Colonial Elementary School

Summary:

Colonial Elementary School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-5 in Fort Myers, Florida, with a student population of 760. The school is part of the Lee District, which is ranked 50 out of 68 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Colonial Elementary has a predominantly African American (43.16%) and Hispanic (44.21%) student population, with a smaller percentage of White (9.21%) and other racial groups.

Despite having a relatively low student-teacher ratio and higher spending per student compared to nearby schools like Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School, Tanglewood Elementary, and Villas Elementary, Colonial Elementary consistently underperforms on key metrics. The school has a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 31.5% to 42.9% over the past few years, and significantly lower standardized test scores across all grade levels and subjects compared to district and state averages.

Additionally, Colonial Elementary has a very high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 61.71% to 73.07%, indicating a higher concentration of economically disadvantaged students. Despite the higher spending per student, the school has consistently ranked in the bottom 10-15% of Florida elementary schools, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger, the lowest among the nearby schools. Addressing the challenges faced by Colonial Elementary will likely require a comprehensive approach that addresses both academic and non-academic factors contributing to the school's struggles.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

3800 Schoolhouse Rd E
Fort Myers, FL 33916

(239) 939-2242

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
2163^rd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $14,076

Students who attend Colonial Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Cypress Lake Middle School
	Fort Myers Middle Academy
	Lexington Middle School
	Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School
	More...
	Three Oaks Middle School
High:	Cypress Lake High School
	Dunbar High School
	Estero High School
	Fort Myers High School
	More...
	South Fort Myers High School

Student/teacher ratio: 22.5

Number of students: 655

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.8%

African American:

36.2%

White:

9.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 69.3%

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Compare Colonial Elementary School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Colonial Elementary School ranks worse than 95.9% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 54^th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 9.52. (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: Hispanic (49.8%), African American (36.2%), White (9.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 69.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Colonial Elementary School is 22.5. 47 elementary schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Colonial Elementary School employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Colonial Elementary School is $14,076, which is the 10^th highest among 58 elementary schools in the Lee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Colonial 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.)

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Rank History for Colonial Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2006	47.98	896^th	1688	46.9%
2007	20.15	1501^st	1786	16.0%
2008	16.06	1586^th	1789	11.3%
2009	25.21	1478^th	1847	20.0%
2010	19.42	1636^th	1919	14.7%
2011	26.51	1553^rd	1985	21.8%
2012	16.41	1742^nd	1984	12.2%
2013	16.08	1816^th	2029	10.5%
2014	7.22	2005^th	2064	2.9%
2016	15.98	1842^nd	2087	11.7%
2017	24.41	1650^th	2112	21.9%
2018	11.32	1975^th	2118	6.8%
2019	15.80	1941^st	2182	11.0%
2021	17.62	1905^th	2247	15.2%
2022	17.19	1933^rd	2219	12.9%
2023	19.25	1924^th	2240	14.1%
2024	9.52	2163^rd	2256	4.1%

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

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Enrollment information for Colonial Elementary School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1992	738	252	8	65	0	n/a	n/a	0	1063
1993	661	245	7	88	0	n/a	n/a	0	1001
1994	641	226	11	51	2	n/a	n/a	0	931
1995	590	200	12	84	2	n/a	n/a	0	888
1996	590	200	12	84	2	n/a	n/a	0	888
1997	538	227	14	101	4	n/a	n/a	0	884
1998	451	245	13	97	3	n/a	n/a	0	809
1999	417	260	16	96	3	n/a	n/a	0	792
2000	368	233	8	112	1	n/a	n/a	0	722
2001	347	285	7	110	0	n/a	n/a	0	749
2002	325	340	11	119	0	n/a	n/a	0	795
2003	325	340	11	119	0	n/a	n/a	0	795
2004	285	351	7	160	0	n/a	n/a	0	803
2005	282	328	8	161	0	n/a	n/a	0	779
2006	221	358	3	181	1	n/a	n/a	0	764
2007	154	410	6	210	0	n/a	n/a	32	812
2008	118	400	7	202	1	n/a	n/a	35	763
2009	80	406	8	169	0	n/a	n/a	31	694
2010	70	446	2	209	0	n/a	n/a	24	751
2011	84	445	4	220	0	0	10	0	763
2012	52	457	3	232	0	1	13	0	758
2013	65	454	3	214	1	3	23	0	763
2014	75	437	4	218	0	1	22	0	757
2015	68	430	6	219	1	1	18	0	743
2016	59	448	4	249	0	0	24	0	784
2017	51	436	4	293	0	0	16	0	800
2018	62	427	6	286	0	1	25	0	807
2019	67	425	4	345	0	1	22	0	864
2020	73	425	2	379	0	0	18	0	897
2021	53	387	2	319	0	0	15	0	776
2022	73	392	0	355	0	0	21	0	841
2023	70	328	1	336	0	0	25	0	760
2024	65	237	5	326	1	0	21	0	655

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 Colonial Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	1063	51.0	20.8	39.9
1993	1001	49.0	20.4	46.6
1994	931	51.0	18.3	42.9
1995	888	47.0	18.9	42.1
1996	888	47.0	18.9	42.1
1997	884	47.0	18.8	41.4
1998	809	47.0	17.2	45.2
1999	792	43.0	18.4	58.7
2000	722	41.0	17.6	61.9
2001	749	39.0	19.2	69.7
2002	795	46.0	17.3	76.4
2003	795	46.0	17.3	76.4
2004	803	48.0	16.7	81.3
2005	779	55.0	14.2	79.7
2006	764	53.0	14.4	77
2007	812	54.0	15.0	81
2008	763	52.5	14.5	82.8
2009	694	50.6	13.9	91.7
2010	751	50.5	14.8	88.4
2011	763	52.9	14.4	92.7
2012	758	53.1	14.2	94.7
2013	763	57.0	13.3	95
2014	757	59.0	12.8	94.6
2015	743	57.0	13.0	96.2
2016	784	54.0	14.5	82.5
2017	800	59.0	13.5	81
2018	807	58.0	13.9	80.8
2019	864	51.4	16.8	74.2
2020	897	55.0	16.3	75.1
2021	776	50.0	15.5	73.1
2022	841	50.0	16.8	68.7
2023	760	43.0	17.6	61.7
2024	655	29.0	22.5	69.3

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 Colonial Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1992	1063	51.0	20.8	39.9
1993	1001	49.0	20.4	46.6
1994	931	51.0	18.3	42.9
1995	888	47.0	18.9	42.1
1996	888	47.0	18.9	42.1
1997	884	47.0	18.8	41.4
1998	809	47.0	17.2	45.2
1999	792	43.0	18.4	58.7
2000	722	41.0	17.6	61.9
2001	749	39.0	19.2	69.7
2002	795	46.0	17.3	76.4
2003	795	46.0	17.3	76.4
2004	803	48.0	16.7	81.3
2005	779	55.0	14.2	79.7
2006	764	53.0	14.4	77
2007	812	54.0	15.0	81
2008	763	52.5	14.5	82.8
2009	694	50.6	13.9	91.7
2010	751	50.5	14.8	88.4
2011	763	52.9	14.4	92.7
2012	758	53.1	14.2	94.7
2013	763	57.0	13.3	95
2014	757	59.0	12.8	94.6
2015	743	57.0	13.0	96.2
2016	784	54.0	14.5	82.5
2017	800	59.0	13.5	81
2018	807	58.0	13.9	80.8
2019	864	51.4	16.8	74.2
2020	897	55.0	16.3	75.1
2021	776	50.0	15.5	73.1
2022	841	50.0	16.8	68.7
2023	760	43.0	17.6	61.7
2024	655	29.0	22.5	69.3

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 Colonial Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,274 (12.6%)	$8,823 (87.4%)	$10,097
2019	$938 (9.8%)	$8,637 (90.2%)	$9,575
2020	$935 (9.6%)	$8,804 (90.4%)	$9,739
2021	$1,469 (13.4%)	$9,459 (86.6%)	$10,926
2022	$2,194 (19.7%)	$8,943 (80.3%)	$11,139
2023	$3,239 (23.0%)	$10,838 (77.0%)	$14,076

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Colonial 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 1941^st of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1924^th of 2240 Elementary schools	3.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colonial Elementary School)	37	25	12%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	58	48	10%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Colonial Elementary School)	52	38	14%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee)	61	56	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Colonial Elementary School)	34	32	2%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	55	52	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Colonial Elementary School)	37	50	13%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	62	59	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Colonial Elementary School)	37	31	6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	54	50	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Colonial Elementary School)	39	41	2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	58	51	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Colonial Elementary School)	28	32	4%
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	864	760	12%
African American	425	328	22.8%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	4	1	75%
Hispanic	345	336	2.6%
Pacific Islander	1	0	100%
White	67	70	4.5%
Two or More Races	22	25	13.6%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	74.2%	61.7%	12.5%

Schools Near Colonial 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)	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 Math 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Colonial Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3800 Schoolhouse Rd E	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 939-2242	655	29	22.5	69.3%	65 (9.9%)	237 (36.2%)	326 (49.8%)	5 (0.8%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	21 (3.2%)	9.5	2163^rd of 2256 public elementary schools	4.1%		19.2	1924^th of 2240 public elementary schools	14.1%	239	31.0	20.0	22.0	42.0	30.0	36.0	16.0	$14,076	$3,239	$10,838
Lee County Virtual Instruction Program (District Provided)	Public, Virtual	K-5	2855 Colonial Blvd	Fort Myers	33966	Lee County	Lee	No	No	Yes	No	(239) 337-8178	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)
Ray V. Pottorf Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4600 Challenger Blvd	Fort Myers	33966	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 274-3932	652	37	17.6	58.6%	98 (15.0%)	197 (30.2%)	301 (46.2%)	22 (3.4%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.9%)	32.7	1541^st of 2256 public elementary schools	31.7%		37.3	1407^th of 2240 public elementary schools	37.2%	134	45.0	39.0	50.0	58.0	42.0	42.0	44.0	$12,994	$2,430	$10,565
Franklin Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1320 Marsh Ave	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 332-1969	393	20	19.6	77.6%	16 (4.1%)	286 (72.8%)	83 (21.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (1.8%)	13	2088^th of 2256 public elementary schools	7.4%		11.2	2117^th of 2240 public elementary schools	5.5%	29	15.0	19.0	36.0	15.0	19.0	55.0	35.0	$14,135	$2,699	$11,436
Orangewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4001 Deleon St	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 936-2950	586	26	22.5	62.3%	108 (18.4%)	188 (32.1%)	264 (45.1%)	10 (1.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (2.7%)	30.2	1615^th of 2256 public elementary schools	28.4%		34.6	1479^th of 2240 public elementary schools	34.0%	136	41.0	33.0	43.0	54.0	40.0	54.0	49.0	$10,585	$1,941	$8,643
Allen Park Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	3345 Canelo Dr	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 936-1459	890	52	17.1	65.1%	139 (15.6%)	340 (38.2%)	346 (38.9%)	22 (2.5%)	2 (0.2%)	1 (0.1%)	40 (4.5%)	21.6	1864^th of 2256 public elementary schools	17.4%		22.3	1819^th of 2240 public elementary schools	18.8%	45	33.0	31.0	44.0	37.0	38.0	48.0	46.0	$12,403	$3,016	$9,387
Edison Park Creative And Expressive Arts School	Public	PK, KG-5	2401 Euclid Ave	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 334-6232	432	25	17.2	49.8%	190 (44.0%)	110 (25.5%)	112 (25.9%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.9%)	58.7	889^th of 2256 public elementary schools	60.6%		70.8	612^th of 2240 public elementary schools	72.7%	277	64.0	47.0	62.0	67.0	45.0	57.0	61.0	$11,918	$1,739	$10,178
Early Childhood Learning Services	Public	PK	3650 Michigan Ave	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 332-2512	149	0		78.5%	9 (6.0%)	45 (30.2%)	92 (61.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (1.3%)								(n/a)
Tanglewood Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1620 Manchester Blvd	Fort Myers	33919	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 936-0891	749	35	21.6	44.6%	345 (46.1%)	81 (10.8%)	280 (37.4%)	4 (0.5%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (5.1%)	59.9	864^th of 2256 public elementary schools	61.7%		62.8	778^th of 2240 public elementary schools	65.3%	86	54.0	51.0	55.0	63.0	60.0	65.0	60.0	$10,860	$1,727	$9,132
Villas Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	8385 Beacon Blvd	Fort Myers	33907	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 936-3776	847	54	15.6	64.9%	109 (12.9%)	97 (11.5%)	612 (72.3%)	4 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	25 (3.0%)	29.3	1640^th of 2256 public elementary schools	27.3%		37.1	1415^th of 2240 public elementary schools	36.8%	225	38.0	34.0	38.0	56.0	45.0	50.0	45.0	$13,112	$2,912	$10,200

Frequently Asked Questions about Colonial Elementary School

Is Colonial Elementary School a good school?

Colonial Elementary School ranks in the bottom 4.1% of Florida elementary schools.

What is the racial makeup of Colonial Elementary School?

Students at Colonial Elementary School are 50% Hispanic, 36% African American, 10% White, 3% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Colonial Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Colonial Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Cypress Lake Middle School
Middle : Fort Myers Middle Academy
Middle : Lexington Middle School
Middle : Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School
Middle : Three Oaks Middle School
High : Cypress Lake High School
High : Dunbar High School
High : Estero High School
High : Fort Myers High School
High : South Fort Myers High School

How many students attend Colonial Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 655 students attended Colonial Elementary School.

What district is Colonial Elementary School in?

Lee

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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.