How equitable is school funding in Florida?

The average funding equity score for Florida school districts is 51 out of 100, compared to the national average of 49. This score considers per-pupil spending, need-adjusted spending, funding source diversity, and student-teacher ratios.

What does the equity score measure?

The equity score (0-100) measures four dimensions: per-pupil spending level, need-adjusted spending (rewarding districts that spend more where poverty is higher), funding diversity (less reliance on local property taxes), and resource access (lower student-teacher ratios).

Florida · NCES F-33 finance data

School Funding Equity in Florida

67 districts ranked by how equitably school funding is distributed, scored from NCES F-33 school finance data covering districts in all 50 states.

Compiled by PlainSchools, Education-data publisher · August 26, 2026

The equity picture in one line

Gadsden ranks first in Florida for funding equity at 91/100, in a state whose districts average 51 against a national average of 49.

91/100
top score (Gadsden): $13,871
per-pupil spending in the top district: 8
districts scoring 70 or higher: 7
districts below 30

#	District	Enrollment	$/Pupil	Free Lunch	Local Rev %	Score
1	Gadsden	4,616	$13,871	77.4%	19.5%	91
2	Glades	1,819	$14,636	34.5%	26.0%	82
3	Lafayette	1,144	$12,884	58.5%	14.3%	82
4	Jefferson	730	$17,304	77.4%	57.0%	80
5	Jackson	6,076	$12,683	49.6%	22.9%	79
6	Taylor	2,783	$13,512	62.6%	37.0%	79
7	Franklin	1,208	$16,334	63.0%	70.4%	76
8	Liberty	1,295	$12,890	33.7%	18.2%	75
9	Hardee	4,901	$11,932	67.7%	23.6%	69
10	Union	2,385	$11,686	50.0%	13.4%	69
11	Hamilton	1,657	$13,296	78.1%	31.9%	69
12	Gulf	1,928	$14,110	45.5%	59.5%	68
13	Monroe	8,929	$17,161	35.4%	77.6%	67
14	Sarasota	45,077	$14,033	42.7%	77.1%	66
15	Collier	48,082	$14,103	54.7%	75.2%	63
16	Highlands	12,362	$12,585	66.5%	30.5%	63
17	Calhoun	2,129	$11,836	52.5%	24.8%	63
18	Dixie	2,090	$12,445	74.6%	17.9%	63
19	Putnam	10,293	$12,682	57.3%	26.3%	62
20	Desoto	4,582	$12,385	73.7%	24.4%	62
21	Palm Beach	188,843	$14,024	54.3%	63.0%	60
22	Escambia	37,851	$12,299	56.8%	38.7%	60
23	Holmes	3,233	$11,741	48.1%	14.5%	60
24	Madison	2,418	$11,877	57.1%	19.3%	60
25	Pinellas	93,702	$12,514	49.3%	56.7%	59
26	Washington	3,313	$11,470	49.1%	23.6%	57
27	Gilchrist	2,839	$12,714	41.9%	22.8%	57
28	Charlotte	16,834	$14,173	46.2%	68.0%	54
29	Citrus	15,951	$11,410	57.4%	40.1%	53
30	Baker	5,003	$11,376	53.6%	13.4%	53
31	Walton	11,575	$13,721	45.2%	75.6%	52
32	Sumter	9,404	$12,326	57.5%	71.3%	52
33	Indian River	17,199	$11,843	57.8%	64.2%	51
34	Miami-Dade	334,090	$13,138	53.1%	57.2%	50
35	Levy	5,689	$11,488	66.0%	25.1%	50
36	Wakulla	5,156	$10,952	44.2%	24.6%	49
37	Polk	109,558	$11,747	52.7%	35.2%	47
38	Clay	39,215	$10,252	57.2%	31.3%	47
39	Broward	254,732	$12,121	58.5%	49.6%	46
40	St. Lucie	45,661	$12,177	60.4%	46.9%	46
41	Martin	18,650	$12,831	46.3%	72.1%	45
42	Duval	128,657	$11,670	54.5%	40.9%	44
43	Columbia	9,887	$10,472	63.6%	20.7%	44
44	Suwannee	5,935	$11,325	57.4%	22.1%	44
45	Brevard	74,125	$11,100	44.7%	45.1%	43
46	Okeechobee	6,398	$11,523	62.2%	31.1%	43
47	Orange	207,561	$11,706	48.3%	53.2%	42
48	Hernando	24,058	$10,856	53.1%	39.9%	41
49	Volusia	63,365	$10,727	56.0%	47.1%	40
50	Manatee	51,234	$11,381	51.8%	58.3%	38
51	Okaloosa	32,733	$10,809	44.4%	43.0%	38
52	Marion	44,493	$11,180	60.5%	35.3%	36
53	Leon	32,212	$10,979	49.4%	42.6%	36
54	Santa Rosa	30,764	$10,065	39.5%	32.1%	35
55	Hillsborough	224,538	$10,589	52.2%	43.2%	34
56	Lee	99,354	$12,108	48.9%	58.0%	33
57	Hendry	13,859	$9,323	66.0%	15.9%	31
58	Bradford	2,998	$10,694	56.9%	27.2%	31
59	Pasco	84,049	$10,007	50.1%	36.3%	30
60	Lake	47,452	$10,768	47.0%	45.5%	30
61	Bay	27,324	$11,117	47.6%	46.0%	28
62	Seminole	66,680	$10,243	44.2%	43.4%	25
63	Alachua	28,964	$11,075	52.6%	44.3%	25
64	Osceola	73,558	$10,383	48.5%	43.5%	24
65	St. Johns	50,155	$9,989	23.4%	56.0%	23
66	Nassau	12,668	$10,049	39.5%	55.3%	19
67	Flagler	13,331	$10,757	43.9%	55.5%	17

How the Equity Score Works

The equity score (0-100) evaluates four dimensions of school funding fairness. According to the National Center for Education Statistics F-33 Finance Survey (FY 2022-23), which covers more than 17,000 districts nationwide, local property wealth drives most of the spending differences the score captures; our methodology documents each weight:

Per-Pupil Spending (0-25)

Higher spending relative to peers

Need-Adjusted Spending (0-25)

Spending weighted by poverty level, rewards districts that spend more where need is greatest

Funding Diversity (0-25)

Less reliance on local property taxes, more state/federal support

Resource Access (0-25)

Lower student-teacher ratios = more individualized attention

National Equity Rankings → ← Back to Florida

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.