$400M School Bond Advances Without Oversight—Community & Students Left Behind
By: Concerned Residents of East Lee County
For several years, residents of East Lee County have spoken out about the lack of transparency and accountability in how the School District of Lee County sites new schools. Despite attending town halls, submitting public comment, meeting with board members, and sending hundreds of emails, our voices have largely been ignored.
The issue has now escalated with the approval of a $400 million Certificate of Participation (COPS) bond known as Lee 2025AB. This bond, pushed through at the June 3, 2025 school board meeting, funds three new schools: Hector Cafferata, Cypress Lake, and the most controversial—’School NNN,’ a high school planned for the Joel and Tuckahoe site in rural Alva.
While the need for updated facilities at Cafferata and Cypress Lake is clear, the case for building a massive new high school in Alva is not. The rural region has just 732 enrolled students in all grades combined. In contrast, Lehigh Acres has over 7,900 students and continues to grow rapidly. Yet, the District has opted to prioritize an isolated, rural site that lacks critical infrastructure like water, sewer, and safe roads.
This decision contradicts the District’s ‘Student Proximity and Neighborhood School Model.’ A new school in Alva would require nearly all students to be bused in, creating a commuter campus instead of a neighborhood school.
A federal inquiry (OCR Complaint #04-25-1677) has been filed under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, questioning whether this decision diverts resources from racially and economically diverse communities like Lehigh Acres. This echoes a similar federal complaint that halted a school project in Estero in 2021.
At the June 3 board meeting, five of seven board members expressed serious concerns about the site in Alva. They cited the lack of utilities, failing road infrastructure, environmental risks, and absence of walkable neighborhoods. Some called for another public workshop or bond modification.
Rather than address those concerns, Superintendent Carlin and senior staff gave inconsistent responses about the bond’s flexibility. Chief Strategy Officer Ken Savage recommended moving forward regardless, and suggested one-on-one ‘walk-arounds’ with board members, raising Sunshine Law concerns.
The board then voted 7-0 to approve the $400 million bond with School NNN included—without resolving the objections or hearing further public input.
This decision is part of a larger pattern. In the past year, the District cut its board meetings in half and dissolved five citizen advisory committees without public vote. The Construction Committee has vanished, and public speakers are sometimes limited to one minute.
The Audit Committee, one of only two remaining oversight groups, has issued warnings about financial mismanagement, ignored audit findings, and repeat cost overruns on school projects like Riverdale and Bonita Springs High.
There is growing concern that political influence is behind the push. A major developer with ties to recent board campaigns has multiple projects near the Joel/Tuckahoe site. That developer would benefit from new taxpayer-funded roads, utilities, and school-based growth incentives.
Meanwhile, the District already owns a construction-ready site at Joel and David in Lehigh Acres. That site has infrastructure in place and is surrounded by the very students who need relief from overcrowded schools. It was purchased in 2022 and cleared for use by July 2025.
If built there, the new school could serve students immediately, avoid an estimated $60 million in inflationary costs, and eliminate the need for new utilities or unsafe bus routes.
Joel Boulevard is already at capacity and is a failing, flood-prone road. Four-laning the road is not included in the MPO’s 10-year plan. Alva has no sidewalks and no utility service franchise assigned. This is the wrong place and the wrong time for this school.
We urge Congressman Greg Steube—whose district touches the affected area—to look into the matter. This is about more than one school. It’s about how public funds are used, how communities are heard, and whether we’re building schools to serve students or developers.
A full dossier of documents has been submitted to state and federal agencies, including audit reports, enrollment maps, and confirmation of the federal Title VI complaint.
Students in Lehigh Acres shouldn’t be bused past their homes. Residents in Alva deserve real transparency. And taxpayers deserve accountability.
It’s not too late to change course. The District can swap timelines—build now at Joel/David and reserve Joel/Tuckahoe for future use. This would restore trust and serve the actual needs of our community.
Respectfully,
Concerned Residents of East Lee County
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR RESIDENTS NEAR JOEL/TUCKAHOE
- Dangerous traffic will increase. Joel Blvd is already near failing status—school traffic will overwhelm this two-lane road with no sidewalks or safe turn lanes.
- Student drivers and buses raise the stakes. Teens and heavy buses will navigate unsafe roads daily, increasing the risk of serious accidents or fatalities.
- Infrastructure costs could fall on you. There’s no water, sewer, or utility franchise assigned. Taxpayers may foot the bill for road and utility expansion.
- Your rural quality of life is at risk. A 2,800-student school could invite dense development, changing the area’s character forever.
- You had no real say. Despite board member concerns, the public was bypassed, workshops canceled, and oversight committees quietly dissolved.
- Second Amendment rights in jeopardy.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR STUDENTS & FAMILIES IN LEHIGH
- Lehigh is overlooked again. Thousands of East Zone students will commute miles farther—despite a ready-to-build school site in Lehigh.
- Longer rides, greater risk. Lee County leads the state in serious traffic crashes. Longer daily commutes raise the odds of accidents, missed class time, and fatigue.
- Overcrowding in Lehigh continues. The district’s own data shows Subzone 2 remains over capacity—but gets no immediate relief.
- Wasted taxpayer dollars. Building in Alva requires new utilities and infrastructure, adding millions in cost and delaying relief for the areas that need it now.
- Civil rights concerns under review. A federal Title VI investigation is underway, questioning whether this decision disadvantages diverse, lower-income communities.
