Lisa Spooner
•7/28/2026
More than 43,000 students in Collier County’s traditional public schools and about 5,000 in charter schools are gearing up to return to class in the coming weeks. At a kickoff event Tuesday morning, Superintendent Dr. Leslie Ricciardelli celebrated the district’s recent achievements, including earning another "A" rating. "For the ninth consecutive year, we earned an 'A' rating," Ricciardelli said. Fifty-one of the district’s 52 traditional schools now hold an "A" or "B" rating, with six schools improving from a "B" to an "A" grade and one school jumping from a "C" to an "A." Ricciardelli credited the community for these accomplishments, highlighting last year’s "Power of We" campaign. "Power of We was too big to be a theme," Ricciardelli said. The event also focused on the future, with Ricciardelli introducing four new commitments for the district: proven excellence, creating opportunities, ensuring every student belongs, and preparing graduating students for their next steps. "So this year we're adding four commitments and four promises," Ricciardelli said. Ricciardelli expressed gratitude for the district’s ability to maintain enrollment numbers compared to other districts. "So, you know, we really are very fortunate in Collier County, because truly, if you look at the numbers, we have not lost the number of students that other districts have lost. So I'm very happy about that. But I do believe it's because of what we offer every single day at every single one of our schools," Ricciardelli said. However, challenges remain, including competition with Florida’s school voucher program, which serves more than 600,000 students statewide. "I'm fine with choice. I think that's the beauty of being in America. I don't want somebody to tell me how to educate my child or where to educate my child. I love that, I love that parents have these choices. But I'm not intimidated by them. Maybe it just makes me get more creative," Ricciardelli said. The district is exploring innovative ways to engage students, such as partnerships with Aubrey Rogers High School, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Arthrex. "That's a win-win. It's a win for my students. It's a win for FGCU for students. It's a win for Arthrex for future employees. What an amazing opportunity. So I'm thrilled about the partnerships we have," Ricciardelli said. Additionally, Collier County schools will introduce a high-tech teaching tool this year: Booster, an interactive humanoid robot, which will be featured in middle schools as part of career and technical education courses. "I saw that robot a few months ago and said, Holy cow, I have to have that. It's so exciting," Ricciardelli said. "Look at all of the emerging technologies. That's exciting to kids. I want to harness it and bring it in our schools." The district is fully staffed for the upcoming school year, a point of pride for Ricciardelli. "First of all, I think people see our results, right? And people want to be a part of a winning team. We have been very fiscally sound over the years. So the one good thing is you haven't seen where we're cutting teachers. We're very proud of that," Ricciardelli said. As parents prepare to send their children back to school, whether for their first day or their last first day, the district has a message for students. "You belong here. And we're going to make sure that you're taken care of here, and that you're going to get everything you could possibly need to make sure that you're prepared for what's next," Ricciardelli said. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment, and original programming on your TV.
