Enrollment
730
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Fort Myers, FL
James Stephens Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for James Stephens Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 27/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 120108007597
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 38
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
James Stephens Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Florida schools.
- #21 of 29
- schools in Fort Myers · Resource Index
- 27
- Resource Index · Lower
- 28.1:1
- large classes for Florida
- 65.4%
- free-lunch eligible
James Stephens Elementary School has class sizes larger than 95% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, James Stephens Elementary School ranks #21 of 29 schools in Fort Myers, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
28.1:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+58% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
65.4%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
+26% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How James Stephens Elementary School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at James Stephens Elementary School
James Stephens Elementary School is a higher-need, mid-sized combined-grade school in Fort Myers, Florida, enrolling 730 students.
Class loads run heavy: 28.1:1 is larger than about 95% of Florida schools and 58% 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 65.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 730 students, its enrollment sits close to the Florida median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Among 1,045 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Florida schools statewide, it ranks #798, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (53%) and African American (39%) (diversity index 56/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 730 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 24.9% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
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 Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students) and Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students) alongside James Stephens 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 James Stephens Elementary School compares
James Stephens 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 | 28.1:1 | ▲ 58% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 65.4% | ▲ 26% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 730 | top 36% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
28.1:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
730
Bigger than 82% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
65.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 26% 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
28.1:1
students per teacher
- 58% above state mean
Top 95% in Florida - lower ratio than 5% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
24.9%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 730 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 40 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.7 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 6.2 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 53.0%
African American 38.9%
White 5.5%
Two or More 2.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 53.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.4/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.4, James Stephens 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 James Stephens 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 James Stephens Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Charter Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lehigh Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ida S. Baker High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| East Lee County High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to James Stephens Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 3,192
- Students per teacher
- 51.5:1
- Resource Index
- 52/100
- 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
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 (~730 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on James Stephens Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare James Stephens 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 James Stephens Elementary School
How many students attend James Stephens Elementary School?
James Stephens Elementary School has 730 students enrolled. It is a public school in Fort Myers, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at James Stephens Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at James Stephens Elementary School is 28.1:1, which is 58% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 79% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at James Stephens Elementary School?
65.4% of students at James Stephens Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of James Stephens Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at James Stephens Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 53.0% of enrollment, in Fort Myers, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.4/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for James Stephens Elementary School?
James Stephens Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 27/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does James Stephens Elementary School rank among schools in Fort Myers?
By Resource Investment Index, James Stephens Elementary School ranks #21 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 James Stephens Elementary School a good school?
James Stephens Elementary School earns 27/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 95% of Florida schools. 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 James Stephens Elementary School, Lee also operates Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students), Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students), and Gateway High School (2,343 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.