Florida
U.S.
Rank
Score:
92%
Grade:
A
Rank:
#2
The choice-friendly Sunshine state joins the list of exemplars allowing universities to authorize charter schools now, augmenting the districts which are not always those most hospitable sponsors. With this change, as well as increased opportunities for great schools to grow, Florida expands its pro-growth attitude. It’s no surprise that student achievement, like the sun, is continuously rising.
Florida made modest process changes in 2021, lessening the roadblocks to founding and creating new charters.
Law passed: 1996
Most recently amended: 2021
Number of charter schools: 676
Number of charter students: 361,939
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No
Virtual charters allowed? Yes
AUTHORIZERS: Local districts are the main authorizers, although as of 2019, state universities can authorize lab schools and community college boards of trustees can authorize charter technical career centers. Denied applicants appeal to the state board of education. Thanks to a new law enacted in 2021, Florida now allows independent multiple authorizers to sponsor charter schools. As CER’s research demonstrates, state universities most often make the best authorizers. All public universities are permitted to authorize charter schools for the purpose of meeting workforce demands and industry needs. State universities can authorize a charter school to meet workforce demands by serving students from multiple school districts as long as they’re under the university’s service area.
GROWTH: With no cap the state’s charters were only limited to the number of schools that school districts or state appeals might allow. With new university authorizers and an expanded fast track process for growth of high-performing schools in June 2021, the state is on a rapid ascent to being able to fill more opportunities for students. A high performing school is one that has been graded an A for the two most recent years, with no grade lower than a C in the previous three. Enrollment has increased more than 50,700 students and 33 schools since 2018.
OPERATIONS: Schools are exempt from most regulations that apply to traditional public schools, although authorizers may impose additional requirements. However, the June 2021 law makes university authorizers their own local education agencies for purposes of receiving federal funds, and the impact of that is that there tends to be more autonomy in exchange for accountability granted when the district is not the regulator so it’s good news for Florida charters. Schools of Hope may also be designated as a local education agency by the state education department.
EQUITY: Funding follows the same formula as all other public schools minus administrative fees retained by the school board or customary university authorizer fees. “The basis for funding is… the total operating funds for the school district in which the school is located … including gross state and local funds, discretionary lottery funds, and funds from each school district’s current operating discretionary millage levy; divided by total funded weighted FTE students in the school district; and multiplied by the FTE membership of the charter school.” Capital outlay funding continues to support charters, including for university or Florida College System-sponsored charter schools. That fund now provides $169.6 million to charter schools.
Score:
Grade:
A
Rank:
#1
The state is now home to the single largest education opportunity program in the country. In May 2021 the Family Empowerment Program was expanded and now permits a majority of students in the state to access the public or private school of their choice! The bill authorizing the program also folds Florida’s two existing educational choice programs serving students with special needs into the Family Empowerment Scholarship program. The new legislation also increases individual scholarship amounts to 100 percent of the state’s per pupil funding – estimated to be between $6,000-$7,000 – and eliminates barriers to educational access by no longer requiring students to attend a public school prior to applying for a scholarship.
Law enacted: 1999-2019
Number of programs: 4
Statewide Participation: 160,755
Types of programs: Education Savings Account, Tax Credit Scholarship, Voucher
Voucher & ESA
Family Empowerment Program
Florida’s Family Empowerment Program was created to alleviate the waitlist of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program in 2019 and further expanded in 2020 and 2021. Under the new legislation signed into law in May 2021, the Family Empowerment income limit will increase from 300 percent to 375 percent of the federal poverty level (approximately $100,000 for a family of four) opening up the ability for more middle-income families to use their public funds for the education of their choice, with increases available year after year. Additionally, students are no longer required to have attended a public school the prior year to be eligible. Priority is given to siblings, to students from military families and whose household income level does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level and students in foster care or out-of-home care.
The legislation did fold in the Gardiner and McKay scholarships into the scholarship – and under the new language will serve more students than prior years.
Tax-Credit Scholarship
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship income eligibility limit also increased, from 260 percent to 375 percent of the federal poverty level, with priority given to students whose family incomes are up to 185 percent of the poverty line, and students from the least advantaged circumstances. Originally enacted in 2001 and serves students from low-income households, the program gains its funding as a result of corporate income and insurance premium credits for donations to non-profit scholarship organizations that create the scholarship for students to attend the school of their choice, which can be up to the per-pupil amount of funds spent in the state on public schools. Eligible expenses include tuition and fees for an eligible private school or transportation to a Florida public school that is located outside the district in which the student resides.
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program is the largest of its kind in terms of student participation and budget. The total tax credit cap amount for the 2020-2021 school year was $873,565,674 with 104,162 participating students. The May 2021 law creates additional revenue for the program.
Tax Credit Scholarship
Hope Scholarship Program
Hope Scholarships may be used by students who are victims of bullying or are physically attacked in school. This program allows purchasers of motor vehicles to contribute their vehicle sales tax to fund private school scholarships. These students may also transfer to other public school districts.
Voucher
John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program
Florida’s John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program was enacted in 1999, making it the nation’s first school voucher program for students with special needs. The Florida legislature expanded the program in 2000. Vouchers are worth up to the same amount public schools would have spent on a participating child. Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, the McKay Scholarship Program will be rolled into the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.
Score:
Grade:
B
Rank:
#3
Uses best practices to collect data and evaluate teacher prep programs, which the state further puts to use in ensuring that teachers have content knowledge to teach.
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 79%
General Teacher Preparation 98%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 83%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 90%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 58%
Alternate Routes 65%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 81%
Hiring 85%
Retaining Effective Teachers 77%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 85%
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 83%
Score:
92%
Grade:
A
Rank:
#2
The choice-friendly Sunshine state joins the list of exemplars allowing universities to authorize charter schools now, augmenting the districts which are not always those most hospitable sponsors. With this change, as well as increased opportunities for great schools to grow, Florida expands its pro-growth attitude. It’s no surprise that student achievement, like the sun, is continuously rising.
Florida made modest process changes in 2021, lessening the roadblocks to founding and creating new charters.
Law passed: 1996
Most recently amended: 2021
Number of charter schools: 676
Number of charter students: 361,939
Cap on the number of schools allowed:? No
Virtual charters allowed? Yes
AUTHORIZERS: Local districts are the main authorizers, although as of 2019, state universities can authorize lab schools and community college boards of trustees can authorize charter technical career centers. Denied applicants appeal to the state board of education. Thanks to a new law enacted in 2021, Florida now allows independent multiple authorizers to sponsor charter schools. As CER’s research demonstrates, state universities most often make the best authorizers. All public universities are permitted to authorize charter schools for the purpose of meeting workforce demands and industry needs. State universities can authorize a charter school to meet workforce demands by serving students from multiple school districts as long as they’re under the university’s service area.
GROWTH: With no cap the state’s charters were only limited to the number of schools that school districts or state appeals might allow. With new university authorizers and an expanded fast track process for growth of high-performing schools in June 2021, the state is on a rapid ascent to being able to fill more opportunities for students. A high performing school is one that has been graded an A for the two most recent years, with no grade lower than a C in the previous three. Enrollment has increased more than 50,700 students and 33 schools since 2018.
OPERATIONS: Schools are exempt from most regulations that apply to traditional public schools, although authorizers may impose additional requirements. However, the June 2021 law makes university authorizers their own local education agencies for purposes of receiving federal funds, and the impact of that is that there tends to be more autonomy in exchange for accountability granted when the district is not the regulator so it’s good news for Florida charters. Schools of Hope may also be designated as a local education agency by the state education department.
EQUITY: Funding follows the same formula as all other public schools minus administrative fees retained by the school board or customary university authorizer fees. “The basis for funding is… the total operating funds for the school district in which the school is located … including gross state and local funds, discretionary lottery funds, and funds from each school district’s current operating discretionary millage levy; divided by total funded weighted FTE students in the school district; and multiplied by the FTE membership of the charter school.” Capital outlay funding continues to support charters, including for university or Florida College System-sponsored charter schools. That fund now provides $169.6 million to charter schools.
Score:
Grade:
A
Rank:
#1
The state is now home to the single largest education opportunity program in the country. In May 2021 the Family Empowerment Program was expanded and now permits a majority of students in the state to access the public or private school of their choice! The bill authorizing the program also folds Florida’s two existing educational choice programs serving students with special needs into the Family Empowerment Scholarship program. The new legislation also increases individual scholarship amounts to 100 percent of the state’s per pupil funding – estimated to be between $6,000-$7,000 – and eliminates barriers to educational access by no longer requiring students to attend a public school prior to applying for a scholarship.
Law enacted: 1999-2019
Number of programs: 4
Statewide Participation: 160,755
Types of programs: Education Savings Account, Tax Credit Scholarship, Voucher
Voucher & ESA
Family Empowerment Program
Florida’s Family Empowerment Program was created to alleviate the waitlist of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program in 2019 and further expanded in 2020 and 2021. Under the new legislation signed into law in May 2021, the Family Empowerment income limit will increase from 300 percent to 375 percent of the federal poverty level (approximately $100,000 for a family of four) opening up the ability for more middle-income families to use their public funds for the education of their choice, with increases available year after year. Additionally, students are no longer required to have attended a public school the prior year to be eligible. Priority is given to siblings, to students from military families and whose household income level does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level and students in foster care or out-of-home care.
The legislation did fold in the Gardiner and McKay scholarships into the scholarship – and under the new language will serve more students than prior years.
Tax-Credit Scholarship
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship income eligibility limit also increased, from 260 percent to 375 percent of the federal poverty level, with priority given to students whose family incomes are up to 185 percent of the poverty line, and students from the least advantaged circumstances. Originally enacted in 2001 and serves students from low-income households, the program gains its funding as a result of corporate income and insurance premium credits for donations to non-profit scholarship organizations that create the scholarship for students to attend the school of their choice, which can be up to the per-pupil amount of funds spent in the state on public schools. Eligible expenses include tuition and fees for an eligible private school or transportation to a Florida public school that is located outside the district in which the student resides.
The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program is the largest of its kind in terms of student participation and budget. The total tax credit cap amount for the 2020-2021 school year was $873,565,674 with 104,162 participating students. The May 2021 law creates additional revenue for the program.
Tax Credit Scholarship
Hope Scholarship Program
Hope Scholarships may be used by students who are victims of bullying or are physically attacked in school. This program allows purchasers of motor vehicles to contribute their vehicle sales tax to fund private school scholarships. These students may also transfer to other public school districts.
Voucher
John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program
Florida’s John M. McKay Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program was enacted in 1999, making it the nation’s first school voucher program for students with special needs. The Florida legislature expanded the program in 2000. Vouchers are worth up to the same amount public schools would have spent on a participating child. Starting in the 2022-2023 school year, the McKay Scholarship Program will be rolled into the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program.
Score:
Grade:
B
Rank:
#3
Uses best practices to collect data and evaluate teacher prep programs, which the state further puts to use in ensuring that teachers have content knowledge to teach.
TRAINING AND RECRUITMENT: 79%
General Teacher Preparation 98%
Elementary Teacher Preparation 83%
Secondary Teacher Preparation 90%
Special Education Teacher Preparation 58%
Alternate Routes 65%
STAFFING AND SUPPORT: 81%
Hiring 85%
Retaining Effective Teachers 77%
TEACHER EVALUATION: 85%
TEACHER COMPENSATION: 83%
Score:
Grade:
A
Rank:
#1
The Florida Department of Education does not require specific digital learning standards or models, but does provide resources for technology integration in schools such as technology toolkits, webinars, professional development, and digital learning and teaching best practices.
Florida has a Digital Classroom Program. In 2014, The Florida Department of Education was required to create the Digital Classroom 5-Year Strategic Plan to help districts implement digital classrooms. The plan was in effect from 2014-2019.
Florida Virtual School is one of the nation’s largest statewide virtual schools and since their opening in 1997, there have been 4.6 million semesters completed. FLVS is fully accredited, granting diplomas to full-time students, but also offers part time enrollment for supplemental courses. Before the pandemic, there were over 200,000 students enrolled. In 2019, there were 762 full-time graduates.
Florida’s Seminole County Public Schools and The School Board of Broward County, Florida are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, providing digital learning opportunities to more than 330,000 students. The League of Innovative Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.
Bandwidth: “98.3% of students in Florida can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds. But there is still work to be done. 42,508 students still need more bandwidth for digital learning.”
The Sunshine State has many opportunities for personalized learning, but there is still no statewide effort behind the movement.
The District Innovation School of Technology Program enables participating schools to implement blended learning models, which the legislation states “must include major components such as differentiated instruction, data-driven placement, flexible scheduling, differentiated teaching, and self-paced learning.” Schools have the freedom to choose between three blended learning models: flipped classroom model, flex model, and rotation model.
The Principal Autonomy Program Initiative is legislation that gives principals more authority to implement their own vision on how their schools can improve. This program gives school leaders the opportunity to make decisions based on what works best for their individual students, and they have more authority over areas such as curriculum, instructional models, budget, and staffing.
Florida’s Competency-Based Education Pilot Program is a five-year program in five districts that will expire at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Lawmakers were considering expanding the pilot program to all districts. Under the proposed law, the pilot would be renamed Mastery-Based Education Program, and would allow schools to use an alternative grading scale. Unfortunately, it passed in the house but did not make it out of the committee in the Senate.
Florida was among the leaders in state responses for education to the COVID-19 crisis, actively demanding that all students continue to learn. That is owing in part to the existence of a statewide program, the Florida Virtual School, which has long been a provider of quality online education in the state and to the existence of numerous school leaders who are accustomed to challenges and choices. The state also created a site with best practices for online learning.
Florida’s Department of Education highlighted some of the best district efforts to respond to the pandemic, offering a model for other districts to follow.
Florida distributed devices to students who needed them in order to allow for distance learning to start successfully on March 30th.
Fast Facts
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Score:
Grade:
A
Rank:
#1
The Florida Department of Education does not require specific digital learning standards or models, but does provide resources for technology integration in schools such as technology toolkits, webinars, professional development, and digital learning and teaching best practices.
Florida has a Digital Classroom Program. In 2014, The Florida Department of Education was required to create the Digital Classroom 5-Year Strategic Plan to help districts implement digital classrooms. The plan was in effect from 2014-2019.
Florida Virtual School is one of the nation’s largest statewide virtual schools and since their opening in 1997, there have been 4.6 million semesters completed. FLVS is fully accredited, granting diplomas to full-time students, but also offers part time enrollment for supplemental courses. Before the pandemic, there were over 200,000 students enrolled. In 2019, there were 762 full-time graduates.
Florida’s Seminole County Public Schools and The School Board of Broward County, Florida are members of the Digital Promise League of Innovative Schools, providing digital learning opportunities to more than 330,000 students. The League of Innovative Schools is a network of school leaders in 114 districts in 34 states that aim to enhance and scale digital learning opportunities for students across the nation.
Bandwidth: “98.3% of students in Florida can access the Internet at speeds of 100 kbps per student, and many students are connected at higher speeds. But there is still work to be done. 42,508 students still need more bandwidth for digital learning.”
The Sunshine State has many opportunities for personalized learning, but there is still no statewide effort behind the movement.
The District Innovation School of Technology Program enables participating schools to implement blended learning models, which the legislation states “must include major components such as differentiated instruction, data-driven placement, flexible scheduling, differentiated teaching, and self-paced learning.” Schools have the freedom to choose between three blended learning models: flipped classroom model, flex model, and rotation model.
The Principal Autonomy Program Initiative is legislation that gives principals more authority to implement their own vision on how their schools can improve. This program gives school leaders the opportunity to make decisions based on what works best for their individual students, and they have more authority over areas such as curriculum, instructional models, budget, and staffing.
Florida’s Competency-Based Education Pilot Program is a five-year program in five districts that will expire at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Lawmakers were considering expanding the pilot program to all districts. Under the proposed law, the pilot would be renamed Mastery-Based Education Program, and would allow schools to use an alternative grading scale. Unfortunately, it passed in the house but did not make it out of the committee in the Senate.
Florida was among the leaders in state responses for education to the COVID-19 crisis, actively demanding that all students continue to learn. That is owing in part to the existence of a statewide program, the Florida Virtual School, which has long been a provider of quality online education in the state and to the existence of numerous school leaders who are accustomed to challenges and choices. The state also created a site with best practices for online learning.
Florida’s Department of Education highlighted some of the best district efforts to respond to the pandemic, offering a model for other districts to follow.
Florida distributed devices to students who needed them in order to allow for distance learning to start successfully on March 30th.
4th Grade Math Proficiency:
8th Grade Math Proficiency:
12th Grade Math Proficiency:
4th Grade Reading Proficiency:
8th Grade Reading Proficiency:
12th Grade Reading Proficiency:
Graduation Rate:
Average SAT Score:
Average ACT Score:
Public School Enrollment:
Percent Enrolled in Charter Schools:
Average Student Funding:
Ron DeSantis (R)
First term began in 2019 (two-term limit)
Reelected Governor Ron DeSantis made education his cause celebre again this year, which caused his win by a huge margin in diverse communities that don’t normally go for a Republican. Both statewide and nationally DeSantis is known for his commitment to education freedom and innovation. Florida owes its national Parent Power lead to DeSantis’ relentless efforts for families in the Sunshine state. Can’t wait to see what happens in the Sunshine state over the next four years.
Both chambers are a majority pro-parent power and typically embrace policies that improve education options for Florida’s students. The 2021 choice expansion law passed the full House 79 to 36 and passed the Senate 25 to 14. In addition, the body’s vocal efforts encouraged public schools to safely reopen for millions of kids months before other states did and overtime have fostered innovations in teaching, learning, digital and higher education.
Florida’s Blaine Amendment has been interpreted as prohibitive of using public funds for private schools and has been used twice to strike down an Opportunity Scholarship Program.
School and district report cards are easy to access from Florida’s DOE homepage under the Accountability subheading. School report cards contain one summative grade at the top, making it clear to parents. Reports are useful and complete, including data on performance, attendance, graduation, per-pupil expenditure, and more. Users can search by zip code to compare nearest schools, which is a great added feature for parents.
Educational options are also extremely easy to locate under the Feature Topics subheading by clicking School Choice, where you can access information on K-12 scholarship programs and charter schools.
School board elections are during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.
Ron DeSantis (R)
First term began in 2019 (two-term limit)
Reelected Governor Ron DeSantis made education his cause celebre again this year, which caused his win by a huge margin in diverse communities that don’t normally go for a Republican. Both statewide and nationally DeSantis is known for his commitment to education freedom and innovation. Florida owes its national Parent Power lead to DeSantis’ relentless efforts for families in the Sunshine state. Can’t wait to see what happens in the Sunshine state over the next four years.
Both chambers are a majority pro-parent power and typically embrace policies that improve education options for Florida’s students. The 2021 choice expansion law passed the full House 79 to 36 and passed the Senate 25 to 14. In addition, the body’s vocal efforts encouraged public schools to safely reopen for millions of kids months before other states did and overtime have fostered innovations in teaching, learning, digital and higher education.
Florida’s Blaine Amendment has been interpreted as prohibitive of using public funds for private schools and has been used twice to strike down an Opportunity Scholarship Program.
School and district report cards are easy to access from Florida’s DOE homepage under the Accountability subheading. School report cards contain one summative grade at the top, making it clear to parents. Reports are useful and complete, including data on performance, attendance, graduation, per-pupil expenditure, and more. Users can search by zip code to compare nearest schools, which is a great added feature for parents.
Educational options are also extremely easy to locate under the Feature Topics subheading by clicking School Choice, where you can access information on K-12 scholarship programs and charter schools.
School board elections are during the general election cycle, which gives parents more power in their decision making because of higher voter turnout.