K-12 education is thriving in Florida, where half of students don’t attend their local public school

Florida has reached a tipping point: More than half of K-12 students in America’s third-largest state are educated outside their local, conventional public school. 

The Sunshine State has been a leader in education freedom and reform since the early 2000s. 

This effort has expanded under current Gov. Ron DeSantis, culminating in the state recently surpassing 500,000 students in its school choice programs – the most in the country. 

But that’s only part of the story. 

When homeschool, charter school, open enrollment, and other specialized schooling options are considered, the number of students attending something other than their locally zoned public school jumps to nearly 1.8 million, or 51% of K-12 students in the state, according to a report by NextSteps, a blog documenting education reform in Florida. 

The state has nearly 400,000 students in charter schools; another 275,000 using public school open enrollment; and 116,000 homeschooled students, according to state data from 2023–24.

Add to that career and professional academies, an Advanced International Certificate program for upperclassmen, magnet schools, and various school choice scholarships to attend private schools, and it’s clear families have a multitude of choices.

These milestones reflect “a fundamental transformation in Florida’s educational landscape” toward empowering families “to find the best fit for their children,” says the NextSteps report.

Students are not boxed in to their neighborhood schools, although they can certainly attend them if they wish. Since there are so many options, “staying is just as much a decision as leaving,” says Patrick Gibbons, the report’s author.

Public schools have improved 

Also noteworthy is that the state’s public schools have improved by leaps and bounds. 

The state has topped U.S. News & World Report’s rankings for education in two of the last three years, and black and Hispanic students in particular fare far better in Florida than the national average. 

Florida’s example of choice suggests that a rising tide lifts all boats. Since parents have options, all schools – public and private – must compete to be the best choice. Specialization leads to success. 

Public schools, which include charters and career and professional academies, still educate 4 in every 5 students, Gibbons writes, but it shows choice and public education can coexist and even thrive.  

More students attend private schools using choice 

The state’s school choice policies have also produced another reality: For the first time, more private school students are attending using school choice funds than those paying independently. This demonstrates how school choice has opened private education to the masses. 

“Rather than a battle between public and private education, Florida is showing how both sectors can coexist and thrive, working together to provide high-quality learning opportunities for all students,” Gibbons writes. “The future of education isn’t one-size-fits-all; it’s about ensuring every family has access to an option that fits their child’s unique needs. In Florida, that future is already here.” 

Gov. DeSantis, a term-limited Republican widely expected to seek his party’s presidential nomination in 2028, said in January he hopes Florida’s success will serve as a model for expanding school choice nationwide. 

Congress is considering a $5 billion annual tax credit to fund private school scholarships. The measure was included in the House’s budget bill, which is now before the Senate. Lawmakers hope to reach a compromise in time for President Donald Trump to sign a budget by July 4.