Sunshine Elementary School

Summary:

Sunshine Elementary School is a public elementary school in Lehigh Acres, Florida, serving 1,301 students in grades PK-5. The school has a diverse student population, with a majority of Hispanic students and a significant percentage of economically disadvantaged students.

Sunshine Elementary School faces several key challenges. The school has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 19.7% in 2019-2020 to 38.3% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the Lee District and state averages. Academically, the school's performance on standardized tests is consistently lower than the district and state averages across various subjects and grade levels. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in English Language Arts ranged from 33% to 41%, compared to 42% to 50% for the district and 53% to 55% for the state. Similarly, in Math, the school's proficiency rates ranged from 34% to 42%, while the district and state averages were 50% to 56% and 58% to 60%, respectively. Additionally, Sunshine Elementary School has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, at 74.17% in the 2022-2023 school year, which is significantly higher than the district and state averages.

When comparing Sunshine Elementary School to nearby schools within the Lee District, several interesting findings emerge. Chronic absenteeism rates are consistently high across the nearby schools, ranging from 25.2% to 43.9%, indicating a broader district-wide challenge. Test scores at Sunshine Elementary School are generally lower than the nearby schools, with the exception of Gateway Charter Elementary School, which has higher proficiency rates in some subjects. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch is also high at the nearby schools, ranging from 35.96% to 72.59%, suggesting a common socioeconomic factor across the region.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 601 Sara Ave N
       Lehigh Acres, FL  33971


(239) 369-5836

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1913th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $10,109 Help


Students who attend Sunshine Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Harns Marsh Middle School
    Lehigh Acres Middle School
    Oak Hammock Middle School
    Varsity Lakes Middle School
High:    Dunbar High School
    East Lee County High School
    Lehigh Senior High School
    Riverdale High School

Student/teacher ratio:  20.9 Help
Number of students:  1,301

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
58.3%
African American:
28.4%
White:
9.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  74.2% Help


 See top rated Florida elementary schools

 Compare Sunshine Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Sunshine Elementary School ranks worse than 84.8% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 47th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.59. (See more...)
Help
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
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (58.3%), African American (28.4%), White (9.8%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 74.2% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Sunshine Elementary School is 20.9. 54 elementary schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Sunshine Elementary School employs 62 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Sunshine Elementary School is $10,109. 43 elementary schools in the Lee School District spend more per student.
Schooldigger Rankings:

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

Lee:

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


What do you think?

Your rating for Sunshine Elementary School?

Rank History for Sunshine Elementary School

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Compare
Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools FL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 63.99 621st 1688 63.2%
2007 58.26 776th 1786 56.6%
2008 61.65 711th 1789 60.3%
2009 55.04 879th 1847 52.4%
2010 56.99 893rd 1919 53.5%
2011 56.08 929th 1985 53.2%
2012 45.74 1096th 1984 44.8%
2013 49.97 1004th 2029 50.5%
2014 40.85 1235th 2064 40.2%
2016 41.48 1230th 2087 41.1%
2017 36.32 1348th 2112 36.2%
2018 21.21 1758th 2118 17.0%
2019 27.59 1651st 2182 24.3%
2021 29.54 1586th 2247 29.4%
2022 31.54 1532nd 2219 31.0%
2023 21.57 1848th 2240 17.5%
2024 19.59 1913th 2256 15.2%
See the entire list of Florida Elementary School Rankings!

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

Sunshine Elementary School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    





Data source: Florida Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
by a parent
Saturday, September 8, 2018

Open Quote Gone down hill in the last couple years. Seems like they go through teachers constantly, favoritism seems to be the style at this school. All about who you know, not all kids needs are getting met especially my daughters class , I seen my daughters teacher helper on playground on her phone not even watching the kids, my phone calls haven’t been returned, seems like they loose a lot of good teachers. I’ll be contacting the department of education and getting a advocate for my girl. Don’t seem right what going on there. Close Quote


by a parent
Thursday, February 19, 2015

Open Quote As per my childs 5th grade teacher, " reading was cut out due to time constraints", this is highly unacceptable. The new principal is very "black and white", " by the book". The last principal made an accomodation I needed for medical reasons and the new pricipal said " I cant due that, then everyone else will want it too", newsflash...... not everyone has the same medical condition, and can provided doctors documentation to support it! It took over 6 weeks to get a teacher conference- my all A student was now falling behind due to a 6 week delay in staff/ front office communication! Think twice, I have seen F schools that CARE more! Close Quote



Enrollment information for Sunshine Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 576 48 6 60 0 n/a n/a 0 690
1989 677 59 7 55 1 n/a n/a 0 799
1990 759 67 6 66 1 n/a n/a 0 899
1991 811 70 8 79 4 n/a n/a 0 972
1992 731 65 7 83 5 n/a n/a 0 891
1993 709 67 7 90 4 n/a n/a 0 877
1994 684 54 14 128 3 n/a n/a 0 883
1995 689 68 13 149 4 n/a n/a 0 923
1996 689 68 13 149 4 n/a n/a 0 923
1997 707 79 10 154 6 n/a n/a 0 956
1998 605 93 6 162 4 n/a n/a 0 870
1999 590 95 6 166 4 n/a n/a 0 861
2000 593 125 11 224 3 n/a n/a 0 956
2001 565 128 9 238 2 n/a n/a 0 942
2002 574 130 7 307 2 n/a n/a 0 1020
2003 574 130 7 307 2 n/a n/a 0 1020
2004 555 128 10 310 1 n/a n/a 0 1004
2005 530 130 8 333 4 n/a n/a 0 1005
2006 509 147 13 343 4 n/a n/a 0 1016
2007 445 158 15 452 6 n/a n/a 58 1134
2008 380 167 15 514 6 n/a n/a 52 1134
2009 359 193 20 507 6 n/a n/a 71 1156
2010 329 221 18 498 8 n/a n/a 40 1114
2011 308 228 20 538 8 2 29 0 1133
2012 254 250 16 584 5 2 33 0 1144
2013 238 234 13 560 6 2 41 0 1094
2014 249 270 12 576 6 2 40 0 1155
2015 238 271 8 643 4 2 43 0 1209
2016 222 253 9 643 2 0 50 0 1179
2017 214 235 11 668 2 0 42 0 1172
2018 202 239 8 671 1 0 42 0 1163
2019 182 271 13 643 1 1 42 0 1153
2020 140 266 9 671 0 0 41 0 1127
2021 112 272 4 612 0 0 31 0 1031
2022 127 340 6 731 1 1 37 0 1243
2023 128 370 5 758 2 1 37 0 1301

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 Sunshine Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 690 32.0 21.5 38.7
1989 799 36.0 22.1 35.8
1990 899 41.0 21.9 38.4
1991 972 46.0 21.1 41.3
1992 891 43.0 20.7 36.8
1993 877 42.0 20.9 43.1
1994 883 43.0 20.5 44.6
1995 923 48.0 19.2 44.6
1996 923 48.0 19.2 44.6
1997 956 51.0 18.7 46.1
1998 870 51.0 17.1 46.3
1999 861 48.0 17.9 64.7
2000 956 51.0 18.7 60.5
2001 942 51.0 18.5 58.2
2002 1020 50.0 20.4 62
2003 1020 50.0 20.4 62
2004 1004 58.0 17.3 58.7
2005 1005 59.0 17.0 60.1
2006 1016 58.0 17.5 55.5
2007 1134 68.0 16.7 57.7
2008 1134 72.0 15.8 67.6
2009 1156 73.9 15.8 76.7
2010 1114 67.0 16.6 82.8
2011 1133 75.0 15.1 83.6
2012 1144 77.0 14.8 87.3
2013 1094 75.0 14.5 89
2014 1155 76.0 15.1 87.4
2015 1209 80.0 15.1 89.2
2016 1179 80.0 14.7 74
2017 1172 77.0 15.2 73.6
2018 1163 82.0 14.1 76.4
2019 1153 74.0 15.5 67.8
2020 1127 72.0 15.6 68.9
2021 1031 66.0 15.6 71.6
2022 1243 72.0 17.2 72.6
2023 1301 62.0 20.9 74.2

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 Sunshine Elementary School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 690 32.0 21.5 38.7
1989 799 36.0 22.1 35.8
1990 899 41.0 21.9 38.4
1991 972 46.0 21.1 41.3
1992 891 43.0 20.7 36.8
1993 877 42.0 20.9 43.1
1994 883 43.0 20.5 44.6
1995 923 48.0 19.2 44.6
1996 923 48.0 19.2 44.6
1997 956 51.0 18.7 46.1
1998 870 51.0 17.1 46.3
1999 861 48.0 17.9 64.7
2000 956 51.0 18.7 60.5
2001 942 51.0 18.5 58.2
2002 1020 50.0 20.4 62
2003 1020 50.0 20.4 62
2004 1004 58.0 17.3 58.7
2005 1005 59.0 17.0 60.1
2006 1016 58.0 17.5 55.5
2007 1134 68.0 16.7 57.7
2008 1134 72.0 15.8 67.6
2009 1156 73.9 15.8 76.7
2010 1114 67.0 16.6 82.8
2011 1133 75.0 15.1 83.6
2012 1144 77.0 14.8 87.3
2013 1094 75.0 14.5 89
2014 1155 76.0 15.1 87.4
2015 1209 80.0 15.1 89.2
2016 1179 80.0 14.7 74
2017 1172 77.0 15.2 73.6
2018 1163 82.0 14.1 76.4
2019 1153 74.0 15.5 67.8
2020 1127 72.0 15.6 68.9
2021 1031 66.0 15.6 71.6
2022 1243 72.0 17.2 72.6
2023 1301 62.0 20.9 74.2

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 Sunshine Elementary School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018 $1,238 (14.5%) $7,301 (85.5%) $8,539
2019 $1,026 (11.7%) $7,718 (88.3%) $8,745
2020 $1,084 (12.3%) $7,747 (87.7%) $8,831
2021 $1,263 (13.1%) $8,393 (86.9%) $9,657
2022 $2,161 (22.4%) $7,484 (77.6%) $9,646
2023 $2,588 (25.6%) $7,521 (74.4%) $10,109

Data source: Florida Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Sunshine 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 1651st of 2182 Elementary schoolsRanks 1848th of 2240 Elementary schools
 6.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Sunshine Elementary School)4945
 4%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee)5848
 10%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5853
 5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Sunshine Elementary School)5554
 1%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee)6156
 5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)6258
 4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Sunshine Elementary School)4338
 5%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)5552
 3%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5857
 1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Sunshine Elementary School)5645
 11%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Lee)6259
 3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6461
 3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Sunshine Elementary School)3840
 2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)5450
 4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)5655
 1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Sunshine Elementary School)4240
 2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Lee)5851
 7%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)6052
 8%
5th Grade Science (Sunshine Elementary School)3736
 1%
   5th Grade Science (Lee)5050
   5th Grade Science (Florida)5351
 2%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11531301
 12.8%
African American271370
 36.5%
American Indian12
 100%
Asian135
 61.5%
Hispanic643758
 17.9%
Pacific Islander11
White182128
 29.7%
Two or More Races4237
 11.9%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients67.8%74.2%
 6.4%


Schools Near Sunshine Elementary School









Frequently Asked Questions about Sunshine Elementary School

Students at Sunshine Elementary School are 58% Hispanic, 28% African American, 10% White, 3% Two or more races.

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,301 students attended Sunshine Elementary School.

Sunshine Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.2% of Florida elementary schools.


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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.





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