Compared to nearby schools, Pelican Elementary School's performance is generally on par with or slightly better than schools like Caloosa Elementary and Trafalgar Elementary, but it lags behind the higher-performing charter schools like Oasis Charter Elementary School-South. The school's relatively high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 46.36% to 48.64% over the past three years, may be a factor in its academic performance. Targeted interventions and support for the school's diverse student population could help address these challenges and drive better outcomes.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3525 SW 3rd Ave
Cape Coral, FL 33914

(239) 549-4966

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
995^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,774

Students who attend Pelican 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

Student/teacher ratio: 18.4

Number of students: 917

Racial breakdown:

White:

50.6%

Hispanic:

39.4%

Two or more races:

5.6%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 48.6%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Pelican Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Pelican Elementary School ranks better than 55.9% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 19^th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 53.97. (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 Racial makeup is: White (50.6%), Hispanic (39.4%), two or more races (5.6%). (See more...)

Compare Details 48.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Pelican Elementary School is 18.4. 32 elementary schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Pelican Elementary School employs 49.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Pelican Elementary School is $11,774, which is the 21^st highest among 58 elementary schools in the Lee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Pelican Elementary School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

Lee:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee 50^th of 68 Florida school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Pelican Elementary School.

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Rank History for Pelican Elementary School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	67.44	558^th	1688	66.9%
2007	70.19	529^th	1786	70.4%
2008	71.13	502^nd	1789	71.9%
2009	71.39	502^nd	1847	72.8%
2010	66.72	662^nd	1919	65.5%
2011	68.27	647^th	1985	67.4%
2012	62.83	742^nd	1984	62.6%
2013	67.73	624^th	2029	69.2%
2014	69.07	603^rd	2064	70.8%
2016	62.33	776^th	2087	62.8%
2017	65.55	711^th	2112	66.3%
2018	57.55	870^th	2118	58.9%
2019	57.16	907^th	2182	58.4%
2021	63.95	774^th	2247	65.6%
2022	65.07	735^th	2219	66.9%
2023	67.71	668^th	2240	70.2%
2024	53.97	995^th	2256	55.9%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Thursday, May 10, 2018

I love pelican elementary my kids go there they love it so much, the teachers work one on one with your child and my kids have succeed si much there. 5 stars Close Quote

Enrollment information for Pelican Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	966	176	9	61	0	n/a	n/a	0	1212
1989	800	96	9	57	0	n/a	n/a	0	962
1990	832	110	8	72	0	n/a	n/a	0	1022
1991	889	113	5	48	0	n/a	n/a	0	1055
1992	856	124	8	69	0	n/a	n/a	0	1057
1993	801	129	8	68	0	n/a	n/a	0	1006
1994	748	69	8	53	0	n/a	n/a	0	878
1995	731	60	8	100	0	n/a	n/a	0	899
1996	731	60	8	100	0	n/a	n/a	0	899
1997	711	40	9	86	2	n/a	n/a	0	848
1998	839	47	9	91	3	n/a	n/a	0	989
1999	826	30	6	105	2	n/a	n/a	0	969
2000	794	36	7	116	1	n/a	n/a	0	954
2001	808	41	8	126	1	n/a	n/a	0	984
2002	850	44	10	162	2	n/a	n/a	0	1068
2003	850	44	10	162	2	n/a	n/a	0	1068
2004	780	37	8	160	2	n/a	n/a	0	987
2005	768	35	13	175	2	n/a	n/a	0	993
2006	750	27	13	167	2	n/a	n/a	0	959
2007	798	33	17	255	1	n/a	n/a	50	1154
2008	742	38	13	251	3	n/a	n/a	51	1098
2009	734	38	13	246	5	n/a	n/a	65	1101
2010	693	44	15	265	1	n/a	n/a	42	1060
2011	654	32	8	271	2	1	25	0	993
2012	616	31	11	275	3	2	33	0	971
2013	592	25	15	253	3	2	31	0	921
2014	582	29	15	246	3	3	30	0	908
2015	550	19	14	275	1	3	34	0	896
2016	554	22	14	281	3	3	37	0	914
2017	533	34	14	282	1	2	38	0	904
2018	546	37	18	295	0	1	43	0	940
2019	528	41	17	332	0	1	47	0	966
2020	487	40	13	341	0	1	59	0	941
2021	435	33	9	314	0	0	46	0	837
2022	481	36	11	344	0	1	57	0	930
2023	464	31	8	361	0	2	51	0	917

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 Pelican Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1212	61.0	19.8	31.8
1989	962	45.0	21.3	22.9
1990	1022	50.0	20.4	25
1991	1055	55.0	19.1	30.1
1992	1057	49.0	21.5	25.4
1993	1006	49.0	20.5	34.1
1994	878	44.0	20.0	27.4
1995	899	46.0	19.5	32.4
1996	899	46.0	19.5	32.4
1997	848	44.0	19.3	28.8
1998	989	53.0	18.7	25.9
1999	969	52.0	18.6	35.3
2000	954	50.0	19.1	37
2001	984	53.0	18.6	37.8
2002	1068	52.0	20.5	38.5
2003	1068	52.0	20.5	38.5
2004	987	55.0	17.9	36.5
2005	993	60.0	16.6	40.2
2006	959	59.0	16.3	34.4
2007	1154	68.0	17.0	38.5
2008	1098	73.0	15.0	46.4
2009	1101	73.9	15.1	55.2
2010	1060	69.5	15.2	62.9
2011	993	66.6	14.9	60.6
2012	971	64.8	14.9	61.8
2013	921	61.0	15.0	61.3
2014	908	59.0	15.3	59.4
2015	896	57.0	15.7	64.4
2016	914	57.0	16.0	49.6
2017	904	60.0	15.0	48.8
2018	940	62.0	15.1	51.5
2019	966	57.6	16.7	46.6
2020	941	54.6	17.2	47.5
2021	837	49.0	17.0	46.4
2022	930	50.0	18.6	48.4
2023	917	49.8	18.4	48.6

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 Pelican Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1212	61.0	19.8	31.8
1989	962	45.0	21.3	22.9
1990	1022	50.0	20.4	25
1991	1055	55.0	19.1	30.1
1992	1057	49.0	21.5	25.4
1993	1006	49.0	20.5	34.1
1994	878	44.0	20.0	27.4
1995	899	46.0	19.5	32.4
1996	899	46.0	19.5	32.4
1997	848	44.0	19.3	28.8
1998	989	53.0	18.7	25.9
1999	969	52.0	18.6	35.3
2000	954	50.0	19.1	37
2001	984	53.0	18.6	37.8
2002	1068	52.0	20.5	38.5
2003	1068	52.0	20.5	38.5
2004	987	55.0	17.9	36.5
2005	993	60.0	16.6	40.2
2006	959	59.0	16.3	34.4
2007	1154	68.0	17.0	38.5
2008	1098	73.0	15.0	46.4
2009	1101	73.9	15.1	55.2
2010	1060	69.5	15.2	62.9
2011	993	66.6	14.9	60.6
2012	971	64.8	14.9	61.8
2013	921	61.0	15.0	61.3
2014	908	59.0	15.3	59.4
2015	896	57.0	15.7	64.4
2016	914	57.0	16.0	49.6
2017	904	60.0	15.0	48.8
2018	940	62.0	15.1	51.5
2019	966	57.6	16.7	46.6
2020	941	54.6	17.2	47.5
2021	837	49.0	17.0	46.4
2022	930	50.0	18.6	48.4
2023	917	49.8	18.4	48.6

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 Pelican Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$232 (2.9%)	$7,692 (97.1%)	$7,924
2019	$313 (3.9%)	$7,633 (96.1%)	$7,946
2020	$304 (3.9%)	$7,472 (96.1%)	$7,776
2021	$525 (6.0%)	$8,173 (94.0%)	$8,698
2022	$1,208 (13.3%)	$7,888 (86.7%)	$9,097
2023	$2,786 (23.7%)	$8,989 (76.3%)	$11,774

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Pelican Elementary School

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 907^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 668^th of 2240 Elementary schools	11.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Pelican Elementary School)	63	50	13%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	58	48	10%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Pelican Elementary School)	58	55	3%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee)	61	56	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Pelican Elementary School)	58	65	7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	55	52	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Pelican Elementary School)	65	72	7%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	62	59	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Pelican Elementary School)	62	64	2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	54	50	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Pelican Elementary School)	58	61	3%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	58	51	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Pelican Elementary School)	57	67	10%
5th Grade Science (Lee)	50	50
5th Grade Science (Florida)	53	51	2%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	966	917	5.1%
African American	41	31	24.4%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	17	8	52.9%
Hispanic	332	361	8.7%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	528	464	12.1%
Two or More Races	47	51	8.5%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46.6%	48.6%	2.1%

Schools Near Pelican Elementary School

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 Geometry (2024)	EOC Biology 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 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
Pelican Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3525 SW 3rd Ave	Cape Coral	33914	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 549-4966	917	50	18.4	48.6%	464 (50.6%)	31 (3.4%)	361 (39.4%)	8 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.2%)	51 (5.6%)	54	995^th of 2256 public elementary schools	55.9%		67.7	668^th of 2240 public elementary schools	70.2%	327	56.0	40.0	54.0				60.0	57.0	60.0				67.0						$11,774	$2,786	$8,989
Heritage Charter Academy Of Cape Coral	Public, Charter	K-8	2107 Santa Barbara Blvd	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 829-5134	164	16	10.2	34.8%	71 (43.3%)	12 (7.3%)	70 (42.7%)	5 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (3.7%)	8.1	2186^th of 2256 public elementary schools	3.1%		13.5	2072^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	7.5%	114	33.0	17.0	29.0	37.0	42.0	45.0	44.0	17.0	18.0	16.0	42.0	32.0	17.0	35.0				38.0	$8,967	$1,651	$7,316
Gulf Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3400 SW 17th Pl	Cape Coral	33914	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 549-2726	1,231	56	21.9	38.2%	697 (56.6%)	30 (2.4%)	421 (34.2%)	14 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	69 (5.6%)	67.8	687^th of 2256 public elementary schools	69.5%		73.5	545^th of 2240 public elementary schools	75.7%	142	63.0	53.0	57.0				74.0	63.0	68.0				60.0						$10,028	$1,698	$8,330
Skyline Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	620 SW 19th St	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 772-3223	990	59	16.7	54.0%	448 (45.3%)	55 (5.6%)	441 (44.5%)	8 (0.8%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (3.6%)	45.7	1202^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	46.7%		51.2	1074^th of 2240 public elementary schools	52.1%	128	48.0	46.0	53.0				61.0	48.0	55.0				53.0						$13,712	$2,409	$11,303
Cape Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4519 Vincennes Blvd	Cape Coral	33904	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 542-3551	759	43	17.6	43.2%	402 (53.0%)	30 (4.0%)	267 (35.2%)	8 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	50 (6.6%)	71.8	600^th of 2256 public elementary schools	73.4%		70.6	617^th of 2240 public elementary schools	72.5%	17	57.0	66.0	62.0				61.0	67.0	74.0				68.0						$10,883	$1,251	$9,632
Patriot Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	711 SW 18th St	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 242-1023	775	42	18.4	55.5%	332 (42.8%)	48 (6.2%)	358 (46.2%)	13 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (3.1%)	50.1	1091^st of 2256 public elementary schools	51.6%		49.8	1101^st of 2240 public elementary schools	50.8%	10	48.0	45.0	54.0				55.0	57.0	58.0				59.0						$10,993	$2,546	$8,448
Oasis Charter Elementary School-South	Public, Charter	K-5	3415 Oasis Blvd	Cape Coral	33914	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 542-1577	873	55	15.8	35.7%	570 (65.3%)	26 (3.0%)	238 (27.3%)	17 (1.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	22 (2.5%)	90.6	156^th of 2256 public elementary schools	93.1%		84.2	305^th of 2240 public elementary schools	86.4%	149	77.0	71.0	78.0				79.0	82.0	85.0				76.0						$8,153	$07	$8,146
Trafalgar Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1850 SW 20th Ave	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 283-3043	911	48	18.9	41.7%	426 (46.8%)	50 (5.5%)	386 (42.4%)	20 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	28 (3.1%)	69.1	655^th of 2256 public elementary schools	71.0%		72.1	583^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	74.0%	72	59.0	54.0	70.0				65.0	61.0	64.0				69.0						$10,501	$1,705	$8,796
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	806	44	18.3	77.3%	173 (21.5%)	85 (10.5%)	518 (64.3%)	5 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	22 (2.7%)	14.3	2054^th of 2256 public elementary schools	9.0%		24.3	1764^th of 2240 public elementary schools	21.3%	290	42.0	36.0	21.0	39.0	44.0	56.0	36.0	36.0	16.0	32.0	53.0	32.0	31.0	26.0	98.0	96.0	91.0	68.0	$8,456	$690	$7,766
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	972	56	17.2	57.0%	368 (37.9%)	82 (8.4%)	462 (47.5%)	13 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	46 (4.7%)	56.4	935^th of 2256 public elementary schools	58.6%		59.5	852^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	62.0%	83	52.0	51.0	61.0				58.0	58.0	63.0				59.0						$11,956	$2,367	$9,588

Frequently Asked Questions about Pelican Elementary School

Is Pelican Elementary School a good school?

Pelican Elementary School ranks 995^th of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Pelican Elementary School?

Students at Pelican Elementary School are 51% White, 39% Hispanic, 6% Two or more races, 3% African American.

What schools do graduates of Pelican Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Pelican 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

What district is Pelican Elementary School in?

Lee

How many students attend Pelican Elementary School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 917 students attended Pelican Elementary School.

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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.