Mariner Middle School

Q: Is Mariner Middle School a good school?

Mariner Middle School ranks 746 th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Mariner Middle School is a public middle school located in Cape Coral, Florida, serving 1,001 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.

Mariner Middle School stands out for its diverse student population, with a higher percentage of Hispanic students (43.76%) and a lower percentage of White students (42.16%) compared to nearby schools. However, the school faces challenges, including a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate of 42.2% in the 2022-2023 school year, compared to the nearby schools, which range from 17.2% to 46.5%. Despite these challenges, Mariner Middle School outperforms the Lee District and Florida state averages in several test areas, particularly in EOC/Algebra 1, where 86% of students were proficient or better in 2023-2024, compared to 45% for the Lee District and 55% for Florida.

While Mariner Middle School has some strengths, it lags behind several nearby schools, such as Cypress Lake Middle School and Oasis Charter Middle School, which have higher statewide rankings and better test scores. The high chronic absenteeism rate and free/reduced lunch rates at Mariner Middle School may be indicative of socioeconomic challenges faced by the student population, which could be impacting the school's overall performance. Despite the increasing spending per student at Mariner Middle School, the impact on student outcomes is not yet evident in the school's ranking and performance.

Detail:

Public 6-8

425 Chiquita Blvd N
Cape Coral, FL 33993

(239) 772-1848

District: Lee

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

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,969

Students who attend Mariner 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 Mariner 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: 19.7

Number of students: 1,001

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

43.8%

White:

42.2%

African American:

8.0%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 52.6%

See top rated Florida middle schools

Compare Mariner Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Mariner Middle School ranks worse than 62.4% of middle schools in Florida. It also ranks 11^th among 17 ranked middle schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 38.08. (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 (43.8%), White (42.2%), African American (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 Mariner Middle School is 19.7. 9 middle schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Mariner Middle School employs 50.8 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Mariner Middle School is $9,969. 10 middle schools in the Lee School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

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

SchoolDigger ranks Mariner Middle School 746^th of 1196 Florida public middle schools. (See Mariner Middle School in the ranking list.)

Lee:

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

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Mariner Middle School.

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Rank History for Mariner Middle School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	FL State Percentile
2005	38.88	402^nd	602	33.2%
2006	39.72	439^th	675	35.0%
2007	40.80	473^rd	736	35.7%
2008	39.18	496^th	740	33.0%
2009	33.81	554^th	780	29.0%
2010	37.50	572^nd	839	31.8%
2011	39.08	588^th	891	34.0%
2012	39.38	566^th	897	36.9%
2013	41.38	576^th	956	39.7%
2014	40.63	602^nd	999	39.7%
2016	52.77	461^st	997	53.8%
2017	49.43	517^th	1031	49.9%
2018	53.39	470^th	1035	54.6%
2019	56.02	470^th	1099	57.2%
2021	51.61	532^nd	1136	53.2%
2022	43.96	626^th	1148	45.5%
2023	44.21	647^th	1177	45.0%
2024	38.08	746^th	1196	37.6%

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: 4)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Friday, August 16, 2013

Don't believe everything you read! When we first moved here, I was very excited about "choosing" the school my daughter would attend. Because we enrolled late, our choices were limited and we were assigned Mariner Middle School; our last choice of schools within the county. At first, I was devastated ... near tears based on the reviews I read here. We had no choice and she began school in August after meeting with the school on a couple of occasions. During these meetings, we were assured that the new administration had "cleaned up" the school and that Mariner was a wonderful school to attend. After the first week of school, we received the call that she could attend our "first choice" school within the district. I left the decision to her, and she made the decision to stay at Mariner. She said that she liked the school; felt comfortable there and was happy with the atmosphere she was in. Since the curriculum is the same throughout the school system, there was absolutely no benefit in her relocating. As a parent, the ability of this school to make my child feel comfortable and accepted after only one week of school is amazing. I would recommend it to everyone. Close Quote

Enrollment information for Mariner Middle School

Compare

Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	184	41	7	73	4	n/a	n/a	0	309
2005	478	66	12	199	5	n/a	n/a	0	760
2006	751	78	10	391	7	n/a	n/a	0	1237
2007	552	45	12	327	7	n/a	n/a	42	985
2008	532	71	12	283	3	n/a	n/a	38	939
2009	526	90	12	251	6	n/a	n/a	52	937
2010	493	94	6	232	2	n/a	n/a	36	863
2011	506	93	13	256	3	0	16	0	887
2012	479	76	8	260	5	2	20	0	850
2013	487	78	11	282	5	1	26	0	890
2014	509	75	5	289	3	1	26	0	908
2015	485	69	7	274	1	0	30	0	866
2016	499	72	19	274	1	0	36	0	901
2017	497	68	16	284	2	1	29	0	897
2018	490	53	14	280	0	2	27	0	866
2019	532	60	11	374	0	1	33	0	1011
2020	521	68	10	407	0	1	38	0	1045
2021	464	90	4	355	1	1	35	0	950
2022	476	83	12	420	1	1	47	0	1040
2023	422	80	18	438	2	2	39	0	1001

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 Mariner Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	309	21.0	14.7	53.7
2005	760	34.0	22.4	51.6
2006	1237	60.0	20.6	49.2
2007	985	62.0	15.9	50.2
2008	939	51.5	18.2	65.4
2009	937	55.7	17.0	75.1
2010	863	57.5	15.0	85.1
2011	887	56.5	15.6	82
2012	850	55.5	15.3	82.1
2013	890	57.0	15.6	78.4
2014	908	59.0	15.3	77.8
2015	866	56.0	15.4	75.5
2016	901	57.0	15.8	56.5
2017	897	57.0	15.7	48.8
2018	866	52.0	16.6	51.6
2019	1011	53.3	18.9	45.8
2020	1045	51.3	20.3	48.1
2021	950	50.3	18.8	51.9
2022	1040	55.8	18.6	50.1
2023	1001	50.8	19.7	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 Mariner Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	309	21.0	14.7	53.7
2005	760	34.0	22.4	51.6
2006	1237	60.0	20.6	49.2
2007	985	62.0	15.9	50.2
2008	939	51.5	18.2	65.4
2009	937	55.7	17.0	75.1
2010	863	57.5	15.0	85.1
2011	887	56.5	15.6	82
2012	850	55.5	15.3	82.1
2013	890	57.0	15.6	78.4
2014	908	59.0	15.3	77.8
2015	866	56.0	15.4	75.5
2016	901	57.0	15.8	56.5
2017	897	57.0	15.7	48.8
2018	866	52.0	16.6	51.6
2019	1011	53.3	18.9	45.8
2020	1045	51.3	20.3	48.1
2021	950	50.3	18.8	51.9
2022	1040	55.8	18.6	50.1
2023	1001	50.8	19.7	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 Mariner Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,075 (12.7%)	$7,381 (87.3%)	$8,456
2019	$758 (10.0%)	$6,858 (90.0%)	$7,616
2020	$297 (4.2%)	$6,701 (95.8%)	$6,998
2021	$470 (6.0%)	$7,332 (94.0%)	$7,803
2022	$1,447 (16.6%)	$7,287 (83.4%)	$8,734
2023	$1,893 (19.0%)	$8,075 (81.0%)	$9,969

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Mariner 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 470^th of 1099 Middle schools	Ranks 647^th of 1177 Middle schools	12.2%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade English Language Arts (Mariner Middle School)	54	45	9%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	52	49	3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	54	52	2%
6th Grade Mathematics (Mariner Middle School)	53	34	19%
6th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	47	33	14%
6th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	55	49	6%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Mariner Middle School)	52	43	9%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	51	46	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	52	48	4%
7th Grade Mathematics (Mariner Middle School)	60	49	11%
7th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	57	43	14%
7th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	54	46	8%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Mariner Middle School)	58	45	13%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	57	47	10%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	49	7%
8th Grade Mathematics (Mariner Middle School)	59	47	12%
8th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	60	49	11%
8th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	46	42	4%
8th Grade Science (Mariner Middle School)	46	39	7%
8th Grade Science (Lee)	46	43	3%
8th Grade Science (Florida)	48	44	4%
End of Course Civics (Mariner Middle School)	65	54	11%
End of Course Civics (Lee)	67	60	7%
End of Course Civics (Florida)	71	66	5%
End of Course Algebra 1 (Mariner Middle School)	97	63	34%
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	1011	1001	1%
African American	60	80	33.3%
American Indian	0	2
Asian	11	18	63.6%
Hispanic	374	438	17.1%
Pacific Islander	1	2	100%
White	532	422	20.7%
Two or More Races	33	39	18.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	45.8%	52.6%	6.9%

Schools Near Mariner 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Paul Laurence Dunbar Middle School	Public	6-8	4750 Winkler Avenue Ext	Fort Myers	33966	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 334-1357	1,007	50	20.2	50.5%	243 (24.1%)	312 (31.0%)	362 (35.9%)	42 (4.2%)	3 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	44 (4.4%)	30.1	863^rd of 1196 public middle schools	27.8%		45.2	630^th of 1177 public middle schools	46.5%	233	40.0	42.0	41.0	33.0	10.0	52.0	30.0	83.0	100.0	57.0	$9,326	$1,732	$7,594

Frequently Asked Questions about Mariner Middle School

How many students attend Mariner Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,001 students attended Mariner Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Mariner Middle School?

Students at Mariner Middle School are 44% Hispanic, 42% White, 8% African American, 4% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

What district is Mariner Middle School in?

Lee

What high school do graduates of Mariner Middle School attend?

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

Is Mariner Middle School a good school?

Mariner Middle School ranks 746^th of 1196 Florida middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 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.