Enrollment
3,192
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Myers, FL
Gateway Charter Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Gateway Charter Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 52/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120108004109Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 86
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Gateway Charter Elementary School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida.
- #4 of 29
- schools in Fort Myers · Resource Index
- 52
- Resource Index · Higher
- 51.5:1
- large classes for Florida
- 62.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Gateway Charter Elementary School has class sizes larger than 99% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Gateway Charter Elementary School ranks #4 of 29 schools in Fort Myers, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
62.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
51.5:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+189% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+21% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Gateway Charter Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at Gateway Charter Elementary School
Gateway Charter Elementary School is a higher-need, large charter combined-grade school in Fort Myers, Florida, enrolling 3,192 students.
Class loads run heavy: 51.5:1 is larger than about 99% of Florida schools and 189% above the 17.8:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.9% of students eligible for free meals.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 99% of state schools at 3,192 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 63 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (48%) and African American (29%) (diversity index 65/100).
Attendance holds up well here: only 5.6% of students were chronically absent, below the typical post-pandemic national figure.
Its district draws 17.0% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Lee also operates Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students) and Gateway High School (2,343 students) alongside Gateway Charter Elementary School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Gateway Charter Elementary School compares
Gateway Charter Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Florida and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Florida | Florida avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 51.5:1 | ▲ 189% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.9% | ▲ 21% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 3,192 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
51.5:1
Leaner classes than 0% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
3,192
Bigger than 99% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 21% above the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
51.5:1
students per teacher
- 189% above state mean
Top 99% in Florida - lower ratio than 1% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
5.6%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 5-10% range, close to the pre-pandemic national baseline.
Funding equity
$10,788
per pupil, district-wide
- below Florida avg of $11,167
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
43
in-school suspensions + 17 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.9 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 48.3%
African American 28.6%
White 17.9%
Two or More 2.9%
Asian 1.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Gateway Charter Elementary School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee, which includes Gateway Charter Elementary School.
$10,788
Per student
-3%
vs Florida
Avg $11,167
-35%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.0%
State 25.0%
Federal 17.0%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Gateway Charter Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lehigh Senior High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Ida S. Baker High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| East Lee County High School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Cape Coral High School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Gateway Charter Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,550
- Students per teacher
- 23.8:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
- Enrollment
- 2,343
- Students per teacher
- 31.2:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 2,191
- Students per teacher
- 27.4:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,129
- Students per teacher
- 26.3:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
- Enrollment
- 2,008
- Students per teacher
- 26.1:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Florida, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~3,192 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Gateway Charter Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Gateway Charter Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Lee's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Gateway Charter Elementary School
How many students attend Gateway Charter Elementary School?
Gateway Charter Elementary School has 3,192 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Myers, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Gateway Charter Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Gateway Charter Elementary School is 51.5:1, which is 189% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 228% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Gateway Charter Elementary School?
62.9% of students at Gateway Charter Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Gateway Charter Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Gateway Charter Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.3% of enrollment, in Fort Myers, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Gateway Charter Elementary School?
Gateway Charter Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 52/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Gateway Charter Elementary School rank among schools in Fort Myers?
By Resource Investment Index, Gateway Charter Elementary School ranks #4 of 29 schools in Fort Myers, FL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Fort Myers on the city page.
Is Gateway Charter Elementary School a good school?
Gateway Charter Elementary School earns 52/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 99% of Florida schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Florida. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Lee?
Besides Gateway Charter Elementary School, Lee also operates Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students), Gateway High School (2,343 students), and Ida S. Baker High School (2,191 students). See the Lee district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.