South Fort Myers High School

Summary:

South Fort Myers High School is a public high school in Fort Myers, Florida, serving 1,917 students in grades 9-12. 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.

Academically, South Fort Myers High School consistently underperforms compared to the Lee District and the state of Florida in standardized test scores. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, only 9% of students were proficient or better in Algebra 1 EOC, compared to 45% in the Lee District and 55% statewide. The school's four-year graduation rate has also declined, dropping from 97.3% in 2019-2020 to 87.4% in 2022-2023, significantly lower than the 98.2% graduation rate at the nearby Fort Myers High School. Additionally, South Fort Myers High School has a very high chronic absenteeism rate of 43.4%, nearly double the rate of 25.1% at Fort Myers High School.

Despite these challenges, South Fort Myers High School has a more diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic (60.15%) and African American (19.35%) students compared to the nearby Fort Myers High School, which has a higher percentage of White students (45.43%). The school also has a higher per-student spending ($10,147 in 2022-2023) compared to Fort Myers High School ($9,589) and the nearby charter schools, suggesting that the issue may not be solely related to funding, but rather the effective allocation and utilization of resources. Addressing the challenges at South Fort Myers High School will require a comprehensive approach that goes beyond just funding and resources, and focuses on effective teaching strategies, student support, and community engagement.

Detail:

Public 9-12

14020 Plantation Rd
Fort Myers, FL 33912

(239) 561-0060

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
654^th of 807 Florida High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,147

Feeder schools for South Fort Myers High School:

Elementary:	Allen Park Elementary School
	Bonita Springs Elementary School
	Colonial Elementary School
	Edison Park Creative And Expressive Arts School
	More...
	Fort Myers Beach Elementary School
	Franklin Park Elementary School
	Heights Elementary School
	Orangewood Elementary School
	Pinewoods Elementary School
	Ray V. Pottorf Elementary School
	Rayma C. Page Elementary School
	San Carlos Park Elementary School
	Spring Creek Elementary School
	Tanglewood Elementary School
	The Sanibel School
	Three Oaks Elementary School
	Villas Elementary School
Middle:	Bonita Springs Middle Center For The Arts
	Cypress Lake Middle School
	Fort Myers Middle Academy
	Lexington Middle School
	More...
	Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School
	Three Oaks Middle School

Student/teacher ratio: 21.0

Number of students: 1,738

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

63.1%

African American:

19.0%

White:

14.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.6%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details South Fort Myers High School ranks worse than 81% of high schools in Florida. It also ranks 17^th among 26 ranked high schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 15.96. (See more...)

The four-year cohort graduation rate measures the percentage of students at South Fort Myers High School who earn a standard high school diploma within four years of starting ninth grade.

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 Student population at South Fort Myers High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (63.1%), African American (19%), White (14.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 52.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at South Fort Myers High School is 21, which is the 9^th best among 26 high schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare South Fort Myers High School employs 82.7 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at South Fort Myers High School is $10,147, which is the 3^rd highest among 26 high schools in the Lee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

South Fort Myers High School was not ranked this year due to insufficient test score data.

SchoolDigger ranks South Fort Myers High School 654^th of 807 Florida public high schools. (See South Fort Myers High School in the ranking list.)

Lee:

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

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for South Fort Myers High School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	FL State Percentile
2007	55.37	253^rd	563	55.1%
2008	60.88	233^rd	577	59.6%
2009	51.04	317^th	587	46.0%
2010	50.15	349^th	620	43.7%
2011	37.66	436^th	622	29.9%
2012	36.21	351^st	606	42.1%
2013	34.04	425^th	648	34.4%
2014	28.23	498^th	687	27.5%
2016	19.53	540^th	693	22.1%
2017	18.54	547^th	714	23.4%
2018	24.81	512^th	716	28.5%
2019	18.13	569^th	734	22.5%
2021	15.38	593^rd	746	20.5%
2022	12.67	638^th	774	17.6%
2023	19.53	607^th	792	23.4%
2024	15.96	654^th	807	19.0%

See the entire list of Florida High 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: 1)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for South Fort Myers High School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2005	0	0	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	0
2006	617	205	16	211	7	n/a	n/a	0	1056
2007	736	253	23	289	7	n/a	n/a	37	1345
2008	729	233	23	282	8	n/a	n/a	39	1314
2009	793	224	20	300	9	n/a	n/a	53	1399
2010	848	271	20	349	2	n/a	n/a	31	1521
2011	827	337	27	476	2	3	36	0	1708
2012	854	322	38	545	2	2	39	0	1802
2013	796	329	32	613	3	2	45	0	1820
2014	711	364	30	669	3	0	49	0	1826
2015	709	409	24	735	5	3	53	0	1938
2016	685	425	15	864	5	3	41	0	2038
2017	573	417	18	968	2	4	34	0	2016
2018	530	422	29	1016	1	4	38	0	2040
2019	454	399	25	983	1	0	39	0	1901
2020	391	400	28	1011	3	0	53	0	1886
2021	332	362	22	996	1	0	34	0	1747
2022	334	369	26	1086	2	0	37	0	1854
2023	326	371	26	1153	2	0	39	0	1917
2024	257	331	24	1097	3	0	26	0	1738

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 South Fort Myers High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	0	0.0	0.0	n/a
2006	1056	46.0	23.0	39.9
2007	1345	66.0	20.4	37
2008	1314	70.5	18.6	35.2
2009	1399	68.3	20.7	43.3
2010	1521	72.0	21.1	55.4
2011	1708	81.4	20.9	59.9
2012	1802	85.6	21.0	58.5
2013	1820	88.0	20.6	62.4
2014	1826	89.0	20.5	63.4
2015	1938	90.0	21.5	69.6
2016	2038	93.0	21.9	49.3
2017	2016	100.0	20.1	45.1
2018	2040	110.0	18.5	51.5
2019	1901	95.2	19.9	44.9
2020	1886	91.2	20.6	47.7
2021	1747	81.3	21.4	50.5
2022	1854	90.5	20.4	49.4
2023	1917	83.5	22.9	49.9
2024	1738	82.7	21.0	52.6

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 South Fort Myers High School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	0	0.0	0.0	n/a
2006	1056	46.0	23.0	39.9
2007	1345	66.0	20.4	37
2008	1314	70.5	18.6	35.2
2009	1399	68.3	20.7	43.3
2010	1521	72.0	21.1	55.4
2011	1708	81.4	20.9	59.9
2012	1802	85.6	21.0	58.5
2013	1820	88.0	20.6	62.4
2014	1826	89.0	20.5	63.4
2015	1938	90.0	21.5	69.6
2016	2038	93.0	21.9	49.3
2017	2016	100.0	20.1	45.1
2018	2040	110.0	18.5	51.5
2019	1901	95.2	19.9	44.9
2020	1886	91.2	20.6	47.7
2021	1747	81.3	21.4	50.5
2022	1854	90.5	20.4	49.4
2023	1917	83.5	22.9	49.9
2024	1738	82.7	21.0	52.6

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 South Fort Myers High School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$852 (11.0%)	$6,877 (89.0%)	$7,729
2019	$886 (10.9%)	$7,258 (89.1%)	$8,145
2020	$871 (10.7%)	$7,299 (89.3%)	$8,170
2021	$908 (10.9%)	$7,386 (89.0%)	$8,295
2022	$2,407 (24.8%)	$7,305 (75.2%)	$9,711
2023	$2,552 (25.2%)	$7,594 (74.8%)	$10,147

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on South Fort Myers High 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 569^th of 734 High schools	Ranks 607^th of 792 High schools	0.9%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
9th Grade English Language Arts (South Fort Myers High School)	34	28	6%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	51	50	1%
9th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	55	51	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (South Fort Myers High School)	29	23	6%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	48	44	4%
10th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	53	49	4%
End of Course Biology 1 (South Fort Myers High School)	35	40	5%
End of Course Biology 1 (Lee)	56	51	5%
End of Course Biology 1 (Florida)	67	63	4%
End of Course US History (South Fort Myers High School)	48	35	13%
End of Course US History (Lee)	64	54	10%
End of Course US History (Florida)	70	63	7%
End of Course Algebra 1 (South Fort Myers High School)	27	16	11%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Lee)	60	48	12%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Florida)	62	54	8%
End of Course Geometry (South Fort Myers High School)	39	23	16%
End of Course Geometry (Lee)	50	41	9%
End of Course Geometry (Florida)	57	50	7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1901	1917	0.8%
African American	399	371	7%
American Indian	1	2	100%
Asian	25	26	4%
Hispanic	983	1153	17.3%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	454	326	28.2%
Two or More Races	39	39
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	44.9%	49.9%	5.1%

Schools Near South Fort Myers High 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 US History (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 7th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 8th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 9th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 10th 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 Biology 1 End of Course	EOC US History End of Course	EOC Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
South Fort Myers High School	Public	9-12	14020 Plantation Rd	Fort Myers	33912	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 561-0060	1,738	83	21.0	52.6%	257 (14.8%)	331 (19.0%)	1,097 (63.1%)	24 (1.4%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	26 (1.5%)	16	654^th of 807 public high schools	19.0%		19.5	607^th of 792 public high schools	23.4%	47			35.0	36.0				9.0	23.0	28.0	44.0		$10,147	$2,552	$7,594
Lee County Acceleration Academies	Public	8-12	12381 S Cleveland Ave	Fort Myers	33907	Lee County	Lee	No	(n/a)	No	(n/a)	(872) 240-2025	144	0		23.6%	57 (39.6%)	29 (20.1%)	51 (35.4%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (4.2%)	5.8	705^th of 807 public high schools	12.6%					(n/a)				7.0					0.0	39.0	19.0
Island Park High School	Public, Charter	9-12	16520 S Tamiami Trail	Fort Myers	33908	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 204-5965	276	6	46.0	23.9%	77 (27.9%)	7 (2.5%)	183 (66.3%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (2.5%)	6.6	699^th of 807 public high schools	13.4%		6.5	686^th of 792 public high schools	13.4%	13			10.0	17.0				0.0		19.0	30.0		$9,251	$49	$9,202
Florida Southwestern Collegiate High School	Public, Charter	9-12	8099 College Pkwy	Fort Myers	33919	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 432-6767	394	11	35.8	14.5%	198 (50.3%)	31 (7.9%)	127 (32.2%)	26 (6.6%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.3%)	9 (2.3%)	91.1	15^th of 807 public high schools	98.1%		87.7	34^th of 792 public high schools	95.7%	19			87.0	93.0				95.0	96.0	96.0			$6,798	$00	$6,798
Cypress Lake High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	6750 Panther Ln	Fort Myers	33919	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	No	(239) 481-2233	1,507	66	22.9	41.4%	648 (43.0%)	226 (15.0%)	544 (36.1%)	33 (2.2%)	2 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	52 (3.5%)	34	490^th of 807 public high schools	39.3%		36.7	426^th of 792 public high schools	46.2%	64			42.0	53.0				17.0	51.0	40.0	61.0		$9,079	$1,280	$7,799
City Of Palms Charter High School	Public, Charter	9-12	2830 Winkler Ave Ste 201	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 561-6611	136	4	34.0	48.5%	15 (11.0%)	43 (31.6%)	76 (55.9%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.7%)	7.2	694^th of 807 public high schools	14.0%					(n/a)			0.0	10.0					27.0		31.0		$10,541	$323	$10,219
Pace School For Girls	Public	6-12	3800 Evans Ave	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 425-2366	60	6	10.0	35.0%	21 (35.0%)	10 (16.7%)	26 (43.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.0%)								(n/a)
Coronado High School	Public, Charter	7-12	3057 Cleveland Ave	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 337-9140	320	3	106.6	39.7%	63 (19.7%)	60 (18.8%)	188 (58.8%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	7 (2.2%)	8	685^th of 807 public high schools	15.1%		14.5	642^nd of 792 public high schools	18.9%	43	0.0	12.0	10.0	21.0	7.0	4.0	9.0	11.0	25.0	20.0	36.0	11.0	$9,453	$52	$9,401
Fort Myers High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	2635 Cortez Blvd	Fort Myers	33901	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	No	(239) 334-2167	1,850	74	24.8	35.2%	800 (43.2%)	396 (21.4%)	481 (26.0%)	101 (5.5%)	8 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	62 (3.4%)	51.9	279^th of 807 public high schools	65.4%		60.4	196^th of 792 public high schools	75.3%	83			61.0	58.0				19.0	51.0	58.0	79.0		$9,589	$1,400	$8,189
Dunbar High School	Public, Magnet	9-12	3800 E Edison Ave	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(239) 461-5322	1,762	81	21.8	56.9%	157 (8.9%)	538 (30.5%)	1,002 (56.9%)	24 (1.4%)	3 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (2.2%)	23.3	608^th of 807 public high schools	24.7%		16	635^th of 792 public high schools	19.8%	27			39.0	34.0				27.0	34.0	42.0	50.0		$9,908	$2,067	$7,840

Frequently Asked Questions about South Fort Myers High School

Is South Fort Myers High School a good school?

South Fort Myers High School ranks in the bottom 19.0% of Florida high schools.

How many students attend South Fort Myers High School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,738 students attended South Fort Myers High School.

What is the racial makeup of South Fort Myers High School?

Students at South Fort Myers High School are 63% Hispanic, 19% African American, 15% White, 1% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

What schools feed into South Fort Myers High School?

What district is South Fort Myers High 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.