Florida's Education Landscape Shifts: Record Enrollment Growth in Charter, Private Schools and Homeschooling Amidst Traditional Public School Decline

Tallahassee, Florida, Florida United States of America
Charter schools in Broward County: +27,000 students since 2019-21 academic year
Florida education landscape shifting
Homeschooling in Florida: +50,000 students during same timeframe
Private school enrollment across Florida: +47,536 students between same period
Record enrollment growth in charter, private schools and homeschooling
Traditional public schools in Broward, Duval, Miami-Dade Counties: -53,000 students since pandemic began
Florida's Education Landscape Shifts: Record Enrollment Growth in Charter, Private Schools and Homeschooling Amidst Traditional Public School Decline

In recent times, the education landscape in Florida has seen a significant shift as more parents opt for alternative educational options. This trend, spearheaded by Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans, has led to a surge in enrollment for school choice programs.

According to data from various sources, charter schools in Broward County have witnessed an increase of nearly 27,000 students since the 2019-21 academic year. Similarly, private school enrollment across Florida has risen by a staggering 47,536 students between the same period.

Moreover, homeschooling in Florida has experienced a growth of nearly 50,000 students during the same timeframe. These numbers underscore the increasing popularity of school choice programs and parents' desire for educational freedom.

Meanwhile, traditional public schools in areas like Broward, Duval, and Miami-Dade Counties have experienced a decline in enrollment. Since the pandemic began, these counties have lost a combined total of 53,000 students.

The success of school choice programs has been attributed to various factors such as personalized learning experiences and flexibility. However, this shift has left some public schools facing the possibility of campus closures due to declining enrollment and funding.

It is important to note that these changes are not without controversy. Critics argue that consolidating students into fewer schools could lead to overcrowding, longer commute times, and potential disruptions for students. Additionally, some educators fear the loss of jobs as a result of declining enrollment in traditional public schools.

As the debate around school choice programs and campus closures continues to unfold in Florida, it is crucial to consider all perspectives and ensure that every student has access to quality education.


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Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are all students in alternative schools receiving quality education?
  • What are the long-term implications of this shift on Florida's education system?

Sources

84%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

School choice programs have been wildly successful under DeSantis. Now public schools might close.

Politico News Site Name: POLITICO Full Legal Name of News Site: Politico LLC Location of News Site: Washington D.C., USA Sunday, 26 May 2024 00:00
  • Unique Points
    • Enrollment is rising among school choice programs pushed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Republicans.
    • Traditional public schools in the area have lost 53,000 students in these counties since the pandemic began.
    • Charter school enrollment in Broward increased by nearly 27,000 students since 2019-21.
    • Private school enrollment across Florida rose by 47,536 students from the 2019-20 to the 2023-4 academic years.
    • Homeschooling population in Florida grew by nearly 50,000 students between the same period.
  • Accuracy
    • Some school districts are considering closing campuses due to enrollment declines.
    • Enrollment in traditional public schools across Florida decreased by 55,768 students from the 2019-20 to the current year.
    • Miami Dade Public Schools are bracing for a decline of more than 4,000 students next year.
  • Deception (50%)
    The article contains editorializing and selective reporting. The author uses phrases like 'wildly successful', 'haven for school choice', and 'blueprint' to express their opinion on the topic. They also only report details that support their position, such as the number of students leaving traditional public schools and enrolling in private or charter schools, without mentioning any potential drawbacks or counterarguments. Additionally, there is no disclosure of sources in the article.
    • The article only reports on the number of students leaving traditional public schools and enrolling in private or charter schools, without mentioning any potential drawbacks or counterarguments.
    • The author describes Florida as a 'haven for school choice' and states that 'DeSantis and Florida Republicans have been wildly successful' with these programs.
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (80%)
    The article does not directly express any bias from the author towards a specific political ideology, religion, or monetary gain. However, the language used in some parts of the article implies a negative perspective towards traditional public schools and their enrollment declines. The author describes these declines as 'staggering' and 'sizable total', and mentions that some communities are rallying to save their local public schools from closure due to budget crunches. This language could be perceived as disproportionately negative towards traditional public schools, potentially reflecting a bias against them in favor of school choice programs. The article also quotes Erin Gohl, the PTA president at VSY, who expresses opposition to the proposed plan to turn her school into a neighborhood school and argues that it would cause an unnecessary 'disruption'. This quote is presented as evidence of resistance to school closures, but it could also be interpreted as an example of bias against change or progress. Overall, while there may not be any overtly biased statements from the author, the language used in some parts of the article and the quotes from sources could potentially reflect a subtle bias against traditional public schools and in favor of school choice programs.
    • But school board members instead directed Hepburn to formulate a plan to close eight schools in 2025 or 2026
      • enrollment declines for Broward, Duval and Miami coincide with the Covid-19 pandemic
        • What may appear to be a 'great story' for a school district on paper actually represents a sizable enrollment dip
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        88%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        School closures loom large for some of Florida’s largest districts

        TampaBay.com Jeffrey S. Monday, 20 May 2024 00:00
        • Unique Points
          • Hernando County School Board is holding a workshop to hear from two candidates for the district’s interim superintendent post.
          • Hendry County school district plans to build affordable apartments for teachers.
        • Accuracy
          • ]Some of Florida's largest school districts, including Hillsborough County, are seeking solutions for under-capacity schools by consolidating students and closing down under-capacity campuses.[
          • Hillsborough County will shutter five schools and reassign their students to other schools after final class bell this month.
          • Broward County officials are still deciding whether to close down schools.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Bias (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication

        96%

        The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
        (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

        A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

        Corey DeAngelis earns his victory lap for school choice - Washington Examiner

        Washington Examiner Grant Addison Friday, 24 May 2024 02:00
        • Unique Points
          • Corey DeAngelis, a self-described 'school choice evangelist', has published a new book titled The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids from the Radicals Ruining Our Schools.
          • The 'parent revolution' refers to the movement of parents taking control of their children's education by advocating for educational freedom and DeAngelis argues that this is not a radical idea but rather a necessary solution for the flaws in the current education system.
          • DeAngelis highlights case studies of parent reform movements in various states including Iowa, Arizona, Arkansas, Virginia, and Florida.
          • The book describes the 'red state strategy' which aimed to implement new choice programs in heavily Republican states as a way to make school choice and parental freedom a litmus test issue for GOP candidates and policymakers.
          • The COVID lockdowns and school closures have had a devastating impact on students, with learning loss being just the tip of the iceberg. The response of parents to this upheaval has led to significant changes in educational policy.
        • Accuracy
          • The number of students leaving traditional public schools and enrolling in private or charter schools in Florida has significantly increased.
          • Five schools are being shut down in Hillsborough County due to under-capacity.
          • Broward County officials are still deciding whether to close down any schools.
        • Deception (100%)
          None Found At Time Of Publication
        • Fallacies (95%)
          The author makes several arguments for school choice and documents the push for educational freedom by parents in response to COVID lockdowns and remote learning. There are no explicit fallacies found in the article. However, there is an appeal to hypocrisy when the author mentions opponents of school choice who have sent their children to private schools.
          • The idea is to allow all parents and students to do what wealthy ones already do: choose the educational pathway that best suits them, rather than being relegated to attending a school based on poverty or ZIP code.
          • Parents became fed up with online learning and appalled at the firsthand look they were given into what was being taught to their children. From school board meetings to the voting booth, parents and their advocates began to take matters into their own hands.
        • Bias (95%)
          The author expresses a clear ideological bias towards school choice and educational freedom. He repeatedly praises the success of this movement and criticizes those who oppose it, implying that they are hypocrites for not supporting it for themselves or their children. The author also uses language that depicts opponents as radicals ruining schools.
          • Even as the medical science around the coronavirus brought into clearer relief that children and younger adults were less likely to contract deadly cases of the virus, teachers unions and their ilk fought tooth and nail to keep schools closed while negotiating veritable hostage payments from the government for more money.
            • Four states passed universal school choice in 2023, led by Gov. Ron DeSantis’s Florida.
              • In practice, this manifested as a great many parents all across the nation more actively supporting candidates and policies facilitating educational choice options such as school choice, education savings accounts, and vouchers.
                • Parents became fed up with online learning and appalled at the firsthand look they were given into what was being taught to their children. From school board meetings to the voting booth, parents and their advocates began to take matters into their own hands.
                  • Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, testifies during a House Oversight and Accountability subcommittee hearing on COVID-19 school closures, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
                    • The fight over school closures opened parents’ eyes to the fact that government schools were not really accountable to them. When the schools broke trust with parents, the parents didn’t just forgive and forget.
                      • The parent choice campaign that began in 2020, crested in 2021, and continued through the next year’s midterm elections has shown tangible and consistent successes in numerous states, red and purple, and even some blue states such as New York.
                        • The parent revolution, as DeAngelis calls it, began in earnest in late 2020 and 2021: schools were shuttered, and parents were forced to bear witness to the flimsiness of “remote learning,” the growing isolation and learning loss of their children, and the unrepentant hypocrisy of teachers unions and government bureaucrats.
                        • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication
                        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                          None Found At Time Of Publication