Manatee Elementary School

Q: Is Manatee Elementary School a good school?

Manatee Elementary School ranks 1662 nd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

Summary:

Manatee Elementary School is a public elementary school in Fort Myers, Florida, serving 794 students in grades PK-5. 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.

Manatee Elementary School faces several key challenges. It has a significantly higher Hispanic student population (70.4%) compared to nearby schools, which range from 19.79% to 59.78% Hispanic students. The school also consistently struggles with high chronic absenteeism rates, ranging from 35.3% to 50.9% over the past few years, significantly higher than the nearby schools. Academically, Manatee Elementary consistently underperforms compared to the Lee District and Florida state averages in English Language Arts and Math proficiency across all grade levels. For example, in 2023-2024, the school's 3rd grade ELA proficiency was 29%, compared to 48% for the Lee District and 55% for Florida. The school has a low ranking among Florida elementary schools, consistently ranking in the bottom 25% over the past several years, with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Manatee Elementary School serves a socioeconomically disadvantaged community, with a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 61.59% to 62.21% over the past few years. This suggests the school faces unique challenges and may require targeted support and resources to address its declining performance and high chronic absenteeism rates. Addressing these issues will be crucial for improving the educational outcomes for the students at Manatee Elementary School.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5301 Tice St
Fort Myers, FL 33905

(239) 694-2097

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1662^nd of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $11,191

Students who attend Manatee Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:	Harns Marsh Middle School
	Lehigh Acres Middle School
	Oak Hammock Middle School
	Varsity Lakes Middle School
High:	Dunbar High School
	East Lee County High School
	Lehigh Senior High School
	Riverdale High School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.8

Number of students: 640

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

80.8%

African American:

8.9%

White:

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 63.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Manatee Elementary School ranks worse than 73.7% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 39^th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 28.52. (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 (80.8%), African American (8.9%), White (8.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 63.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Manatee Elementary School is 18.8, which is the 17^th best among 58 elementary schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Manatee Elementary School employs 34 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Manatee Elementary School is $11,191, which is the 26^th highest among 58 elementary schools in the Lee School District.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Manatee 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.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Manatee Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2009	15.56	1645^th	1847	10.9%
2010	16.76	1685^th	1919	12.2%
2011	24.43	1598^th	1985	19.5%
2012	22.60	1603^rd	1984	19.2%
2013	21.37	1694^th	2029	16.5%
2014	15.39	1861^st	2064	9.8%
2016	3.74	2059^th	2087	1.3%
2017	5.96	2057^th	2112	2.6%
2018	9.57	2007^th	2118	5.2%
2019	32.74	1520^th	2182	30.3%
2021	34.33	1457^th	2247	35.2%
2022	16.92	1951^st	2219	12.1%
2023	22.62	1809^th	2240	19.2%
2024	28.52	1662^nd	2256	26.3%

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

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 3)

100%

Reviews:

by a principal
Monday, September 2, 2019

Todos es muy positivo, desde resección, Director maestros , atención, todo , estoy muy contenta de k mis hijas estén en este colegio , gracuas Close Quote

Enrollment information for Manatee Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2008	158	242	10	309	3	n/a	n/a	35	757
2009	180	232	9	275	1	n/a	n/a	41	738
2010	167	223	8	353	0	n/a	n/a	34	785
2011	192	236	9	458	0	0	22	0	917
2012	184	261	5	430	1	0	11	0	892
2013	166	196	7	459	1	1	14	0	844
2014	135	214	2	476	0	0	19	0	846
2015	139	178	4	522	0	0	20	0	863
2016	109	191	5	558	0	0	27	0	890
2017	111	211	5	628	1	0	29	0	985
2018	87	183	5	604	4	0	26	0	909
2019	91	187	8	592	1	0	30	0	909
2020	83	164	8	630	0	0	22	0	907
2021	76	142	4	613	0	0	17	0	852
2022	86	139	4	560	0	0	25	0	814
2023	86	119	4	559	0	0	26	0	794
2024	56	57	2	517	0	0	8	0	640

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 Manatee Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	757	52.0	14.6	82.4
2009	738	60.8	12.3	89.7
2010	785	55.5	14.1	90.5
2011	917	62.8	14.6	87.5
2012	892	62.6	14.2	92.2
2013	844	63.0	13.3	90.8
2014	846	61.0	13.8	94.7
2015	863	60.0	14.3	95.4
2016	890	62.0	14.3	79.9
2017	985	65.0	15.1	74.5
2018	909	65.0	13.9	76.6
2019	909	55.4	16.4	66.3
2020	907	59.4	15.2	64.5
2021	852	53.2	16.0	62.2
2022	814	45.0	18.0	62.2
2023	794	39.0	20.3	61.6
2024	640	34.0	18.8	63.1

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 Manatee Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2008	757	52.0	14.6	82.4
2009	738	60.8	12.3	89.7
2010	785	55.5	14.1	90.5
2011	917	62.8	14.6	87.5
2012	892	62.6	14.2	92.2
2013	844	63.0	13.3	90.8
2014	846	61.0	13.8	94.7
2015	863	60.0	14.3	95.4
2016	890	62.0	14.3	79.9
2017	985	65.0	15.1	74.5
2018	909	65.0	13.9	76.6
2019	909	55.4	16.4	66.3
2020	907	59.4	15.2	64.5
2021	852	53.2	16.0	62.2
2022	814	45.0	18.0	62.2
2023	794	39.0	20.3	61.6
2024	640	34.0	18.8	63.1

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 Manatee Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,423 (15.0%)	$8,084 (85.0%)	$9,507
2019	$1,893 (18.6%)	$8,271 (81.4%)	$10,164
2020	$1,109 (11.4%)	$8,621 (88.6%)	$9,730
2021	$1,444 (14.2%)	$8,700 (85.8%)	$10,145
2022	$2,334 (21.9%)	$8,348 (78.2%)	$10,681
2023	$2,495 (22.3%)	$8,696 (77.7%)	$11,191

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Manatee 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 1520^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1809^th of 2240 Elementary schools	11.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Manatee Elementary School)	31	25	6%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	58	48	10%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Manatee Elementary School)	56	37	19%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee)	61	56	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee Elementary School)	41	25	16%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	55	52	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Manatee Elementary School)	68	40	28%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	62	59	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Manatee Elementary School)	40	28	12%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	54	50	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Manatee Elementary School)	58	41	17%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	58	51	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Manatee Elementary School)	41	28	13%
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	909	794	12.7%
African American	187	119	36.4%
American Indian	1	0	100%
Asian	8	4	50%
Hispanic	592	559	5.6%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	91	86	5.5%
Two or More Races	30	26	13.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	66.3%	61.6%	4.7%

Schools Near Manatee 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
Manatee Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	5301 Tice St	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 694-2097	640	34	18.8	63.1%	56 (8.8%)	57 (8.9%)	517 (80.8%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	8 (1.3%)	28.5	1662^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	26.3%		22.6	1809^th of 2240 public elementary schools	19.2%	147	29.0	31.0	47.0	46.0	53.0	53.0	39.0	$11,191	$2,495	$8,696
Orange River Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4501 Underwood Dr	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 694-1258	733	40	18.3	65.2%	32 (4.4%)	65 (8.9%)	633 (86.4%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.3%)	23.9	1800^th of 2256 public elementary schools	20.2%		25.2	1739^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.4%	61	39.0	29.0	34.0	49.0	44.0	50.0	41.0	$11,305	$2,068	$9,237
Tice Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	4524 Tice St	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 694-1257	518	27	19.3	62.4%	16 (3.1%)	23 (4.4%)	477 (92.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	20.4	1891^st of 2256 public elementary schools	16.2%		28.5	1647^th of 2240 public elementary schools	26.5%	244	25.0	29.0	38.0	35.0	40.0	59.0	41.0	$14,000	$2,664	$11,336
James Stephens Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1333 Marsh Ave	Fort Myers	33905	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 337-1333	541	25	22.0	70.1%	30 (5.5%)	246 (45.5%)	249 (46.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (2.8%)	18.5	1944^th of 2256 public elementary schools	13.8%		26.8	1688^th of 2240 public elementary schools	24.6%	256	28.0	16.0	19.0	48.0	57.0	26.0	31.0	$15,243	$3,820	$11,422
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)
Edgewood Academy	Public	PK, KG-5	3464 Edgewood Ave	Fort Myers	33916	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 334-6205	618	30	20.6	68.8%	39 (6.3%)	210 (34.0%)	347 (56.1%)	2 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	19 (3.1%)	10.8	2132^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	5.5%		23	1804^th of 2240 public elementary schools	19.5%	328	31.0	24.0	26.0	46.0	33.0	26.0	26.0	$16,842	$3,843	$12,998
Bayshore Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	17050 Williams Rd	North Fort Myers	33917	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 543-3663	596	27	22.3	48.8%	424 (71.1%)	2 (0.3%)	157 (26.3%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (1.8%)	56.5	934^th of 2256 public elementary schools	58.6%		60.4	828^th of 2240 public elementary schools	63.0%	106	60.0	54.0	49.0	52.0	75.0	67.0	47.0	$10,606	$1,523	$9,082
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
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
Tortuga Preserve Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1711 Gunnery Rd N	Lehigh Acres	33971	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 693-5023	1,110	54	20.5	65.0%	175 (15.8%)	211 (19.0%)	683 (61.5%)	8 (0.7%)	1 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (2.9%)	19.5	1916^th of 2256 public elementary schools	15.1%		30.3	1606^th of 2240 public elementary schools	28.3%	310	40.0	30.0	40.0	39.0	36.0	43.0	40.0	$10,730	$2,681	$8,049

Frequently Asked Questions about Manatee Elementary School

What schools do graduates of Manatee Elementary School attend?

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

Middle : Harns Marsh Middle School
Middle : Lehigh Acres Middle School
Middle : Oak Hammock Middle School
Middle : Varsity Lakes Middle School
High : Dunbar High School
High : East Lee County High School
High : Lehigh Senior High School
High : Riverdale High School

How many students attend Manatee Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 640 students attended Manatee Elementary School.

What is the racial makeup of Manatee Elementary School?

Students at Manatee Elementary School are 81% Hispanic, 9% African American, 9% White, 1% Two or more races.

Is Manatee Elementary School a good school?

Manatee Elementary School ranks 1662^nd of 2256 Florida elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

What district is Manatee 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.