Enrollment
1,693
Florida · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Fort Myers, FL
South Fort Myers High School
Federal NCES profile for South Fort Myers High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 120108003952
👥 S:T ratio 18
📚 AP courses 35
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 44
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
South Fort Myers High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% of Florida schools.
- #3 of 8
- high schools in Fort Myers · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 20.4:1
- large classes for Florida
- 49.9%
- free-lunch eligible
South Fort Myers High School has class sizes larger than 78% of Florida schools. Computed live against every Florida school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, South Fort Myers High School ranks #3 of 8 high schools in Fort Myers, FL.
School address
Teachers (FTE)
83.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
20.4:1
vs 17.8:1 Florida avg
+15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
49.9%
vs 52.0% Florida avg
-4% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How South Fort Myers High School compares with Florida and U.S. medians
What stands out at South Fort Myers High School
South Fort Myers High School is a large high school in Fort Myers, Florida, enrolling 1,693 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 20.4:1 puts it in the larger third of Florida schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 49.9% lands close to the Florida typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Florida, bigger than 93% of state schools at 1,693 students.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 3,996 scored Florida schools.
Against 357 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #143.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and African American (23%) (diversity index 57/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 7 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor coverage runs a bit thin, about 282 students per counselor, somewhat past the ASCA-recommended 250:1 benchmark.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 51.7% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data 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.
The federal civil-rights collection also records 6 expulsions at this campus for 2021-22.
Lee also operates Gateway Charter Elementary School (3,192 students) and Lehigh Senior High School (2,550 students) alongside South Fort Myers High 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 South Fort Myers High School compares
South Fort Myers High 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 | 20.4:1 | ▲ 15% | 17.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 49.9% | ▼ 4% | 52.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,693 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
20.4:1
Leaner classes than 15% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,693
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
49.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 4% below the Florida average of 52.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
20.4:1
students per teacher
- 15% above state mean
Top 78% in Florida - lower ratio than 22% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
51.7%
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
Counselors6.0 FTE
Per 282 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
108
in-school suspensions + 48 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 6.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 9.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection. Includes 6 expulsions.
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 60.0%
African American 22.6%
White 14.2%
Two or More 1.7%
Asian 1.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.8, South Fort Myers High School is more mixed than the Florida school average of 52.3.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee, which includes South Fort Myers High 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 South Fort Myers High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gateway Charter Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lehigh Senior High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Gateway High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ida S. Baker High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| East Lee County High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to South Fort Myers High 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 high 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 (~1,693 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~20.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on South Fort Myers High School's federal record.
- Compare South Fort Myers High 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 South Fort Myers High School
How many students attend South Fort Myers High School?
South Fort Myers High School has 1,693 students enrolled. It is a high school in Fort Myers, FL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at South Fort Myers High School?
The student-teacher ratio at South Fort Myers High School is 20.4:1, which is 15% higher than the Florida average of 17.8:1 and 30% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at South Fort Myers High School?
49.9% of students at South Fort Myers High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Florida average of 52.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of South Fort Myers High School?
The largest demographic group at South Fort Myers High School is Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment, in Fort Myers, FL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for South Fort Myers High School?
South Fort Myers High School has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does South Fort Myers High School rank among high schools in Fort Myers?
By Resource Investment Index, South Fort Myers High School ranks #3 of 8 high 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 high schools in Fort Myers on the city page.
Is South Fort Myers High School a good school?
South Fort Myers High School earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 78% 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 South Fort Myers High 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.