Fresh federal figures show Florida has more magnet schools than any other state, and saw its number of charter schools increase at a rate two-thirds faster than the national average during the 2012-13 school year.
The new statistics come from a U.S. Department of Education report released Thursday on the types of public schools around the country.
The number of charter schools jumped 6.7 percent nationwide in 2012-13, compared to an 11.6 percent growth rate reported that year by the Florida Department of Education.
That school year, Florida saw its largest-ever increase in its number of charter schools. The rate of new charters in the state has slowed in more recent years.
Proportions of charters and magnets in 10 states, excluding D.C., where charters account for the largest share of public schools
Overall, the federal report counts 4,269 public schools in the state, including 581 charters and 494 magnets. That means one out of every four public schools in the state is either a charter school or a magnet of some kind - the highest combined proportion of any state in the country.
Arizona, with its substantial charter sector, and Michigan, with a mix of charters and magnets, are close behind. Florida still trails Washington D.C., which is off the charts. The two choice options account for more than half the public schools in the nation's capital.
Some states either do not designate magnet schools or, in the case of New Jersey and Massachusetts, could not report data on their number of magnet schools.
