Gulf Coast High School is a public high school located in North Naples, Florida about 15 miles from Naples, Florida. The school opened in August 1998 and is part of the District School Board of Collier County.
Serving 1,714 students in grades 9-12, Gulf Coast High School ranks in the top 30% of all schools in Florida for overall test scores (math proficiency is top 50%, and reading proficiency is top 50%).
The percentage of students achieving proficiency in math is 58% (which is higher than the Florida state average of 52%). The percentage of students achieving proficiency in reading/language arts is 70% (which is higher than the Florida state average of 52%).
The student-teacher ratio of 26:1 is higher than the Florida state level of 17:1.
Minority enrollment is 51% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is lower than the Florida state average of 66% (majority Hispanic).
Quick Facts (2026)
- Grades: 9-12
- Enrollment: 1,714 students
- Student-Teacher Ratio: 26:1
- Minority Enrollment: 51%
- Graduation Rate: 96% (Top 20% in FL)
- Overall Testing Rank: Top 30%
- Math Proficiency: 58% (Top 50%)
- Reading Proficiency: 70% (Top 20%)
- Science Proficiency: 80% (Top 5%)
- Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), FL Dept. of Education
Top Rankings
Gulf Coast High School ranks among the top 20% of public schools in Florida for:
Category
Attribute
Reading/Language Arts Proficiency
Science Proficiency
Graduation Rate
School Overview
Gulf Coast High School's student population of 1,714 students has declined by 29% over five school years.
The teacher population of 65 teachers has declined by 30% over five school years.
Grades Offered
Grades 9-12
(No virtual instruction)
(No virtual instruction)
Total Students
1,714 students
Total Classroom Teachers
65 teachers
Year Founded
1998
Colors
Black, Teal, Silver
School Rankings
Gulf Coast High School ranks within the top 30% of all 3,662 schools in Florida (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data).
The diversity score of Gulf Coast High School is 0.62, which is less than the diversity score at state average of 0.70. The school's diversity has stayed relatively flat over five school years.
Overall Testing Rank
#891 out of 3662 schools
(Top 30%)
(Top 30%)
Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
58%
52%
Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
70%
52%
Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
80%
52%
Student-Teacher Ratio
26:1
17:1
American Indian
n/a
n/a
Asian
4%
3%
Hispanic
38%
38%
Black
6%
21%
White
49%
34%
Hawaiian
n/a
n/a
Two or more races
3%
4%
All Ethnic Groups
Graduation Rate
96%
87%
Participates in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
Yes
Eligible for Free Lunch
30%
42%
Eligible for Reduced Lunch
5%
4%
School Statewide Testing
School District Name
Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), FL Dept. of Education
School Notes
- School Mascot: Sharks
- Gulf Coast High School is a secondary education school located in Naples, Florida, and is one of eight public high schools located in Collier County. Gulf Coast High School is part of the District School Board of Collier County.
- Gulf Coast High School opened its doors to Collier County students for the first time in August of 1998. This new high school brought much interest to the community, since it was the first time in 20 years that the Public School Board of Collier County opened a new high school. The total cost of the project was 44.5 billion dollars. The courtyard of Gulf Coast High covers 1/4 of a mile. GCHS has the biggest auditorium in Collier County Public Schools and has a 3,000 stadium complex used for football and Track.
- Athletics: Gulf Coast High School is one of the seven members of the Collier County Athletic Conference. The school has thirteen Athletics departments.
- Fall sports: Cross Country; Football; Golf; Swim and Dive; Volleyball.
- Winter sports: Soccer; Wrestling; Basketball; Lacrosse.
- Spring sports: Baseball Softball; Tennis; Track and field.
- The school also has an extracurricular Hockey club, Lacrosse club, and a Racket Ball club that are not listed as official school sports. The school also lists Cheer leading as one of their sports.
- Career academies: Gulf Coast High School is home to two different Career Academies. The goal of these programs is to help students that are interested in a certain career. Over the course of their high school education, students enrolled in the Academy take several classes relating to the Academy, some of which are classes specifically made for Academy Students.
- Sports and Entertainment Marketing Academy: The Sports Marketing Academy has affiliated itself with the local Germain Arena. They put on shows and programs throughout the school year.
- Wellness Academy: The Wellness Academy's goal is to prepare students to pursue a career in any medical field they may be interested in.
- Clubs: Gulf Coast High School is home to many different extracurricular clubs. An accurate, up-to-date list is difficult to keep, as clubs are added and dropped as students graduate or lose interest. However, some of the notable clubs are: Key Club; National Honor Society; Student Council; Tiburon Players Drama Club; International Thespian Troupe #5876; DECA; Fellowship of Christian Athletes; FBLA.
- Theatre: Gulf Coast High School is part of District Six thespians and is International Thespian Society Troupe number 5876. Each year the theatre troupe puts on four main events. First there is a main-stage, full length production. There is also either a musical or dinner theatre, and then there are two shows featuring events scheduled to appear in District competition including Evening Extraordinaire: A One Act affair, and A Dramatic Showcase (featuring Individual Events). Occasionally there are other shows that are produced every few years, including the Pratfalls comedy show which appeared for its third production in 2005, and a Night of Improv, which returned April 2006 after its successful debut in Pratfalls III.
- The most recent District Competition took place January of 2006. Pieces are rated in the following fashion: Superior, Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor. There were three Superior Performing Arts pieces and three Superior Technical Pieces. Those six pieces, as well as two Excellent pieces (as per the director's discretion) had the option to compete at that year's State Thespian Festival.
- In 2006, for the first time in Troupe history, one of Gulf Coast High School's members received the award for Best Overall Technical Theatre Piece for their Costume Design in the District 6 Competition. This piece was chosen by the judges as the best technical theatre entry out of all the high schools participating, and out of all sub-categories in Technical Theatre.
- Inventeam: In 2004, Gulf Coast High School was one of thirteen schools nation-wide that received a $10,000 grant from the Lemelson-MIT Inventeams Program. The program is part of the Lemelson-MIT program which endeavors to foster a spirit of research and invention in high schools nationwide through grants. The GCHS Inventeam's invention was a hybrid between an air ionizing system similar to the Ionic Breeze and a typical ceiling fan. The idea was that the ceiling fan would circulate the air around the room, and as the air flowed over the ionizing system it would be cleaned as well, providing multipurpose from an appliance standard in many households.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Gulf Coast High School's ranking?
Gulf Coast High School is ranked #891 out of 3,662 schools, which ranks it among the top 30% of public schools in Florida.
What schools are Gulf Coast High School often compared to?
Gulf Coast High Schoolis often viewed alongside schools like Barron Collier High School by visitors of our site.
What percent of students have achieved state testing proficiency in math and reading?
58% of students have achieved math proficiency (compared to the 52% FL state average), while 70% of students have achieved reading proficiency (compared to the 52% FL state average).
What is the graduation rate of Gulf Coast High School?
The graduation rate of Gulf Coast High School is 96%, which is higher than the Florida state average of 87%.
How many students attend Gulf Coast High School?
1,714 students attend Gulf Coast High School.
What is the racial composition of the student body?
49% of Gulf Coast High School students are White, 38% of students are Hispanic, 6% of students are Black, 4% of students are Asian, and 3% of students are Two or more races.
What is the student-teacher ratio of Gulf Coast High School?
Gulf Coast High School has a student ration of 26:1, which is higher than the Florida state average of 17:1.
What grades does Gulf Coast High School offer ?
Gulf Coast High School offers enrollment in grades 9-12 (No virtual instruction).
What school district is Gulf Coast High School part of?
Gulf Coast High School is part of Collier School District.
In what neighborhood is Gulf Coast High School located?
Gulf Coast High School is located in the Urban Estates neighborhood of Naples, FL. There are 5 other public schools located in Urban Estates.
School Reviews
2 10/10/2025
Gulf Coast High School is disgusting. I am ashamed to say I ever attended this school. The academic programs are awful. The students are not motivated, therefore either are the teachers. The teachers just put on a movie and go on their facebooks half the time. They don't care if you pass the class or not. I had a math teacher my sophomore and junior years who could care less how her students performed. More than half the class would be failing and she would call us all stupid. I don't feel accepted at the school and everyday that I step foot here, I can't wait to leave. I am a senior attending a private school in Ohio next year, and I am worried if I even got a good enough education to be at a private college up north. The school is extremely dirty and smelly and don't EVER walk into the bathrooms. They smell, there is water everywhere, no toilet paper, and profanity written everywhere. Parents aren't involved in the school at all! My mom is so ashamed that she sent me to this school. GC offers a lot of sports and clubs but they are extremely unwelcoming. If you aren't part of a group since day one, don't expect to be let in. Please do not send your children here, you will be extremely disappointed in their education.
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