Florida Education Report Card - Libertas Institute

The Sunshine State: Overall A-

Florida is the national leader in school choice. Over 500,000 students use state scholarship programs, 53% of families attend a school they chose, and no other state matches the scale or ambition. The zoning reforms for microschools are the most aggressive in the country. One fix remains, let small schools operate where families actually live.

Microschools — A-

These are small independent schools usually around 15 students. They often do things differently from what we currently think of as a traditional school. Most are started by teachers from both the public and private schools.

No teacher licensing, no school accreditation, no waiting period
Teachers need a degree or 3 years experience; no teaching certificate required
HB 1285 (2024) and SB 182 (2026) eliminated local zoning barriers and opened 50,000+ new school locations for schools of fewer than 150 students.
SB 182 reformed fire code so small schools can use a building’s existing use existing safety classification (office space, retail, or church) instead of educational occupancy reclassifications, which can be extremely expensive
Both laws exclude residential zones

Improvements

Both laws excluded residential zones. The law should allow small schools in all zones across the state
Remove experience or licensing requirements for new school founders

School Choice Policy — A-

School choice policies are a wide range of laws that influence charter schools, open enrollment in public schools, and private school tuition. One of the newer policies are education spending accounts that allow for things like private school tuition and include things like curriculum and a la carte/ one off classes.

Universal eligibility through the Family Empowerment Scholarship (FES)
FES functions as a true ESA allowing for tuition, therapies, tutoring, curriculum, even postsecondary savings
Personalized Education Program (PEP) provides ~$8,000/student for customized learning plans including homeschooling and a la carte learning
Florida allocates 11.2% of its education budget to choice programs — the largest commitment in the nation

Improvements

Remove the enrollment cap on (PEP)

Homeschooling — B+

Homeschooling is more than just a parent teaching their children. While that is very common with younger students, many homeschoolers join co-ops, find online courses, or enroll in an in person class. That is often driven by a need for more specialization.

One-time Notice of Intent; no required curriculum
Tim Tebow Law guarantees equal access to public school extracurriculars, the 1st in the nation
Homeschool families can access FES and PEP funds for curriculum, materials, and services

Improvements

Annual evaluation should be eliminated

Extra Credit: Alternative Teacher Licensure for Classical Education

Florida created the nation’s first Classical Education Teaching Certificate. The school determines teacher fitness for the model. No other state has done this. It is school choice applied to teacher certification.

Helpful Links for Parents

This is part of a series where we review and rate education access in every state in the country. Get more information here.

Author: Jon England is the Senior Education Policy Analyst at Libertas Institute. He is a fourteen-year veteran of public schools. He taught both fifth and sixth grades, receiving Weber District’s E+ Team Award. He proudly homeschools his children with his wife.

Jon received his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Utah and a master’s degree in educational leadership from Western Governors University. He spent time in the Marine Corps and separated as a sergeant in 2006.

During his time in public schools, Jon increasingly understood the importance of parental empowerment in education. This increased understanding led him to join Libertas to provide educational freedom for families. Jon enjoys spending time with his wife and five children traveling, skiing, and playing games.

Published: June, 2026