Schools in Florida
Florida's K-12 public school system posted its strongest statewide grading results in recent memory for 2025-2026, but the state-level headline masks real, persistent differences between districts -- and Florida has built, by a wide margin, the largest school-choice infrastructure of any state in the country, which changes what "the school system" even means for many families here.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreThe state's A-F grading system, and how 2025-2026 looked statewide
Florida grades every public school and school district A through F based on standardized test performance, learning gains, and graduation rates, through the Florida Department of Education. For the 2025-2026 school year, 57 districts earned an A or a B grade, and no district received a D or an F -- a genuinely strong statewide result. Statewide, 77% of all graded schools earned an A or a B in 2026, up from 71% in 2025. Reading proficiency for grades 3-8 rose to about 77% (improving in five of six grades), while math proficiency held at roughly 78%. Those are real year-over-year gains, not just a stable baseline.
District quality varies sharply -- St. Johns County is the standard-bearer
St. Johns County School District (Northeast Florida, part of the Jacksonville & First Coast region) earned an A grade with 910 out of a possible 1,200 accountability points in 2025-2026, reclaiming its position as Florida's #1-ranked district and running roughly 16 points above the statewide average in both reading and math. That track record is a real, well-documented reason families specifically target St. Johns County addresses when relocating to Northeast Florida. By contrast, not every neighboring county grades the same way in the same cycle -- Sarasota County earned its 23rd consecutive A district rating in 2025-2026 with zero schools graded C or below, while neighboring Manatee County received a B in the same cycle, a real, sourced gap between two adjoining counties, not a marketing claim. The lesson generalizes statewide: a strong Florida average doesn't guarantee a strong result in any specific county, and families should confirm their target district's -- and specific zoned school's -- current grade directly with the Florida Department of Education before buying.
The nation's largest school choice system, by a wide margin
Florida operates what EdChoice ranks as the largest and most heavily funded school-choice ecosystem in the country: roughly 1.4 million Florida students were enrolled in some form of school-choice option as of the most recent EdChoice participation rankings, and Florida devotes about 11.2% of its total K-12 education budget to school-choice programs -- more than any other state. Separate reporting put the share of Florida K-12 students attending a school of choice (charter schools, magnet programs, or a state scholarship program, as opposed to their zoned traditional public school) at 53% for 2024-2025, with one more recent estimate putting the share still in a traditional public school at just 51% for 2025-2026 -- these two figures imply slightly different choice shares (roughly 47%-49%), a modest discrepancy likely reflecting different survey windows or what counts as "choice," but both agree on the same basic picture: something close to half of all Florida K-12 students are not in a traditional zoned public school.
How the voucher and scholarship programs actually work
The core state-funded scholarship programs are the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Educational Options (FES EO) and the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES UA), both expanded substantially under 2021's House Bill 7045, plus the privately-funded, tax-credit-driven Florida Tax Credit Scholarship. As of the most recently available combined figure, roughly 286,000 students were enrolled across FES EO and the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program alone; FES EO's total capacity was set at up to 140,000 students for the 2026-2027 school year. These programs fund private-school tuition or home-education costs and, unlike many other states' voucher programs, are not strictly income-capped after the 2023 eligibility expansion -- effectively universal eligibility, which is the main reason Florida's participation numbers dwarf other states' choice programs.
Key takeaways
- 57 Florida districts earned an A or B grade in 2025-2026, with none rated D or F; 77% of all graded schools earned an A or B, up from 71% in 2025.
- District quality still varies meaningfully: St. Johns County (Northeast Florida) is Florida’s #1-ranked district (A grade, 910/1,200 points, ~16 points above state average); Sarasota County holds a 23-year A-grade streak while neighboring Manatee County graded B in the same 2025-2026 cycle.
- Florida runs the largest school-choice system in the country: about 1.4 million students in choice options, 11.2% of the total education budget devoted to choice programs -- the highest share of any state.
- Roughly half of Florida K-12 students (estimates range 47%-49% depending on source) now attend something other than their zoned traditional public school, largely via the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs, both effectively open-eligibility as of 2023.
- Always verify your specific target district and zoned school’s current FDOE grade directly -- statewide and even district averages can mask real school-to-school variation.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Florida overview for the complete picture, or explore individual cities and towns we've researched.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert