St. Patrick Catholic School in Jacksonville, a relatively small campus of 270 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, is one of many Florida private schools that accept state scholarships.
Editor’s note: This opinion piece from Step Up For Students’ director of policy and public affairs Ron Matus first appeared in the Florida Times Union.
If Florida lawmakers are trying to “cripple” public schools, as education choice opponents have been saying for more than 20 years, they’re failing miserably.
Florida’s graduation rate, barely above 50% in the late 1990s, is now at 90%.
Florida’s education system now ranks No. 3 in K-12 Achievement, according to Education Week.
Two weeks ago, Florida found out it now ranks No. 2 in America in the percentage of graduating seniors who’ve passed college-caliber Advanced Placement exams.
All this, even though Florida has a higher rate of low-income students than all but 11 states – and ranks No. 42 in per-pupil spending.
Why is it that the folks bashing Florida public schools are so often the ones claiming to be their biggest defenders?
At least they have this right: Florida does offer parents a ton of educational options. The nation’s biggest private school choice program. Its biggest education savings accounts program. One of the biggest charter school sectors. And some of the most innovative magnet schools, career academies and other district options to be found anywhere.
All in all, nearly half the students in Florida now attend something other than their assigned schools. That’s up from 10% from a generation ago, when I proudly graduated from a public high school on the Westside of Jacksonville.
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