The top reported proficiency rate is 5% in English language arts. The lowest is 0% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Success Academy
Success Academy sits on Michigan Avenue in Fort Myers, Florida, classified as an alternative school serving grades six through twelve within the Lee County school district. Its enrollment is very small, with fewer than a hundred students spread across all seven grade levels, making it one of the smallest settings in the district. The student body is predominantly Hispanic and Black, with a substantial share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, which signals a high concentration of economic need. Data on English learner and special education populations were not reported, so those dimensions are not available here.
Because this is an alternative school, the academic profile needs to be read in that context before drawing any conclusions. Alternative schools in Florida typically serve students who have not succeeded in, or have been removed from, traditional settings, including students who are overage for grade, credit-deficient, or navigating significant personal challenges. The school's state assessment results, reported on Florida's FAST and Statewide Science Assessment, show proficiency rates that are very low across all tested grades and subjects. Math proficiency was reported at zero across sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. ELA proficiency was in the low single digits for seventh and eighth grade and slightly higher, though still very low, for sixth grade. Science proficiency for eighth grade was also in the low single digits. A parent reading these figures should understand they reflect the population the school serves, students who arrive with academic gaps often measured in years, and that raw proficiency scores at an alternative school carry a different meaning than the same scores at a conventional middle or high school. That said, the data do not show trajectory or growth, so it is not possible to say whether students are progressing during their time here. That is a question worth asking directly of the school.
No graduation rate data were available. For a school of this type, graduation outcomes and credit recovery rates are among the most meaningful measures, and a parent interested in what happens to students who complete the program should ask the school for that information.
Program details were not available in the data, so specific course offerings, support services, counseling resources, or vocational pathways cannot be described. Families considering this school would benefit from a direct conversation about what the instructional model looks like and what support structures exist for students transitioning back to a traditional setting or toward a diploma.
The school is located in Fort Myers, the county seat of Lee County and a city that is part of one of the faster-growing metros in the country, though growth has moderated from a sharp surge a few years ago. Downtown Fort Myers, known as the River District, has a walkable historic core with restaurants, galleries, and waterfront access, though most of the wider city and surrounding region is car-dependent. Housing near the school sits well below the Florida statewide median and has declined modestly year over year, making the area relatively more accessible than many parts of the state, though rent-to-income ratios remain stretched. The major employers in the region are anchored in healthcare, led by Lee Health, alongside government, retail, and hospitality.
At the district level, Lee County has recently overhauled its student assignment system through a proximity-based plan that replaced the long-standing school choice model, changes that affect which schools students can enroll in and whether transportation is provided. The district superintendent is now an elected partisan position following a voter referendum, a governance shift from the prior appointed model. A voter-approved sales tax has funded capital improvements, safety upgrades, and new school construction across the district, though that tax is scheduled to expire in 2028 and its renewal is an open question.
For a family whose student is currently enrolled in or being referred to an alternative program, Success Academy may represent a meaningful option, and the key questions are about what direct student support, credit recovery, and post-program planning the school provides. The standard academic proficiency comparison is genuinely not the right lens here, and the absence of that context from the data is worth naming plainly when a parent tries to interpret what they see.
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