Lee Schools See Tremendous Growth in Florida Department of Education School Grades Report
The School District of Lee County is proud to report that the 2025-2026 District Grade Report shows the district earning its highest point total in a decade, alongside tremendous growth across all subject areas and school grades. A total of 29 schools improved their letter grade from a year ago. Notably, no school received a “D” or an “F” in this year's report.
"Our exceptional growth in student achievement is a victory shared by our entire community,” said Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin. “Seeing significant gains and multiple schools that improved by two letter grades is validation of the intentional, hard work occurring in our classrooms. This is what excellence in education looks like. Thank you to our principals, teachers, and support staff for your leadership and dedication to our students’ success. This isn’t just a win for our school district; this is a win for Lee County.”
In the 2025-2026 School Grades Report, 24 schools earned an “A” and 29 earned a “B,” meaning nearly two-thirds of the district's traditional public schools are now rated a “B” or higher. Furthermore, 4 schools improved by two letter grades, and 25 improved by one. Collectively, district schools earned 37 more points this year than last year.
With these achievements, the School District of Lee County successfully strengthened its overall “B” rating for the 2025-2026 school year. We are well on our way to achieving our goal of becoming an “A” school district by 2028.
Other highlights of the 2025-2026 School Grades Report include:
Elementary Schools
- Tortuga Preserve Elementary School improved to a “B” from a “D.”
- J. Colin English Elementary School improved to an “A” from a “C.”
- Hancock Creek Elementary School improved to an “A” from a “C.”
- San Carlos Park Elementary improved to an “A” from a “C.”
Middle Schools
- Harns Marsh Middle School improved to an “A” from a “B.”
- Trafalgar Middle School improved to an “A” from a “B.”
- Lexington Middle School improved to a “B” from a “C.”
- Mariner Middle School improved to a “B” from a “C.”
High Schools
- Gateway High School earned an “A” in just its sixth year of operation.
- Fort Myers High School improved to an “A” from a “B.”
- Cypress Lake High School improved to an “A” from a “B.”
These historic improvements are attributed to:
- Teachers: Certified teachers for students in every classroom.
- Incentive Pay: Up to $9,000 for teachers in critical subject areas at high-need schools.
- Targeted Mentorship: Increased instructional coaching and direct classroom support.
- Increased Learning Time: 30 minutes of additional instructional time in high schools.
- Reliable Transportation: A 98% on-time arrival rate in the morning for school buses.
- Focused Classrooms: A strict bell-to-bell ban on student cell phone use.
The work continues. We are on our way to an “A”!