Public schools in Cape Coral, FL
27 open public schools with an address in Cape Coral, operated by 1 education agency. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
27
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
26,970
27 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
19.1:1
Florida median 16.8:1
Charter schools
7
1 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Cape Coral public schools
The federal directory lists 27 public schools in Cape Coral, FL: 13 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high. The 27 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 26,970 students, an average of 999 per school. The largest campus is Ida S. Baker High School (2,191 students), and the largest elementary school is Gulf Elementary School (1,193).
Every listed school belongs to Lee. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 19.1:1, higher than the statewide school median of 16.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 7 charter schools, 1 magnet school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 5 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 3 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 43% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Cape Coral
Elementary schools in Cape Coral
13| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caloosa Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 968 | 16.6:1 | |
| Cape Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 798 | 20:1 | |
| Diplomat Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 1,066 | 17.2:1 | |
| Gulf Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 1,193 | 17.2:1 | |
| Hector A. Cafferata Jr. K-8 School Lee | KG–08 | 606 | 17.8:1 | |
| Heritage Charter Academy of Cape Coral Lee · Charter | KG–08 | 234 | — | |
| Mid Cape Global Academy Lee · Charter | PK–08 | 1,145 | 21.6:1 | |
| Oasis Charter Elementary School-South Lee · Charter | KG–05 | 875 | 17.2:1 | |
| Oasis Elementary Charter School-North Lee · Charter | KG–05 | 813 | 16.3:1 | |
| Patriot Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 954 | 19.1:1 | |
| Pelican Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 963 | 18.9:1 | |
| Skyline Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 1,141 | 18.7:1 | |
| Trafalgar Elementary School Lee | PK–05 | 910 | 17.9:1 |
Middle schools in Cape Coral
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caloosa Middle School Lee | 06–08 | 1,018 | 20.8:1 | |
| Challenger Middle School Lee | 06–08 | 999 | 18.7:1 | |
| Diplomat Middle School Lee | 06–08 | 1,097 | 21.8:1 | |
| Gulf Middle School Lee | 06–08 | 901 | 19.5:1 | |
| Mariner Middle School Lee | 06–08 | 691 | 21.3:1 | |
| Oasis Charter Middle School Lee · Charter | 06–08 | 846 | 19.2:1 | |
| Trafalgar Middle School Lee | 06–08 | 962 | 18.7:1 |
High schools in Cape Coral
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral High School Lee · Magnet | 09–12 | 2,008 | 22.6:1 | |
| Cape Coral Technical College Lee · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | 0:1 | |
| Ida S. Baker High School Lee | 09–12 | 2,191 | 23.2:1 | |
| Island Coast High School Lee | 09–12 | 1,477 | 23.9:1 | |
| Mariner High School Lee | 09–12 | 1,865 | 23.6:1 | |
| North Nicholas High School Lee · Charter · Alternative School | 07–12 | 353 | 50.4:1 | |
| Oasis Charter High School Lee · Charter | 09–12 | 896 | — |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White41.3%
- Hispanic47.4%
- Black5.8%
- Asian1.4%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial3.9%
Enrollment-weighted across 26 Cape Coral schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (26,970 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Cape Coral
How many public schools are in Cape Coral, FL?
The current NCES directory lists 27 open public schools with a location address in Cape Coral: 13 elementary, 7 middle, 7 high. Together they reported 26,970 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Cape Coral?
All listed public schools with an address in Cape Coral belong to Lee. Mailing cities do not always match district boundaries, so confirm the district for a specific home address.
What is the largest public high school in Cape Coral?
Ida S. Baker High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Cape Coral, with 2,191 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Cape Coral?
Yes. 7 of the 27 public schools in Cape Coral are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Heritage Charter Academy of Cape Coral, Mid Cape Global Academy, North Nicholas High School. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Cape Coral schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Cape Coral public schools is 19.1:1, higher than the Florida school median of 16.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Cape Coral guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Florida cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Florida cities