Teaching & learning
District profile / Florida
School District of Lee County
102,506
Students
2024-25 school year
119
Schools
2024-25 school year
$9,815
Spending per student
FY2020-21 · 6% below the Florida median
20.5
Students per teacher
2024-25 · Florida median 17.4
School District of Lee County is a public school district based in Fort Myers, Florida, serving 102,506 students in 119 schools. By enrollment it ranks #8 of the 66 Florida districts with 1,000 or more students, larger than about 89% of them. Its schools average 861 students each, more than the Florida median of 572. Its superintendent is Dr. Denise Carlin. It spends about $9,815 per student on day-to-day operations, 6% less than the Florida median. It has roughly 20.5 students per teacher. We've matched 6 news stories to the district.
How School District of Lee County compares
School District of Lee CountyFlorida median, districts with 1,000+ students
Spending and staffing
Where the money comes from$1.19 billion in revenue · FY2020-21
Federal 11%State 30%Local 59%
| Measure | School District of Lee County | Florida median | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current spending per student | $9,815 | $10,483 | FY2020-21 |
| Instruction spending per student | $5,726 | $5,885 | FY2020-21 |
| Total spending | $1.15 billion | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Total revenue | $1.19 billion | n/a | FY2020-21 |
| Teachers (full-time equivalent) | 4,996 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Total staff (full-time equivalent) | 12,201 | n/a | 2024-25 |
| Students per teacher | 20.5 | 17.4 | 2024-25 |
| Students per counselor | 614 | 428 | 2024-25 |
Spending: NCES school district finance survey (F-33), FY2020-21. Staffing and enrollment: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25. Via the Urban Institute Education Data Portal. The Florida median compares districts with 1,000 or more students.
Leadership
Moves tracker →Dr. Denise Carlin
Source: Florida Department of Education, Superintendents, checked 2026-10-04. Report a change
In the news
6 stories matchedLeadership
Meet Lee County School Board candidate Crystal Johnson before election
Leadership
Lee County School Board incumbent Armor Person makes case for reelection
Leadership
Lee County School Board candidate Tony Beougher touts business skills for District 4
Leadership
Meet Lee County School Board incumbent Debbie Jordan ahead of election
Teaching & learning
Lee County schools tightening athletic standards after investigations into Mariner, North Fort Myers programs
Peer districts in Florida
Compare side by side →| District | Students | Schools | Spending per student | Students per teacher | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duval County Public SchoolsJacksonville | 130,054 | 203 | $10,097 | 19.1 | #6 |
| Polk County Public SchoolsBartow | 111,372 | 165 | $10,587 | 19.3 | #7 |
| School District of Lee CountyFort Myers · this district | 102,506 | 119 | $9,815 | 20.5 | #8 |
| Pinellas County SchoolsLargo | 87,876 | 153 | $11,039 | 15.9 | #9 |
| Pasco County SchoolsLand O Lakes | 86,627 | 107 | $9,523 | 16.7 | #10 |
Similar-size districts nationally
| District | Students | Spending per student | Students per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore County Public SchoolsTowson, MD | 110,024 | $15,624 | 15.0 |
| Cobb CountyMarietta, GA | 105,738 | $11,902 | 14.1 |
| Northside ISDSan Antonio, TX | 100,208 | $9,751 | 14.2 |
| Katy ISDKaty, TX | 96,111 | $10,299 | 13.9 |
Peers are the districts closest in enrollment, so they can still differ in many other ways. Enrollment, school counts and phone numbers are from the NCES Common Core of Data, 2024-25.
Printed from Superintendent's Corner: https://superintendentscorner.com/district-fl-school-district-of-lee-county