Gateway Charter School

Q: Is Gateway Charter School a good school?

Gateway Charter School ranks 1555 th of 2256 Florida alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Summary:

Gateway Charter Elementary School is a public charter school located in Fort Myers, Florida, serving grades PK-4 with a total enrollment of 1,245 students. The school has a diverse student population, with 19.6% White, 28.03% African American, 46.83% Hispanic, 1.53% Asian, and 3.69% two or more races.

While Gateway Charter Elementary School has a higher spending per student compared to nearby Lee County public schools, ranging from $6,295 to $8,668 per student, its academic performance is generally lower than the district and state averages. The school's proficiency rates in FAST English Language Arts and Math are below the Lee County and Florida state averages for most grade levels. Additionally, Gateway Charter Elementary School has a significantly higher chronic absenteeism rate, ranging from 13.5% to 27.6% over the past few years, compared to the nearby public schools, which have rates ranging from 25.2% to 46.3%.

Another notable difference is the school's higher percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 55.92% to 67.87% over the past few years, which is significantly higher than the nearby public schools, such as Colonial Elementary School, Tortuga Preserve Elementary School, and San Carlos Park Elementary School, which have rates ranging from 46.43% to 63.68%. These factors suggest that Gateway Charter Elementary School faces unique challenges in supporting its diverse and economically disadvantaged student population.

Detail:

Public, Charter, Alternative PK, KG-12

12850 Commonwealth Dr
Fort Myers, FL 33913

(239) 768-5048

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1555^th of 2,256 Florida Alternative Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $8,668

Student/teacher ratio: 85.0

Number of students: 2,977

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

49.1%

African American:

25.5%

White:

20.2%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.4%

See top rated Florida elementary schools

Compare Gateway Charter School to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Gateway Charter School ranks worse than 68.9% of elementary schools in Florida. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.22. (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 Gateway Charter School has the largest alternative school student body size in the Lee School District. Student population at Gateway Charter School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (49.1%), African American (25.5%), White (20.2%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.4% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Gateway Charter School is 85. 3 alternative schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Gateway Charter School employs 35 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Gateway Charter School is $8,668. 4 alternative schools in the Lee School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Gateway Charter 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.)

Average Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Gateway Charter School.

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Rank History for Gateway Charter School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2004	68.38	93^rd	199	53.3%
2005	64.55	103^rd	202	49.0%
2006	65.52	593^rd	1688	64.9%
2007	65.59	647^th	1786	63.8%
2008	58.67	766^th	1789	57.2%
2009	55.73	856^th	1847	53.7%
2010	64.76	704^th	1919	63.3%
2011	68.29	642^nd	1985	67.7%
2012	59.62	808^th	1984	59.3%
2013	54.22	917^th	2029	54.8%
2014	61.65	778^th	2064	62.3%
2016	62.89	762^nd	2087	63.5%
2017	58.96	850^th	2112	59.8%
2018	72.18	556^th	2118	73.7%
2019	66.68	695^th	2182	68.1%
2021	46.59	1168^th	2247	48.0%
2022	42.42	1258^th	2219	43.3%
2023	51.91	1049^th	2240	53.2%
2024	32.22	1555^th	2256	31.1%

See the entire list of Florida Alternative 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:

by a parent
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Now that my son is stuck at this awful place I feel trapped. He is in second grade where the state says no more than 18 kids per class. He is number 26! The teacher he has seems overwhelmed and new to teaching. She is awful at communicating to us. He has spelling words that are not age appropriate. He hates his three p.e. coaches who yell all class. He has homework that has nothing to do with learning. The school informs us of a fire in the building and a criminal apprehended in the area but not about a teacher being arrested during class. Had to find out from my son. The school refused to answer my questions and referred me to hr in another town who called me back and refused to tell me if a criminal was still teaching my son! Unbelievable! The school reminded me of a hospital the first time i saw it. I was not allowed a tour until my child was accepted and at that time i had two days to decide. When i was given a tour (rather quickly since i had to decide so fast) no teachers or students were there. Each classroom in my son's grade is completely different from one another, nothing is consistent at all. There are so many students here it is crazy in the hallways (there are ten classes in 2nd grade!) The office staff is cold when I ask them questions which leads me to email them (at this they are actually pretty prompt with). There is a nice selection of music and art classes (even though his teacher was arrested!) but no sports or foreign language. Parent pick up is a mad house. They only provide buses for a small number of students so the over 1000 students here all get picked up at the same time! I arrive an hour early and I am still nowhere near the front of the line. It is such a headache. If I would have known all these things I would never have put my son here. His teacher has no idea anything about him, he is just another name on her attendance sheet. Sad :( Close Quote

Enrollment information for Gateway Charter School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2004	794	56	20	94	6	n/a	n/a	0	970
2005	1122	109	36	203	6	n/a	n/a	0	1476
2006	1110	105	40	281	5	n/a	n/a	0	1541
2007	937	148	41	338	4	n/a	n/a	85	1553
2008	912	137	33	391	7	n/a	n/a	70	1550
2009	531	105	17	243	3	n/a	n/a	58	957
2010	519	161	18	281	5	n/a	n/a	15	999
2011	461	197	20	337	4	2	16	0	1037
2012	462	229	22	403	2	1	23	0	1142
2013	440	245	25	414	2	1	21	0	1148
2014	412	309	30	422	2	2	19	0	1196
2015	383	285	27	417	0	1	19	0	1132
2016	369	273	21	498	3	0	26	0	1190
2017	342	284	18	503	7	0	32	0	1186
2018	316	225	17	458	5	3	28	0	1052
2019	292	249	18	504	4	4	41	0	1112
2020	248	275	16	511	3	3	46	0	1102
2021	222	295	13	501	2	4	45	0	1082
2022	231	327	17	581	0	9	51	0	1216
2023	244	349	19	583	0	4	46	0	1245
2024	600	758	56	1463	2	6	92	0	2977

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 Gateway Charter School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	970	43.0	22.6	8.6
2005	1476	82.0	18.0	3.6
2006	1541	83.0	18.6	2.9
2007	1553	79.0	19.7	2.3
2008	1550	78.5	19.7	3
2009	957	58.2	16.6	7.1
2010	999	54.0	18.5	17.8
2011	1037	49.0	21.1	49.9
2012	1142	62.0	18.4	57.4
2013	1148	59.0	19.4	60.4
2014	1196	67.0	17.8	66.5
2015	1132	55.0	20.5	70.4
2016	1190	73.0	16.3	67.7
2017	1186	77.0	15.4	65.8
2018	1052	40.0	26.3	61.9
2019	1112	2.0	556.0	68.3
2020	1102	53.0	20.7	69.7
2021	1082	59.0	18.3	62.3
2022	1216	51.0	23.8	55.9
2023	1245	62.0	20.0	67.9
2024	2977	35.0	85.0	58.4

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 Gateway Charter School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2004	970	43.0	22.6	8.6
2005	1476	82.0	18.0	3.6
2006	1541	83.0	18.6	2.9
2007	1553	79.0	19.7	2.3
2008	1550	78.5	19.7	3
2009	957	58.2	16.6	7.1
2010	999	54.0	18.5	17.8
2011	1037	49.0	21.1	49.9
2012	1142	62.0	18.4	57.4
2013	1148	59.0	19.4	60.4
2014	1196	67.0	17.8	66.5
2015	1132	55.0	20.5	70.4
2016	1190	73.0	16.3	67.7
2017	1186	77.0	15.4	65.8
2018	1052	40.0	26.3	61.9
2019	1112	2.0	556.0	68.3
2020	1102	53.0	20.7	69.7
2021	1082	59.0	18.3	62.3
2022	1216	51.0	23.8	55.9
2023	1245	62.0	20.0	67.9
2024	2977	35.0	85.0	58.4

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 Gateway Charter School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$22 (0.3%)	$6,818 (99.7%)	$6,840
2019	$494 (6.9%)	$6,698 (93.1%)	$7,192
2020	$53 (0.8%)	$6,242 (99.2%)	$6,295
2021	$238 (3.3%)	$7,033 (96.7%)	$7,271
2022	$956 (11.5%)	$7,359 (88.5%)	$8,315
2023	$234 (2.7%)	$8,434 (97.3%)	$8,668

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Gateway Charter 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 695^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1049^th of 2240 Elementary schools	15%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Gateway Charter School)	64	49	15%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	58	48	10%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Gateway Charter School)	75	51	24%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee)	61	56	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Gateway Charter School)	63	53	10%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	55	52	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Gateway Charter School)	67	54	13%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	62	59	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	1112	1245	12%
African American	249	349	40.2%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	18	19	5.6%
Hispanic	504	583	15.7%
Pacific Islander	4	4
White	292	244	16.4%
Two or More Races	41	46	12.2%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	68.3%	67.9%	0.4%

Schools Near Gateway Charter School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	FAST English Language Arts 3rd Grade	FAST English Language Arts 4th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 5th Grade	FAST English Language Arts 6th Grade	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 3rd Grade	FAST Math 4th Grade	FAST Math 5th Grade	FAST Math 6th Grade	FAST Math 7th Grade	FAST Math 8th Grade	Statewide Science Science 5th 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
Gateway Charter School	Public, Charter, Alternative	PK, KG-12	12850 Commonwealth Dr	Fort Myers	33913	Lee County	Lee	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 768-5048	2,977	35	85.0	58.4%	600 (20.2%)	758 (25.5%)	1,463 (49.1%)	56 (1.9%)	2 (0.1%)	6 (0.2%)	92 (3.1%)								(n/a)	49.0	40.0	49.0	51.0	45.0	47.0	49.0	48.0	47.0	43.0	30.0	43.0	54.0	46.0	47.0	39.0	36.0	57.0	66.0	63.0	59.0	$8,668	$234	$8,434
County Wide Exceptional Child Programs	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2855 Colonial Blvd	Fort Myers	33966	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 337-8104	81	0		22.2%	37 (45.7%)	6 (7.4%)	36 (44.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.5%)								(n/a)																						$106,957	$18,998	$87,958
Lee Virtual Instruction Program	Public, Virtual, Alternative	K-12	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)
Lee County Virtual Franchise	Public, Virtual, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2855 Colonial Blvd	Fort Myers	33966	Lee County	Lee	No	No	Yes	No	(239) 337-8178	737	35	21.0	19.5%	385 (52.2%)	46 (6.2%)	265 (36.0%)	7 (0.9%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (4.3%)								(n/a)	65.0	52.0	54.0	63.0	69.0	54.0	64.0	41.0	53.0	26.0	23.0	40.0	55.0	44.0	40.0	43.0	52.0	23.0	62.0	58.0	64.0	$11,901	$1,756	$10,146
Royal Palm Exceptional School Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	3050 Indian St	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 337-3511	120	24	5.0	68.3%	34 (28.3%)	40 (33.3%)	40 (33.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (5.0%)								(n/a)				8.0										0.0								$47,949	$8,155	$39,795
Buckingham Exceptional Student Center	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	3291 Buckingham Rd	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 693-1233	59	9	6.5	55.9%	19 (32.2%)	6 (10.2%)	30 (50.8%)	2 (3.4%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.4%)								(n/a)																						$48,663	$6,499	$42,163
Babcock Neighborhood School	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	43301 Cypress Pkwy	Babcock Ranch	33982	Charlotte County	Charlotte	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 567-3043	966	28	34.5	24.0%	751 (77.7%)	24 (2.5%)	154 (15.9%)	6 (0.6%)	2 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (3.0%)								(n/a)	71.0	60.0	57.0	50.0	46.0	54.0	60.0	48.0	67.0	78.0	54.0	37.0	57.0	46.0	40.0	43.0	82.0	79.0	72.0	71.0	62.0	$12,635	$1,253	$11,382
Naples Classical Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	15275 Collier Blvd	Naples	34119	Collier County	Collier	Yes	No	No	No	(239) 449-8773	929	60	15.4	15.5%	516 (55.5%)	70 (7.5%)	287 (30.9%)	27 (2.9%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	28 (3.0%)								(n/a)	59.0	71.0	54.0	76.0	59.0	60.0	52.0	76.0	71.0	67.0	68.0	72.0	74.0	74.0	53.0	48.0	81.0	64.0	71.0	85.0	79.0	$9,649	$663	$8,987

Frequently Asked Questions about Gateway Charter School

Is Gateway Charter School a good school?

Gateway Charter School ranks 1555^th of 2256 Florida alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

What district is Gateway Charter School in?

Lee

How many students attend Gateway Charter School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 2,977 students attended Gateway Charter School.

What is the racial makeup of Gateway Charter School?

Students at Gateway Charter School are 49% Hispanic, 25% African American, 20% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% Asian.

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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.