Lee County Schools Plan 10 New Buildings by 2028 as Student Population Grows

The Lee County School District is experiencing rapid growth in enrollment, with many schools over 100% capacity — particularly in the East and West Zones. This fast growth presents critical needs for infrastructure as the district tries to respond to demand.

Current enrollment is 88,043 students, and projections show that number could rise to nearly 107,000 by the 2034-2035 school year. To accommodate this influx of pupils, district officials are developing larger middle and high school facilities with increased capacity for middle schools from 1,200 to 1,500 students, and a high school from 2,000 to 2,800. The district is also looking at public-private partnerships to enhance opportunity.

A major project includes opening a new K-8 school in Cape Coral. This Cape Coral school will replace an elementary school that was destroyed by Hurricane Ian and will fill an essential need for seats in the area.

Beginning in 2026 and continuing through 2028, the district is under a capital project to construct three new schools each year. This initiative is part of a comprehensive expansion strategy aimed at addressing both current and future growth.

"The students have not stopped coming when we look at our initial enrollment," Superintendent Dr. Denise Carlin said during Tuesday's board meeting. "People have discovered Southwest Florida, and they will continue to discover it."

"We don't have enough seats in the West Zone," Board member Melisa Giovanneli said. "If we don't address that now, we are leaving that for someone to figure out down the road. (I would) hate to leave legacy of what we are leaving with the East Zone now in the West Zone."

District administrators stressed innovative solutions and collaboration to avoid future capacity issues. Their planning efforts are focused on ensuring the district has the facilities necessary to address the needs of a rapidly expanding student population to prevent recreating the situation currently experienced in the East Zone.