through state and federal funds and grants. A local board of directors sets policies, and one of the few admission demands is that the student live in Cape Coral. These schools require parental involvement, often up to 30 volunteer hours assisting in school activities, attending meetings with teachers and more. The charter schools also get high grades from the state in their annual assessments. Most have waiting lists, so interested parents are advised to contact the school as early as possible.
There are several higher education opportunities for high school graduates and for adults interested in a new profession or an advanced degree.
Cape Coral Technical College offers postsecondary, college-level curriculum and students can earn college credit that transfers to public state and community colleges. There are an estimated 300 fulltime students at the Cape Coral campus. Run by the Lee County School District, the school offers training in business, health care, hospitality and technology for a minimal tuition.
Florida Gulf Coast University( FGCU) offers satellite classes in Cape Coral in addition to regular classes and four-year degrees at the main campus in southeast Lee County. FGCU’ s Small Business Development Center has a Cape Coral office located at 1020 Cultural Park Blvd. S., with numerous programs to help small business owners, including confidential assessment and counseling.
Just across the river from Cape Coral, Florida SouthWestern State College offers more than 45 academic programs for twoyear and four-year degrees. Many working students take classes on a part-time basis to balance the load. Although Florida SouthWestern was a commuter school for decades, it’ s now home to new residential dormitories, and a stadium is under construction for the future Buccaneers.
A keen focus on teaching job-related skills is shared by private higher-education institutions in the region, which include Hodges University, Southern Technical College, Keiser University, Rasmussen College and Nova Southeastern University. capecoralchamber. com 38