FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (NewsNation) — Florida has become a laboratory for school choice programs, but they’ve significantly disrupted the state’s public schools.
Many districts are closing schools as more students flock to private schools, charter schools or homeschooling. In the past five years, the state’s largest school districts have lost tens of thousands of students. As a result, some schools are considering closing their doors altogether.
Last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis redirected more than a billion dollars from public education to private schools for student scholarships.
Those scholarships are available to all students K-12 regardless of family income, allowing families the option to choose private, magnet or charter schools.
Where are the students going?
Some of Florida’s largest school districts, including Duval County Public Schools, Broward County Public Schools and Miami-Dade County Public Schools, have seen a sizeable decline in enrollment. It’s forced school officials to go back to consider cost-cutting options such as educator layoffs, repurposing facilities or closing schools.
The Broward County district last month unveiled a proposal to close three schools, including Olsen Middle School, WTVJ-TV reported.
“It is evident that our school fosters an environment where every student is fostered and nurtured,” said Dorothy Maxi, a Broward County Public Schools teacher. “Closing Olsen will not only disrupt a cortical support system but also deprive our students of the caring community they deserve.”
According to Florida Department of Education data, enrollment among charter schools has increased by more than 68,000 students statewide from the 2019 school year to this current school year. More than a third of that rise happened in Broward, Duval and Miami-Dade counties.
Private school enrollment across the state rose by nearly 50,000 students from 2019-2020 to 2022-2023, according to the data.
Tens of thousands of families have opted to homeschool their children during this span, expanding by nearly 50,000 students, totaling 154,000 students, according to state data.
Officials noted in an enrollment overview that Broward County Public Schools has more than 49,000 classroom seats sitting empty this year, a number that “closely matches” the 49,833 students attending charter schools in the area.
Scholarships projected to expand
Florida’s scholarship program is projected to grow, which may lead to more students leaving the state’s public schools. There’s space for nearly 217,000 to attend private school or find a different schooling option using state funds next school year, according to state projections.
There will be nearly 22,000 additional scholarships for families choosing to homeschool — up to 40,000 — and 16,000 more for students with special needs, according to the projections.
More states look to expand school choice
“Florida has shown a blueprint, and we really can be an engine for that as other states work to adopt a lot of the policies that we’ve done,” DeSantis said.
In 2023 more than 15 states passed or expanded school choice laws. That number could grow this year as other GOP-led states like Tennessee, Missouri and Louisiana are looking to pass similar legislation.