Public schools in Florida

The NCES directory lists 4,186 public schools operating in Florida in 2024-25; 3,929 of them reported 2,820,902 students, averaging 17.9 students per teacher, the 4th highest of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts (the mean of its schools' ratios); Tennessee did not. Its largest district is Miami-Dade County Public Schools, with 334,135 students in 2024-25.

NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25 · NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23 · method

Schools3,9292,193 elementary, 571 middle, 818 high, 347 other
Students2,820,9025.8% of U.S. public-school students
Students per teacher17.9U.S. 15.3

Florida has more students per teacher than the U.S. average

Florida ranks 4th of the 50 jurisdictions (states and D.C.) that reported 2024-25 teacher counts, counting from the most students per teacher; below, it is shown with the states ranked just above and below it. The full ranking of all 51 is on the states page.

  1. California20.9
  2. Utah20.6
  3. Nevada19.2
  4. Florida17.9
  5. Washington17.8
  6. Arizona17.5
  7. Ohio17.4

Eight in ten larger Florida districts spent between $10,252 and $14,024 per student

Among the 66 Florida districts with at least 1,000 students, one in ten spent less than $10,252 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23 and one in ten spent more than $14,024; the median was $11,744. Each tick below is one district: the spread shows how far apart the state's districts are, which a statewide average hides.

Current spending per student, Florida districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2366 values from $9,323 to $17,161; ; state median $11,744.$10,252$14,024the middle eight in ten$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,744
Current spending per student, Florida districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2366 values from $9,323 to $17,161; ; state median $11,744.$10,252$14,024the middle eight in ten$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,744
Current spending per student, Florida districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2366 values from $9,323 to $17,161; ; state median $11,744.$10,252$14,024the middle eight in ten$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,744
Current spending per student, Florida districts with 1,000 or more students, fiscal year 2022-2366 values from $9,323 to $17,161; ; state median $11,744.$10,252$14,024the middle eight in ten$8k$10k$13k$15k$18kcurrent spending per studentstate median $11,744

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: mean of school ratios from 3 to 99, schools open that year; NCES F-33 fiscal year 2022-23: current expenditures over fall membership, districts with at least 1,000 students.

State test results, 2022-23

In 2022-23, 49.5% of the Florida students tested met the state's reading standard and 52.2% its math standard. Florida writes its own tests and sets its own standard, so these compare Florida's districts and schools with each other, not with other states; each district and school page gives its own results beside these. Its four-year graduation rate for the class of 2023 was 88% of 208,274 students.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, EDFacts state assessment results 2022-23 and four-year adjusted-cohort graduation rates 2022-23, all students.

In the Florida almanac

  1. 01Every school district

    Directory, 2024-25

  2. 02Largest schools

    Largest: Digital Academy of Florida, 6,069 students (By 2024-25 enrollment)

  3. 03Fewest students per teacher

    Fewest: Optima Classical Academy, 3.8 students per teacher (Schools, 2024-25)

  4. 04Highest-spending districts

    Highest: Jefferson, $17,304 per student (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  5. 05Teacher salary spending by district

    Highest: Monroe County Schools, $75,623 of salary spending per teacher (F-33 fiscal year 2022-23)

  6. 06Chronic absenteeism

    Lowest: Renaissance Charter School at Cooper City, 0.1% chronically absent (EDFacts 2022-23)

  7. 07Schools by resource index

    Highest index: Southside Primary School, 65 of 100 (CCD and CRDC)

  8. 08Districts by resource index

    Highest index: Sarasota, 49.7 of 100 on average (CCD and CRDC)

Largest districts in Florida

  1. Miami-Dade County Public Schools334,135
  2. Broward County Public Schools243,463
  3. Hillsborough County Public Schools219,160
  4. Orange County Public Schools203,531
  5. Palm Beach County School District187,819
  6. Duval County Public Schools127,217
  7. Polk County Public Schools115,310
  8. Lee County Schools100,196

Every Florida school district, with a find box →

Source: Largest districts: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25, students in the district's schools open that year.

Cities with the most public schools

  1. Miami171,286 students276 schools
  2. Orlando154,316 students205 schools
  3. Jacksonville121,037 students187 schools
  4. Tampa106,833 students158 schools
  5. Lakeland37,553 students58 schools
  6. Pensacola29,570 students57 schools
  7. Tallahassee33,949 students53 schools
  8. Kissimmee44,721 students53 schools
  9. West Palm Beach33,319 students52 schools
  10. Naples38,566 students52 schools
  11. Bradenton32,299 students49 schools
  12. Homestead33,499 students47 schools

All cities →

Source: NCES Common Core of Data 2024-25: a school counts under the city in its mailing address, so a large city's count takes in suburbs that share its postal name.

Questions about Florida's public schools

  1. How many public schools are in Florida?
    The NCES directory lists 4,186 operating in 2024-25; 3,929 of them reported students: 2,193 elementary, 571 middle, 818 high and 347 other, enrolling 2,820,902 students (NCES Common Core of Data).
  2. What is the average student-teacher ratio in Florida?
    17.9 students per full-time teacher in 2024-25, against 15.3 for the U.S.; the mean of school ratios for schools open that year.
  3. What is the largest school district in Florida?
    Miami-Dade County Public Schools, with 334,135 students in its schools in 2024-25 (NCES Common Core of Data).
  4. How much does Florida spend per public-school student?
    $11,862 per student on current operations in fiscal year 2022-23, summed over its districts (NCES F-33).

Sources

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School directory, membership and staff files · 2024-25

Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District membership and spending · FY 2022-23

Compiled from official source data by .