The Heritage Foundation has announced that Florida ranks first in Education Freedom for the third consecutive year. This ranking reflects Florida's focus on expanding school choice, supporting parental rights in education, and enabling families to choose the best educational options for their children. The Education Freedom Report Card was initiated in 2022, and Florida has maintained the top position since its inception.
"Florida has enacted policies that allow parents to direct where education money goes," said Governor Ron DeSantis. "Our universal school choice program has empowered families, benefitted students, and improved educational opportunities. Florida leads on education freedom—and students and families are better off because of this leadership."
"I am proud that Florida has once again been recognized for our commitment to ensuring that students can access an education that works for them," said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. "Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida offers the most robust array of education options in the nation. I encourage other states to follow our example and break the norm to create higher-performing students and happier families."
The report card evaluates states based on four categories: school choice, transparency, regulatory freedom, and spending. States were assessed on their access to scholarship programs, the design of private schools, and the environment for charter schools and homeschooling within the education choice category.
In addition to its overall rank as number one in Education Freedom, Florida also earned high rankings in several individual categories.
The full Education Freedom Report Card is available on the Heritage Foundation website.
For more information about the Florida Department of Education, visit www.fldoe.org.