Sunshine Sentinel

Florida's school choice-based educational system aims to create greater opportunities for disadvantaged students.

About 48% of K-12 students in Florida attend a school other than their zoned public school, a News-Journal Online article stated. 

Researchers at Harvard and Stanford found that students in Florida made the second greatest educational gains of any state over the past 25 years, the News-Journal Online article stated. 

Additionally, it was found that Florida spent less on the effort than any other state, the News-Journal Online detailed.

Florida was ranked fourth in both K-12 educational achievement and equity in education by Education Week. 

A study, referenced in the News-Journal Online article, found that through Florida’s school choice scholarship program, students of all races and economic backgrounds were more likely to pursue higher education than their public school counterparts.

Additionally, a recent National Bureau of Economic Research study found that Florida K-12 students showed significant academic improvement after school choice was adopted due to competition in Florida’s educational system. 

The study said that the expansion of the program produced larger benefits for students attending public schools that had a larger initial degree of private school options, measured prior to the program. 

For the study, student-level school records were compared with birth records to see how school choice affected student success. 

The benefits of the program were higher standardized test scores and lower absenteeism and suspension rates with the greatest success being among those with lower-incomes. 

Programs that use public funds for children to attend private schools of their choice are increasing in the U.S., the study detailed, showing that as of 2019, 25 states, plus D.C. and Puerto Rico, had voucher or scholarship programs in place.