For the first time in the state’s history, the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) reports that more than half of Florida’s K-12 students are enrolled in an educational option of choice selected by their families.
During the 2023–24 school year, Step Up For Students (SUFS), which manages several Florida scholarship programs, reported that 1,794,697 students out of the state’s approximately 3.5 million K-12 population attended schools outside their assigned neighborhood zones.
In addition to private schools, charter schools, and scholarship programs, various forms of district choice are also included, such as magnet schools, career academies, and open enrollment options.
Since 2008, SUFS has been monitoring enrollment numbers and reports that many families still prefer their neighborhood public schools. Public school choice continues to be the most widely favored option, with four out of the top five enrollment choices being public schools. Among these options, charter schools are the most popular, followed by district open enrollment programs, career and professional academies, and Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) programs for upperclassmen.
According to SUFS, the most significant growth in school choice in the state has been attributed to the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES-EO) and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship (FTC), as well as AICE and FES-UA.
“Altogether, scholarships for private and home education increased by approximately 142,000 students, while private-pay and non-scholarship home education enrollment declined, likely due to the expanded availability of financial aid,” said Patrick Gibbons, public affairs manager at Step Up for Students.
