(The Lion) — Florida public schools are showing consistent learning gains as the state continues to prioritize education freedom and other conservative reforms.
Gov. Ron DeSantis released the 2024-25 school grades July 7, highlighting an increase in the number of schools graded as A or B.
“Florida’s use of statewide progress monitoring is yet another example of how Florida leads on education,” he said. “Providing more opportunities for parents and teachers to intervene in a child’s performance in school leads to better outcomes and a higher quality education.”
In 2024, 64% of schools were rated A or B. This year’s number has risen to 71%.
Notably, public charter schools – which are more innovative and freer from government regulations – were more likely to score in the top two levels (77%).
A-rated schools have 70-75% average proficiency rates in reading, math, and science according to the Florida Department of Education’s data table. B-rated schools average around 55%; C-rated schools, 45%; D-rated schools, 30%; and F-rated schools, 25%.
Florida also released the test scores of student groups in June and found improvement across all categories.
Reading proficiency increased 8 points since 2023, and math 7 points.
Data also showed single-digit improvements in science, civics and U.S. history, along with upper-level math such as algebra and geometry.
These advancements took place even among disadvantaged and traditionally underperforming demographics.
For example, only 15% of African American fourth- and eighth-graders can read at grade level nationwide. But Florida reported 45% of its African American students reading proficiently.
Widely recognized as the best state in the nation for school choice, the Sunshine State boasts over half its students – nearly 2 million – using some form of private or public-school choice.
School choice not only helps the participating students improve their test scores and reach higher levels of education, but numerous studies have shown it also improves the test scores of the students who remain in public schools.
Florida offers several different types of private school choice programs and has taken steps to ease regulations on education innovators and curb the power of radical teachers’ unions.
DeSantis also has fought hard against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, pornographic books and other “woke” agenda items.
