Best Schools in Fort Pierce, Florida
33 schools · 14 Elementary · 2 Middle · 8 High · 9 Other
Choosing a school in Fort Pierce?
Use this page to compare every school in Fort Pierce by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.
Shortlist starter
Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.
Fairlawn Elementary School
Elementary · St. Lucie. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies
Elementary · St. Lucie. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie
Elementary · St. Lucie. Ranked from real test data; compare it on the map and table below.
The short answer
The top-rated schools in Fort Pierce for 2026 are Fairlawn Elementary School (9.0/10), Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies (8.7/10), and Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie (8.3/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 32 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.
Schools
33
21 public · 12 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$259,429
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Schools
33
21 public · 12 private
Avg Score
5.8
out of 10
Median Home
$259,429
home value · ACS
District
1
serving the city
Rates 9.0/10 despite 57% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 3.3 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Fort Pierce schools.
Top-Rated Schools in Fort Pierce
Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (32 of 33). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.
| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairlawn Elementary School | 9.0 / 10 |
| 2 | Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies | 8.7 / 10 |
| 3 | Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie | 8.3 / 10 |
| 4 | St Andrew's Episcopal Academy | 7.1 / 10 |
| 5 | Sun Grove Montessori School | 7.1 / 10 |
| 6 | Independence Classical Academy | 6.5 / 10 |
| 7 | Orange Avenue Baptist School | 6.4 / 10 |
| 8 | Loving Care Young Achievers Club | 6.4 / 10 |
| 9 | Chester A. Moore Elementary School | 6.3 / 10 |
| 10 | Liberty Baptist Academy | 6.3 / 10 |
See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.
Family Snapshot
At a glance- Avg school rating
- 5.8/10
- Median household income
- $58,813
- Median home value
- $259,429
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 21%
- Avg commute
- 27 min
- Owner-occupied homes
- 68%
16% of schools rated 7+
Census ACS, ZIPs in this city
Owner-occupied units
Adults 25+
Workers age 16+
Of occupied housing units
How Fort Pierce compares
Florida rank
#215 of 280
cities by avg. school score
Vs. state average
-0.5
below Florida avg (6.3)
Median household income
$59k
79% of Florida median
Schools in this city
32
About Schools in Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, Florida has 20 ranked public schools with an average score of 6.3 out of 10 — a competitive baseline with meaningful spread across the district. Nine of those 20 schools, or 45%, score 7 or higher, which means nearly half the public options here sit in solidly above-average territory for parents doing their homework.
Elementary performance drives that headline number. Fairlawn Elementary leads the city at 9.3 out of 10, placing it among the strongest public elementary schools in the region. Creative Arts Academy of St. Lucie follows at 8.5, giving families a strong magnet-style option focused on the arts alongside traditional academics. Samuel S. Gaines Academy of Emerging Technologies rounds out the elite tier at 8.3, offering a STEM-oriented curriculum for families who want that specialization early. Lawnwood Elementary (7.9) and Frances K. Sweet Elementary (7.1) extend the upper tier further, meaning Fort Pierce has five elementary schools scoring 7.0 or better — a genuine concentration of strong options at the foundational level.
The practical implication for parents is that school selection matters significantly here. The gap between the city's top performer (9.3) and the average (6.3) spans three full points, which means address and enrollment choices have real academic consequences. Families with elementary-age children have the most to gain from active school selection — three of the top five schools offer distinct programmatic identities (arts, emerging tech) that can match a child's strengths rather than just proximity.
For middle and high school families, the 45% rate of 7-plus schools still gives Fort Pierce a reasonable share of strong options, though the elementary pipeline is clearly the district's most concentrated strength. Parents should check school-level scores directly on MySchoolScout rather than relying on district averages, since the 6.3 mean obscures how unevenly performance distributes across these 20 schools. The top tier is genuinely strong; the distance to the bottom is real.
Elementary Schools
14 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 646 students · Pre-K–5th | 9.0 |
| 2 | 702 students · Pre-K–8th | 8.7 |
| 3 | 468 students · Kindergarten–8th | 8.3 |
| 4 | 429 students · Kindergarten–8th | 6.3 |
| 5 | 783 students · Pre-K–5th | 5.6 |
| 6 | 364 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.8 |
| 7 | 504 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.7 |
| 8 | 640 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.7 |
| 9 | 662 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.2 |
| 10 | 728 students · Pre-K–5th | 4.1 |
Show all 14 elementary schools in Fort Pierce
Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models, so scores are not directly comparable across school types.
Middle Schools
2 schools| # | School | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 711 students · 6th–8th | 5.0 |
| 2 | 853 students · 6th–8th | 4.2 |
High Schools
8 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 141 students · 9th–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 2 | 1,680 students · 6th–12th | 5.8 | ||
| 3 | 37 students · 6th–12th | 5.3 | ||
| 4 | 3,187 students · 9th–12th | 4.6 | ||
| 5 | 1,956 students · 9th–12th | 4.2 | ||
| 6 | 14 students · 6th–12th | — | ||
Private Schools2 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | St James AcademyPrivate 300 students · 9th–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | 374 students · 6th–12th | Not Rated | ||
Other Schools
9 schools| # | School | Rating | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 472 students · Kindergarten–12th | 6.5 | ||
| 2 | 65 students · Kindergarten–12th | 5.4 | ||
| 3 | 212 students · Pre-K–12th | 4.8 | ||
Private Schools6 schools Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types. | ||||
| 1 | 225 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 2 | Orange Avenue Baptist SchoolPrivate 52 students · 1st–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 3 | 117 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 4 | Liberty Baptist AcademyPrivate 340 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
| 5 | 36 students · Kindergarten–11th | Not Rated | ||
| 6 | 716 students · Pre-K–12th | Not Rated | ||
Schools in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce, Florida · 33 schools
Community Demographics
Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 7 ZIP codes
Median Income
$58,813
Median Home Value
$259,429
Median Rent
$1,246/mo
Population
106,772
College Educated
21%
Homeownership
68%
Avg Commute
27 min
Poverty Rate
18.6%
Community Profile
Fort Pierce has a median household income of $58,813. It is a community where 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $259,429, with a median rent of $1,246/month. The area has a poverty rate of 18.6%. The average commute for residents is 27 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.
Schools by Level
- State
- Florida
- Elementary
- 14
- Middle
- 2
- High
- 8
- Other
- 9
Resources
School District
Nearby Cities
Other Major Cities in Florida
Top metros statewide by school count.
How we rate schools
A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.
See how we rateFrequently Asked Questions
Common questions about schools in Fort Pierce, Florida
How many schools are in Fort Pierce, Florida?
Fort Pierce has 33 schools, including 21 public and 12 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.
What is the average school rating in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Fort Pierce is 5.8 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.
What is the top-ranked school in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The top-ranked school in Fort Pierce on MySchoolScout is Fairlawn Elementary School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best elementary school in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The top-ranked elementary school in Fort Pierce on MySchoolScout is Fairlawn Elementary School with a composite score of 9.0/10.
What is the best middle school in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The top-ranked middle school in Fort Pierce on MySchoolScout is Dan Mccarty Middle School with a composite score of 5.0/10.
What is the best high school in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The top-ranked high school in Fort Pierce on MySchoolScout is St James Academy with a composite score of 6.1/10.
How many school districts serve Fort Pierce, Florida?
Fort Pierce is served by 1 school district: St. Lucie.
What is the education level in Fort Pierce, Florida?
According to Census data, 21% of adults in Fort Pierce have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the median income in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The median household income in Fort Pierce is approximately $58,813 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.
Are there private schools in Fort Pierce, Florida?
Yes, Fort Pierce has 12 private schools alongside 21 public schools. The top-rated private school is St Andrew's Episcopal Academy with a score of 7.1/10.
What is the student-teacher ratio in Fort Pierce, Florida?
The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Fort Pierce is 15.3:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.
How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Fort Pierce, Florida?
MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.
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Data from NCES Common Core of Data, Florida Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.