Diplomat Middle School

Q: Is Diplomat Middle School a good school?

Diplomat Middle School ranks 516 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Diplomat Middle School is a public middle school located in Cape Coral, Florida, serving 912 students in grades 6-8. 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.

Diplomat Middle School consistently outperforms the Lee District and Florida state averages in various standardized test scores, including EOC/Algebra 1, EOC/Civics, and FAST/English Language Arts and Math. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, Diplomat Middle School had 83% proficiency in EOC/Algebra 1, compared to 45% for the Lee District and 55% for Florida. The school's performance in Statewide Science/Science for 8th grade is also higher than the district and state averages. Additionally, Diplomat Middle School has a more diverse student population compared to some of the nearby schools, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students (46.38%) and a lower percentage of White students (40.35%).

However, Diplomat Middle School has experienced a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 11.3% in 2019-2020 to 39.6% in 2022-2023, which is an area of concern that the school should address. Despite this challenge, Diplomat Middle School has the highest spending per student among the nearby schools, with $12,553 in the 2022-2023 school year. This higher spending may indicate a focus on providing additional resources and support for its students, which could contribute to the school's strong academic performance compared to nearby schools like Cypress Lake Middle School, Trafalgar Middle School, and Oasis Charter Middle School.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1039 NE 16th Ter
Cape Coral, FL 33909

(239) 574-5257

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
516^th of 1,196 Florida Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $12,553

Students who attend Diplomat 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 Diplomat 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: 19.8

Number of students: 912

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

46.4%

White:

40.4%

African American:

7.7%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 50.1%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Diplomat Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Diplomat Middle School ranks better than 56.9% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 7^th among 17 ranked middle schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 54.77. (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 (46.4%), White (40.4%), African American (7.7%). (See more...)

Compare Details 50.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Diplomat Middle School is 19.8. 11 middle schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Diplomat Middle School employs 46 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Diplomat Middle School is $12,553, which is the 2^nd highest among 17 middle schools in the Lee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Diplomat Middle School 516^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Diplomat Middle School in the ranking list.)

Lee:

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

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Diplomat Middle School

Compare

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	70.41	168^th	593	71.7%
2005	65.12	212^th	602	64.8%
2006	66.10	224^th	675	66.8%
2007	63.23	275^th	736	62.6%
2008	64.12	284^th	740	61.6%
2009	71.56	230^th	780	70.5%
2010	67.91	277^th	839	67.0%
2011	71.23	252^nd	891	71.7%
2012	69.24	266^th	897	70.3%
2013	72.59	241^st	956	74.8%
2014	70.93	274^th	999	72.6%
2016	57.62	399^th	997	60.0%
2017	61.15	378^th	1031	63.3%
2018	64.07	353^rd	1035	65.9%
2019	62.80	380^th	1099	65.4%
2021	51.76	529^th	1136	53.4%
2022	45.12	614^th	1148	46.5%
2023	50.48	556^th	1177	52.8%
2024	54.77	516^th	1196	56.9%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Diplomat Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1999	199	32	1	22	1	n/a	n/a	0	255
2000	422	50	4	45	1	n/a	n/a	0	522
2001	857	119	12	99	2	n/a	n/a	0	1089
2002	1008	74	15	157	5	n/a	n/a	0	1259
2003	1008	74	15	157	5	n/a	n/a	0	1259
2004	1015	60	15	171	6	n/a	n/a	0	1267
2005	949	73	17	193	6	n/a	n/a	0	1238
2006	855	59	13	199	6	n/a	n/a	0	1132
2007	737	44	11	210	6	n/a	n/a	36	1044
2008	636	32	12	177	5	n/a	n/a	34	896
2009	573	35	10	180	6	n/a	n/a	39	843
2010	568	58	9	202	2	n/a	n/a	20	859
2011	538	56	11	212	1	0	23	0	841
2012	510	59	10	245	1	0	20	0	845
2013	484	64	10	248	1	0	23	0	830
2014	511	58	5	249	1	0	24	0	848
2015	511	56	7	243	2	0	26	0	845
2016	489	68	12	251	1	0	25	0	846
2017	427	64	16	285	1	1	34	0	828
2018	433	54	17	288	1	1	37	0	831
2019	436	49	20	316	1	2	40	0	864
2020	447	49	19	325	1	1	33	0	875
2021	379	47	18	338	1	1	25	0	809
2022	399	63	19	397	0	0	33	0	911
2023	368	70	16	423	1	0	34	0	912

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 Diplomat Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	255	11.0	23.2	42
2000	522	12.0	43.5	42.9
2001	1089	54.0	20.2	40.8
2002	1259	62.0	20.3	40
2003	1259	62.0	20.3	40
2004	1267	67.0	18.9	40.6
2005	1238	64.0	19.3	44.7
2006	1132	63.0	18.0	41.1
2007	1044	56.0	18.6	38.5
2008	896	52.0	17.2	42.3
2009	843	52.7	16.2	53.6
2010	859	47.5	18.0	62.5
2011	841	49.0	17.1	59.5
2012	845	50.4	16.7	65.1
2013	830	50.0	16.6	66.9
2014	848	48.0	17.6	66.5
2015	845	46.0	18.3	67.5
2016	846	44.0	19.2	49.8
2017	828	43.0	19.2	47.9
2018	831	48.0	17.3	51.3
2019	864	46.7	18.4	46.9
2020	875	45.9	19.0	44.7
2021	809	43.5	18.5	46.2
2022	911	47.5	19.1	47
2023	912	46.0	19.8	50.1

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 Diplomat Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1999	255	11.0	23.2	42
2000	522	12.0	43.5	42.9
2001	1089	54.0	20.2	40.8
2002	1259	62.0	20.3	40
2003	1259	62.0	20.3	40
2004	1267	67.0	18.9	40.6
2005	1238	64.0	19.3	44.7
2006	1132	63.0	18.0	41.1
2007	1044	56.0	18.6	38.5
2008	896	52.0	17.2	42.3
2009	843	52.7	16.2	53.6
2010	859	47.5	18.0	62.5
2011	841	49.0	17.1	59.5
2012	845	50.4	16.7	65.1
2013	830	50.0	16.6	66.9
2014	848	48.0	17.6	66.5
2015	845	46.0	18.3	67.5
2016	846	44.0	19.2	49.8
2017	828	43.0	19.2	47.9
2018	831	48.0	17.3	51.3
2019	864	46.7	18.4	46.9
2020	875	45.9	19.0	44.7
2021	809	43.5	18.5	46.2
2022	911	47.5	19.1	47
2023	912	46.0	19.8	50.1

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 Diplomat Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$273 (3.7%)	$7,169 (96.3%)	$7,442
2019	$337 (4.4%)	$7,281 (95.6%)	$7,618
2020	$362 (4.6%)	$7,474 (95.4%)	$7,836
2021	$549 (6.7%)	$7,630 (93.3%)	$8,179
2022	$1,431 (15.8%)	$7,626 (84.2%)	$9,057
2023	$1,860 (14.8%)	$10,692 (85.2%)	$12,553

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Diplomat 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 380^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 556^th of 1177 Middle schools	12.7%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Diplomat Middle School)	53	52	1%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	52	49	3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Diplomat Middle School)	42	28	14%
6th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	47	33	14%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Diplomat Middle School)	56	46	10%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	51	46	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Diplomat Middle School)	64	42	22%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	57	43	14%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Diplomat Middle School)	70	49	21%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	57	47	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Diplomat Middle School)	71	41	30%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	60	49	11%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Diplomat Middle School)	52	38	14%
8th Grade Science (Lee)	46	43	3%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Diplomat Middle School)	76	56	20%
End of Course Civics (Lee)	67	60	7%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Diplomat Middle School)	99	84	15%
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	864	912	5.6%
African American	49	70	42.9%
American Indian	1	1
Asian	20	16	20%
Hispanic	316	423	33.9%
Pacific Islander	2	0	100%
White	436	368	15.6%
Two or More Races	40	34	15%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	46.9%	50.1%	3.2%

Schools Near Diplomat 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Oak Hammock Middle School	Public, Magnet	6-8	5321 Tice St	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(239) 693-0469	1,563	83	18.7	56.2%	284 (18.2%)	153 (9.8%)	1,071 (68.5%)	13 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (2.6%)	27.7	896^th of 1196 public middle schools	25.1%		29.4	850^th of 1177 public middle schools	27.8%	46	42.0	31.0	31.0	51.0	20.0	51.0	28.0	79.0		40.0	$9,910	$2,840	$7,070
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

Frequently Asked Questions about Diplomat Middle School

What is the racial makeup of Diplomat Middle School?

Students at Diplomat Middle School are 46% Hispanic, 40% White, 8% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Diplomat Middle School in?

Lee

What high school do graduates of Diplomat Middle School attend?

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

Is Diplomat Middle School a good school?

Diplomat Middle School ranks 516^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Diplomat Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 912 students attended Diplomat Middle 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.