Data shows overcrowding in Lee County’s public schools, mostly in East Zone

New numbers show dozens of overcrowded public schools across Lee County, and some officials hope the data will help funnel resources into the schools that need it most.

It took 46 days for our records request to be fulfilled by the School District of Lee County, and the data lists 28 schools at 100% capacity or higher, with eight schools sitting at 110% or higher.

The data measures the Florida Inventory of School Houses (FISH) capacity. It’s a tool used by the Florida Department of Education to measure students in “Permanent and relocatable buildings.”

The data shows the most overcrowded school is Three Oaks Elementary, which is in the South Zone and sits at 121% capacity, but that’s an outlier.

MAP: School District of Lee County Zones and Districts

We found that 16 of the 28 schools at or above 100% capacity sit in the East Zone, which includes Lehigh Acres. And seven of the top 10 most crowded schools sit in the East Zone, which are between 108% and 119% capacity.

Lee County School Board Member Gwyn Gittens, who represents District 5, hopes the District will use this data to drive resources to areas that need them most.

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