Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

Summary:

Tortuga Preserve Elementary School is a public elementary school located in Lehigh Acres, Florida, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 1,104 students. 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.

Tortuga Preserve Elementary School faces significant challenges, including a high chronic absenteeism rate of 37.1% in 2022-2023, which is notably higher than the district and state averages. The school also consistently underperforms compared to the Veterans Park Academy For The Arts, Lehigh Elementary School, and Gateway Elementary School in the same district, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Math that are 5-10 percentage points lower. Additionally, Tortuga Preserve has a high percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, ranging from 62.76% to 64.41% over the past three school years, suggesting a higher proportion of economically disadvantaged students.

Despite an increase in per-student spending from $8,510 in 2019-2020 to $10,730 in 2022-2023, Tortuga Preserve Elementary School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of Florida elementary schools, with a ranking between 1,447 and 1,916 out of approximately 2,200-2,250 schools over the past several years. This persistent low ranking indicates a need for comprehensive school improvement strategies to address the school's performance and provide targeted interventions and support to address the underlying causes of absenteeism and support economically disadvantaged students.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

1711 Gunnery Rd N
Lehigh Acres, FL 33971

(239) 693-5023

District: Lee

SchoolDigger Rank:
1916^th of 2,256 Florida Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $10,730

Students who attend Tortuga Preserve 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: 20.5

Number of students: 1,110

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

61.5%

African American:

19.0%

White:

15.8%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 65%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Tortuga Preserve Elementary School ranks worse than 84.9% of elementary schools in Florida. It also ranks 48^th among 58 ranked elementary schools in the Lee School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 19.51. (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 Student population at Tortuga Preserve Elementary School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (61.5%), African American (19%), White (15.8%). (See more...)

Compare Details 65% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Tortuga Preserve Elementary School is 20.5. 34 elementary schools in the Lee School District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)

Compare Tortuga Preserve Elementary School employs 54 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Tortuga Preserve Elementary School is $10,730. 33 elementary schools in the Lee School District spend more per student.

Schooldigger Rankings:

Tortuga Preserve 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 Parent Rating:

Read all reviews and ratings detail for Tortuga Preserve Elementary School.

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Rank History for Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

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Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	FL State Percentile
2014	18.37	1791^st	2064	13.2%
2016	30.15	1510^th	2087	27.6%
2017	29.09	1527^th	2112	27.7%
2018	45.83	1154^th	2118	45.5%
2019	34.51	1474^th	2182	32.4%
2021	34.79	1447^th	2247	35.6%
2022	29.55	1582^nd	2219	28.7%
2023	30.29	1606^th	2240	28.3%
2024	19.51	1916^th	2256	15.1%

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: 5)

100%

Reviews:

by a parent
Monday, February 2, 2015

The teachers Kindergarten, First and second GRade so far are very good, very dedicated, I know this because I am a parent of 2 kids and go almost everyday to help as volunteer in the school. The school has a New principal now, He seems nice and with a lot of new and good ideas to help the school. I am very happy with this school! Close Quote

Enrollment information for Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2013	160	183	1	339	3	0	11	697
2014	227	225	3	419	2	2	23	901
2015	220	228	8	462	4	1	31	954
2016	226	213	11	446	3	2	31	932
2017	207	220	7	527	2	3	37	1003
2018	200	238	8	508	2	1	38	995
2019	191	210	5	544	2	1	32	985
2020	177	205	7	567	5	1	33	995
2021	164	195	6	544	3	1	34	947
2022	188	197	7	610	4	1	43	1050
2023	186	206	10	660	3	1	38	1104
2024	175	211	8	683	1	0	32	1110

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 Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	697	48.0	14.5	83.8
2014	901	60.0	15.0	82.2
2015	954	67.0	14.2	85.3
2016	932	69.0	13.5	69.6
2017	1003	73.0	13.7	66.1
2018	995	77.0	12.9	66.6
2019	985	67.0	14.7	61.8
2020	995	59.0	16.8	61.5
2021	947	63.0	15.0	64.4
2022	1050	63.0	16.6	62.8
2023	1104	62.0	17.8	63.7
2024	1110	54.0	20.5	65

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 Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2013	697	48.0	14.5	83.8
2014	901	60.0	15.0	82.2
2015	954	67.0	14.2	85.3
2016	932	69.0	13.5	69.6
2017	1003	73.0	13.7	66.1
2018	995	77.0	12.9	66.6
2019	985	67.0	14.7	61.8
2020	995	59.0	16.8	61.5
2021	947	63.0	15.0	64.4
2022	1050	63.0	16.6	62.8
2023	1104	62.0	17.8	63.7
2024	1110	54.0	20.5	65

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 Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2018	$1,304 (14.8%)	$7,515 (85.2%)	$8,819
2019	$1,266 (14.0%)	$7,752 (86.0%)	$9,019
2020	$1,206 (14.2%)	$7,303 (85.8%)	$8,510
2021	$1,417 (14.9%)	$8,091 (85.1%)	$9,508
2022	$2,280 (22.7%)	$7,747 (77.3%)	$10,027
2023	$2,681 (25.0%)	$8,049 (75.0%)	$10,730

Data source: Florida Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Tortuga Preserve 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 1474^th of 2182 Elementary schools	Ranks 1606^th of 2240 Elementary schools	4.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	52	37	15%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	58	48	10%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	53	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	54	46	8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee)	61	56	5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Florida)	62	58	4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	40	46	6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	55	52	3%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	58	57	1%
4th Grade Mathematics (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	53	47	6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	62	59	3%
4th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	64	61	3%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	43	44	1%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Lee)	54	50	4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Florida)	56	55	1%
5th Grade Mathematics (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	54	43	11%
5th Grade Mathematics (Lee)	58	51	7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Florida)	60	52	8%
5th Grade Science (Tortuga Preserve Elementary School)	48	43	5%
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	985	1104	12.1%
African American	210	206	1.9%
American Indian	2	3	50%
Asian	5	10	100%
Hispanic	544	660	21.3%
Pacific Islander	1	1
White	191	186	2.6%
Two or More Races	32	38	18.8%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	61.8%	63.7%	1.9%

Schools Near Tortuga Preserve 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)		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 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 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 Civics End of Course	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
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
Harns Marsh Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1800 Unice Ave N	Lehigh Acres	33971	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 690-1249	1,056	49	21.6	72.9%	130 (12.3%)	234 (22.2%)	660 (62.5%)	3 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (2.7%)	21.8	1852^nd of 2256 public elementary schools	17.9%		25.3	1737^th of 2240 public elementary schools	22.5%	115	35.0	26.0	45.0				41.0	41.0	39.0				46.0					$10,331	$2,243	$8,088
Sunshine Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	601 Sara Ave N	Lehigh Acres	33971	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 369-5836	1,377	57	24.1	75.4%	120 (8.7%)	357 (25.9%)	856 (62.2%)	6 (0.4%)	2 (0.1%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (2.6%)	19.6	1913^th of 2256 public elementary schools	15.2%		21.6	1848^th of 2240 public elementary schools	17.5%	65	36.0	33.0	41.0				42.0	34.0	36.0				45.0					$10,109	$2,588	$7,521
Gateway Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	13280 Griffin Dr	Fort Myers	33913	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 768-3737	846	41	20.8	49.1%	276 (32.6%)	139 (16.4%)	370 (43.7%)	17 (2.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	43 (5.1%)	40.6	1325^th of 2256 public elementary schools	41.3%		47.3	1153^rd of 2240 public elementary schools	48.5%	172	46.0	44.0	44.0				56.0	65.0	47.0				44.0					$10,088	$1,833	$8,255
G. Weaver Hipps Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	1200 Homestead Rd N	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 368-7042	633	32	19.7	76.9%	88 (13.9%)	92 (14.5%)	415 (65.6%)	7 (1.1%)	4 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	26 (4.1%)	49	1114^th of 2256 public elementary schools	50.6%		17.8	1965^th of 2240 public elementary schools	12.3%	851	41.0	46.0	63.0				53.0	58.0	59.0				58.0					$10,613	$2,420	$8,193
Treeline Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	10900 Treeline Ave	Fort Myers	33913	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	No	(239) 768-5208	1,127	56	19.9	50.7%	354 (31.4%)	237 (21.0%)	433 (38.4%)	56 (5.0%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.2%)	44 (3.9%)	34.3	1507^th of 2256 public elementary schools	33.2%		34.1	1491^st of 2240 public elementary schools	33.4%	16	52.0	44.0	48.0				46.0	37.0	52.0				44.0					$9,612	$1,520	$8,093
River Hall Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	2800 River Hall Pkwy	Alva	33920	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 693-0349	890	33	26.9	55.4%	396 (44.5%)	93 (10.4%)	348 (39.1%)	10 (1.1%)	1 (0.1%)	1 (0.1%)	41 (4.6%)	42.4	1281^st of 2256 public elementary schools	43.2%		32.7	1536^th of 2240 public elementary schools	31.4%	255	51.0	32.0	44.0				64.0	46.0	57.0				55.0					$10,331	$2,356	$7,975
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
Veterans Park Academy For The Arts	Public, Magnet	PK, KG-8	49 Homestead Rd S	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	Yes	No	Yes	(239) 303-3003	1,741	102	17.1	69.7%	263 (15.1%)	318 (18.3%)	1,092 (62.7%)	11 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	2 (0.1%)	54 (3.1%)	35.8	1465^th of 2256 public elementary schools	35.1%		35.9	1442^nd of 2240 public elementary schools	35.6%	23	40.0	38.0	55.0	48.0	48.0	48.0	49.0	39.0	56.0	45.0	48.0	65.0	59.0	46.0	83.0	80.0	70.0	$10,518	$2,481	$8,037
Lehigh Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	200 Schoolside Dr	Lehigh Acres	33936	Lee County	Lee	No	No	No	Yes	(239) 369-2477	1,227	62	19.9	76.0%	184 (15.0%)	164 (13.4%)	827 (67.4%)	6 (0.5%)	5 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (3.3%)	25.9	1741^st of 2256 public elementary schools	22.8%		26.5	1696^th of 2240 public elementary schools	24.3%	45	46.0	29.0	43.0				53.0	36.0	39.0				44.0					$10,664	$2,472	$8,193

Frequently Asked Questions about Tortuga Preserve Elementary School

How many students attend Tortuga Preserve Elementary School?

In the 2023-24 school year, 1,110 students attended Tortuga Preserve Elementary School.

What district is Tortuga Preserve Elementary School in?

Lee

What is the racial makeup of Tortuga Preserve Elementary School?

Students at Tortuga Preserve Elementary School are 62% Hispanic, 19% African American, 16% White, 3% Two or more races.

Is Tortuga Preserve Elementary School a good school?

Tortuga Preserve Elementary School ranks in the bottom 15.1% of Florida elementary schools.

What schools do graduates of Tortuga Preserve Elementary School attend?

Students who attend Tortuga Preserve 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

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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.