Gulf Middle School

Q: Is Gulf Middle School a good school?

Gulf Middle School ranks 322 nd of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Gulf Middle School is a public middle school located in Cape Coral, Florida, serving grades 6-8 with a total enrollment of 812 students. The school is part of the Lee District, which is ranked 50 out of 68 districts in Florida and is rated 1 star out of 5 by SchoolDigger.

Gulf Middle School consistently ranks in the top 30% of Florida middle schools, with students performing significantly better than the district and state averages in various standardized tests, including EOC/Algebra 1, EOC/Civics, and 8th grade Science. In English Language Arts and Math, Gulf Middle School's proficiency rates are also higher than the district and state. The school has a more diverse student population compared to some nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students and a lower percentage of African American students. While Gulf Middle School has seen an increase in chronic absenteeism rates in recent years, reaching 30.4% in 2022-2023, it still performs better than some nearby schools, which have rates as high as 46.5%. The school also has a relatively high per-student spending of $10,691 in 2022-2023, which is higher than the district and state averages.

Gulf Middle School outperforms many of the nearby schools, such as Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School and Lexington Middle School, in academic metrics, with higher proficiency rates in core subjects and better statewide rankings. However, some nearby schools, such as Oasis Charter Middle School, also demonstrate strong academic performance, with even higher proficiency rates in certain areas. The school's increasing chronic absenteeism rates and the socioeconomic factors of its student population are areas that warrant further attention and intervention to ensure continued academic success.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1809 SW 36th Ter
Cape Coral, FL 33914

(239) 549-0606

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
322^nd of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,691

Students who attend Gulf Middle School usually attend:

High:	Cape Coral High School
	Ida S. Baker High School
	Island Coast High School
	Mariner High School
	More...
	North Fort Myers High School

Feeder schools for Gulf Middle School:

Elementary:	Caloosa Elementary School
	Cape Elementary School
	Diplomat Elementary School
	Dr Carrie D Robinson Littleton Elementary School
	More...
	Gulf Elementary School
	Hancock Creek Elementary School
	Hector A. Cafferata Junior Elementary School
	J. Colin English Elementary School
	North Fort Myers Academy For The Arts
	Patriot Elementary School
	Pelican Elementary School
	Pine Island Elementary School
	Skyline Elementary School
	Trafalgar Elementary School
	Tropic Isles Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

Number of students: 812

Racial breakdown:

White:

56.0%

Hispanic:

33.0%

African American:

4.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 38.2%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Gulf Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gulf Middle School ranks better than 73.1% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 4^th among 17 ranked middle schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 70.78. (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 (56%), Hispanic (33%), African American (4.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 38.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gulf Middle School is 18.8, which is the 5^th best among 17 middle schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Gulf Middle School employs 43 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gulf Middle School is $10,691, which is the 7^th highest among 17 middle schools in the Lee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Gulf Middle School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks Gulf Middle School 322^nd of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Gulf Middle School in the ranking list.)

Lee:

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

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Rank History for Gulf Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	85.02	70^th	593	88.2%
2005	79.21	107^th	602	82.2%
2006	85.63	77^th	675	88.6%
2007	83.20	99^th	736	86.5%
2008	85.05	88^th	740	88.1%
2009	87.39	69^th	780	91.2%
2010	81.32	127^th	839	84.9%
2011	85.19	102^nd	891	88.6%
2012	77.76	182^nd	897	79.7%
2013	81.80	144^th	956	84.9%
2014	81.61	153^rd	999	84.7%
2016	72.60	251^st	997	74.8%
2017	70.20	284^th	1031	72.5%
2018	73.97	245^th	1035	76.3%
2019	70.36	299^th	1099	72.8%
2021	74.33	266^th	1136	76.6%
2022	68.48	324^th	1148	71.8%
2023	71.15	313^th	1177	73.4%
2024	70.78	322^nd	1196	73.1%

See the entire list of Florida Middle School Rankings!

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

Data source: Florida Department of Education

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Reviews:
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Enrollment information for Gulf Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1091	129	9	39	0	n/a	n/a	0	1268
1989	1182	129	12	60	2	n/a	n/a	0	1385
1990	811	49	11	30	1	n/a	n/a	0	902
1991	930	63	12	43	1	n/a	n/a	0	1049
1992	952	85	11	43	1	n/a	n/a	0	1092
1993	989	81	9	59	0	n/a	n/a	0	1138
1994	973	70	6	65	1	n/a	n/a	0	1115
1995	893	60	3	75	1	n/a	n/a	0	1032
1996	893	60	3	75	1	n/a	n/a	0	1032
1997	926	57	8	77	0	n/a	n/a	0	1068
1998	922	45	7	92	0	n/a	n/a	0	1066
1999	860	49	6	89	0	n/a	n/a	0	1004
2000	981	63	6	118	3	n/a	n/a	0	1171
2001	978	66	9	116	5	n/a	n/a	0	1174
2002	1064	67	13	193	7	n/a	n/a	0	1344
2003	1064	67	13	193	7	n/a	n/a	0	1344
2004	1012	48	18	222	6	n/a	n/a	0	1306
2005	972	54	24	213	4	n/a	n/a	0	1267
2006	876	40	19	219	2	n/a	n/a	0	1156
2007	824	35	17	207	3	n/a	n/a	37	1123
2008	733	28	11	185	3	n/a	n/a	41	1001
2009	623	22	15	172	3	n/a	n/a	31	866
2010	562	28	12	181	3	n/a	n/a	22	808
2011	565	36	14	185	2	1	17	0	820
2012	522	41	13	189	2	0	22	0	789
2013	502	38	17	196	1	0	27	0	781
2014	485	34	18	216	2	0	26	0	781
2015	490	43	24	224	4	0	16	0	801
2016	489	43	15	226	5	0	24	0	802
2017	481	31	12	240	3	0	24	0	791
2018	465	35	11	245	2	0	22	0	780
2019	453	30	17	278	3	0	25	0	806
2020	463	42	19	276	3	0	30	0	833
2021	423	41	21	273	2	0	31	0	791
2022	453	43	13	281	3	0	35	0	828
2023	455	39	18	268	1	0	31	0	812

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1268	61.0	20.7	22.7
1989	1385	68.0	20.3	23
1990	902	45.0	20.0	19.3
1991	1049	50.0	20.9	20.3
1992	1092	51.0	21.4	15.9
1993	1138	47.0	24.2	21.3
1994	1115	51.0	21.9	21.9
1995	1032	53.0	19.5	20.2
1996	1032	53.0	19.5	20.2
1997	1068	55.0	19.4	21
1998	1066	58.0	18.4	17.6
1999	1004	58.0	17.3	27.2
2000	1171	60.0	19.5	29.2
2001	1174	64.0	18.3	26.1
2002	1344	63.0	21.3	33.3
2003	1344	63.0	21.3	33.3
2004	1306	71.0	18.4	32.8
2005	1267	66.0	19.2	33.9
2006	1156	60.0	19.3	26.4
2007	1123	60.0	18.7	26.7
2008	1001	55.5	18.0	28.6
2009	866	47.6	18.4	36.6
2010	808	44.0	18.3	48.6
2011	820	40.6	20.1	51.5
2012	789	41.4	19.0	57.5
2013	781	43.0	18.1	56
2014	781	43.0	18.1	56.2
2015	801	41.0	19.5	56.6
2016	802	44.0	18.2	41.5
2017	791	42.0	18.8	37.2
2018	780	39.0	20.0	39.7
2019	806	39.2	20.5	33.5
2020	833	38.9	21.3	34
2021	791	38.9	20.2	35
2022	828	43.4	19.0	38.2
2023	812	43.0	18.8	38.2

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 Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	1268	61.0	20.7	22.7
1989	1385	68.0	20.3	23
1990	902	45.0	20.0	19.3
1991	1049	50.0	20.9	20.3
1992	1092	51.0	21.4	15.9
1993	1138	47.0	24.2	21.3
1994	1115	51.0	21.9	21.9
1995	1032	53.0	19.5	20.2
1996	1032	53.0	19.5	20.2
1997	1068	55.0	19.4	21
1998	1066	58.0	18.4	17.6
1999	1004	58.0	17.3	27.2
2000	1171	60.0	19.5	29.2
2001	1174	64.0	18.3	26.1
2002	1344	63.0	21.3	33.3
2003	1344	63.0	21.3	33.3
2004	1306	71.0	18.4	32.8
2005	1267	66.0	19.2	33.9
2006	1156	60.0	19.3	26.4
2007	1123	60.0	18.7	26.7
2008	1001	55.5	18.0	28.6
2009	866	47.6	18.4	36.6
2010	808	44.0	18.3	48.6
2011	820	40.6	20.1	51.5
2012	789	41.4	19.0	57.5
2013	781	43.0	18.1	56
2014	781	43.0	18.1	56.2
2015	801	41.0	19.5	56.6
2016	802	44.0	18.2	41.5
2017	791	42.0	18.8	37.2
2018	780	39.0	20.0	39.7
2019	806	39.2	20.5	33.5
2020	833	38.9	21.3	34
2021	791	38.9	20.2	35
2022	828	43.4	19.0	38.2
2023	812	43.0	18.8	38.2

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 Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$212 (2.9%)	$7,086 (97.1%)	$7,298
2019	$263 (3.7%)	$6,832 (96.3%)	$7,095
2020	$296 (4.1%)	$6,959 (95.9%)	$7,254
2021	$505 (6.5%)	$7,292 (93.5%)	$7,797
2022	$1,385 (16.0%)	$7,260 (84.0%)	$8,645
2023	$1,760 (16.5%)	$8,930 (83.5%)	$10,691

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gulf Middle 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 299^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 313^th of 1177 Middle schools	0.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Middle School)	61	57	4%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	52	49	3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Middle School)	47	43	4%
6th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	47	33	14%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Middle School)	59	58	1%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	51	46	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Middle School)	75	49	26%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	57	43	14%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Gulf Middle School)	60	57	3%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	57	47	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Gulf Middle School)	78	75	3%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	60	49	11%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Gulf Middle School)	59	61	2%
8th Grade Science (Lee)	46	43	3%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Gulf Middle School)	72	65	7%
End of Course Civics (Lee)	67	60	7%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Gulf Middle School)	94	78	16%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Lee)	60	48	12%
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	806	812	0.7%
African American	30	39	30%
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	17	18	5.9%
Hispanic	278	268	3.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	453	455	0.4%
Two or More Races	25	31	24%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	33.5%	38.2%	4.7%

Schools Near Gulf Middle 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 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 6th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 8th Grade	EOC Algebra 1 End of Course	EOC Geometry End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Gulf Middle School	Public	6-8	1809 SW 36th Ter	Cape Coral	33914	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 549-0606	812	43	18.8	38.2%	455 (56.0%)	39 (4.8%)	268 (33.0%)	18 (2.2%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (3.8%)	70.8	322^nd of 1196 public middle schools	73.1%		71.2	313^th of 1177 public middle schools	73.4%	9	59.0	61.0	58.0	68.0	47.0	88.0	57.0	87.0		72.0	$10,691	$1,760	$8,930
Oasis Charter Middle School	Public, Charter	6-8	3507 Oasis Blvd	Cape Coral	33914	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 945-1999	839	44	19.0	33.5%	545 (65.0%)	22 (2.6%)	228 (27.2%)	10 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (3.9%)	80.6	194^th of 1196 public middle schools	83.8%		85.4	135^th of 1177 public middle schools	88.5%	59	66.0	75.0	66.0	69.0	60.0	93.0	63.0	98.0		86.0	$8,875	$03	$8,872
Trafalgar Middle School	Public	6-8	2120 Trafalgar Pkwy	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 283-2001	986	54	18.2	36.4%	484 (49.1%)	52 (5.3%)	402 (40.8%)	13 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	35 (3.5%)	71.9	307^th of 1196 public middle schools	74.3%		73.4	281^st of 1177 public middle schools	76.1%	26	64.0	64.0	60.0	78.0	31.0	76.0	54.0	71.0		79.0	$10,048	$1,478	$8,570
Challenger Middle School	Public	6-8	624 Trafalgar Pkwy	Cape Coral	33991	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 242-4341	1,124	60	18.8	49.8%	531 (47.2%)	48 (4.3%)	487 (43.3%)	12 (1.1%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	43 (3.8%)	60.6	441^st of 1196 public middle schools	63.1%		58.1	459^th of 1177 public middle schools	61.0%	18	48.0	56.0	58.0	64.0	37.0	75.0	47.0	87.0	95.0	73.0	$9,499	$1,456	$8,043
Mariner Middle School	Public	6-8	425 Chiquita Blvd N	Cape Coral	33993	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 772-1848	1,001	51	19.7	52.6%	422 (42.2%)	80 (8.0%)	438 (43.8%)	18 (1.8%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	39 (3.9%)	38.1	746^th of 1196 public middle schools	37.6%		44.2	647^th of 1177 public middle schools	45.0%	99	43.0	44.0	37.0	52.0	24.0	60.0	33.0	86.0		51.0	$9,969	$1,893	$8,075
Caloosa Middle School	Public	6-8	610 Del Prado Blvd S	Cape Coral	33990	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 574-3232	935	49	19.0	56.6%	381 (40.7%)	93 (9.9%)	418 (44.7%)	8 (0.9%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	33 (3.5%)	38.2	745^th of 1196 public middle schools	37.7%		42.3	672^nd of 1177 public middle schools	42.9%	73	41.0	41.0	44.0	50.0	31.0	56.0	37.0	83.0		59.0	$11,136	$2,434	$8,702
Cypress Lake Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	8901 Cypress Lake Dr	Fort Myers	33919	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	No	(239) 481-1533	781	42	18.6	39.3%	359 (46.0%)	77 (9.9%)	295 (37.8%)	13 (1.7%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (4.4%)	70.9	321^st of 1196 public middle schools	73.2%		64	391^st of 1177 public middle schools	66.8%	70	64.0	60.0	60.0	72.0	23.0	74.0	58.0	94.0		74.0	$12,810	$2,273	$10,536
Diplomat Middle School	Public	6-8	1039 NE 16th Ter	Cape Coral	33909	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 574-5257	912	46	19.8	50.1%	368 (40.4%)	70 (7.7%)	423 (46.4%)	16 (1.8%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	34 (3.7%)	54.8	516^th of 1196 public middle schools	56.9%		50.5	556^th of 1177 public middle schools	52.8%	40	61.0	54.0	55.0	56.0	26.0	61.0	42.0	83.0		67.0	$12,553	$1,860	$10,692
Lexington Middle School	Public	6-8	16351 Summerlin Rd	Fort Myers	33908	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 454-6130	1,138	55	20.6	43.6%	428 (37.6%)	153 (13.4%)	493 (43.3%)	30 (2.6%)	2 (0.2%)	2 (0.2%)	30 (2.6%)	44.2	671^st of 1196 public middle schools	43.9%		53.4	519^th of 1177 public middle schools	55.9%	152	42.0	46.0	54.0	50.0	23.0	62.0	39.0	80.0		59.0	$11,644	$1,536	$10,109
Fort Myers Middle Academy	Public	6-8	3050 Central Ave	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 936-1759	687	36	19.2	67.0%	64 (9.3%)	324 (47.2%)	276 (40.2%)	3 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (2.9%)	19.3	1007^th of 1196 public middle schools	15.8%		13.8	1052^nd of 1177 public middle schools	10.6%	45	30.0	32.0	34.0	31.0	24.0	41.0	23.0	78.0		44.0	$12,527	$3,521	$9,006

Frequently Asked Questions about Gulf Middle School

What district is Gulf Middle School in?

Lee

How many students attend Gulf Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 812 students attended Gulf Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Gulf Middle School?

Students at Gulf Middle School are 56% White, 33% Hispanic, 5% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What high school do graduates of Gulf Middle School attend?

Students who attend Gulf Middle School usually go on to attend Cape Coral High School

Is Gulf Middle School a good school?

Gulf Middle School ranks 322^nd of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

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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.