Education in Florida
Encyclopedia
The Florida education system consists of public and private schools in Florida
, including the State University System of Florida
(SUSF), the Florida College System (FCS), the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
(ICUF) and other private institutions, and also secondary and primary schools.
. In addition the Florida College System comprises 28 public community colleges
and state colleges. In 2008 the State University System had 302,513 students. Florida also has many private universities, some of which comprise the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
. In 2010, nineteen of Florida's 28 community colleges were offering four year degree programs.
The state's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of Education
(FLDOE). FLDOE also has authority over the Florida College System. The State University System is under the authority of the Florida Board of Governors
.
As mandated by the Florida Constitution
, Article IX, section 4, Florida has 67 school district
s, one for each county. All are separate from municipal government. School districts tax property within their jurisdictions to support their budgets.
Florida has hundreds of private school
s of all types. The FLDOE has no authority over private school operations. private schools may or may not be accredited, and achievement tests are not required for private school graduating seniors. Many private schools obtain accreditation and perform achievement tests to show parents the school's interest in educational performance.
In 2008, about 55,000 students were homeschooled
. Neither FLDOE nor the local school district has authority to regulate home school activities. The government supports and assists homeschooling activities. There is no minimum number of days in a year, or hours in a day, that must be met, and achievement tests are not required for home school graduating seniors.
.
School districts are organized within county boundaries. Each school district has an elected Board of education
which sets policy, budget, goals and approves expenditures. Management is the responsibility of a Superintendent of schools
.
The Florida Constitution
allows districts to either elect the superintendent in a popular election (the default provision) or choose (via popular election) to allow the school board to appoint the superintendent. As of 2010, school boards in 25 districts (Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Duval, Flagler, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Saint Johns, Saint Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, and Volusia) appointed the superintendent; the remaining districts elect their superintendent.
In 2008, there were 619 secondary schools in the state.
Education Week
evaluated Florida's schools for 2010, fifth in the nation overall, with As for student testing, teacher accountability and progress on closing the achievement gap. It gave the state an F for per-pupil spending.
The Center for American Progress
, described as a "left-leaning think tank" stated that for half the states studied, it found no correlation between spending and achievement after allowing for cost of living, and students living in poverty. The Center commends Florida as one of two states that provides annual school-level productivity evaluations which report to the public how well school funds are being spent at the local level.
Florida's public-school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of personal income usually rank in the bottom 25 percent of U.S. states. Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. states.
Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25 percent of many national surveys and average test-score rankings before allowances for race are made. When allowance for race is considered, a 2007 US Government list of test scores shows Florida white fourth graders performed 13th in the nation for reading (232), 12th for math (250); while black fourth graders were 11th for math (225), 12th for reading (208). White eight graders scored 30th for math (289) and 36th for reading (268). Neither score was considered statistically significant from average. Black eighth graders ranked 19th on math (259), 25th on reading (244).
In 2002, voters approved a constitutional amendment to limit class size in public schools starting in the 2010-11 school year from 18 in lower grades to 23 in high school. This was phased in by the legislature from 2003 to 2009, to promote compliance when the amendment took affect. As of March 2011, 28 school districts had failed to comply and owed fines, which were to be redistributed to districts that were in compliance.
Florida educators criticized former Governor Jeb Bush
for a program that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by standardized test
s, most prominently the FCAT
) with fewer funding dollars. Supporters say the program's tough measures have resulted in vast improvements to the education system. Major testing organizations frequently discount the use of state's average test-score rankings, or any average of scaled scores, as a valid metric (for details on scaled test scores, see psychometrics
).
Florida, like other states, appears to substantially undercount dropouts in reporting.
In 2007, the state's school population grew by 477 students to 2,641,598, which was far below the projected 48,376 increase. School boards blamed rising insurance and property tax costs and the major 2004 and 2005 hurricane season, which have discouraged migration into Florida. Growth in counties such as Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas, and Duval counties was under state projections. Hillsborough County was the only one of these to have grown; growth in the county was projected to be 4,537, but the actual increase was only 536 students.
Some school districts had backed up the start of the academic year well into August in order to complete the semester and exams before the December holiday break. In 2006, the legislature required districts to start no earlier than two weeks before the end of August. The state requires that each school teach for 180 days. Private schools may be open for more than 170 days.
Florida does not handpick the best students to take the Advanced Placement exams
.
In 2010, there were about 60,750 foreign-born children of illegal immigrants attending public schools. The cost per year averaged $9,035 annually. The total cost of educating these children is over $548 million.
The system was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court for violating separation of church and state, since some students used these for church schools.
Between 2000 and 2008, school enrollment increased 6%, the number of teachers 20%.
Competition is under the auspices of the Florida High School Athletic Association
.
In an attempt to save money, entering students may take nationally standardized Advanced Placement exams. In 2010, 67, 741 Florida seniors took the exam. 33,712 scored 3 or more, sufficient for advanced placement. A total of 307,000 Florida students took AP exams in 2010. 64,000 scored a minimum of three or more; 43,000 scoring a four or higher.
manages and funds Florida's ten public universities and a public Liberal Arts college:
In 2009, the system employed 45,000 people statewide. The budget was $4.1 billion for community colleges and universities.
In 2000, the governor and the state legislature abolished the Florida Board of Regents
, which long had governed the State University System of Florida, and created boards of trustees to govern each university. As is typical of executive-appointed government boards, the appointees so far have predominantly belonged to the governor's party. This effect has not been without controversy. In 2002, former governor and then-U.S. Senator Bob Graham
(Dem.) led a constitutional-amendment ballot referendum designed to restore the board-of-regents system. Voters approved. Therefore the legislature created the Florida Board of Governors
; however, each university still maintains a Board of Trustees which work under the Board of Governors. During Florida's 2007 legislative session, Governor Charlie Crist
signed into law SB-1710, which allowed the Board of Governors to allow a tuition differential for the University of Florida
, Florida State University
, and the University of South Florida
. This legislation ultimately created a tier system for higher education in Florida's State University System.
The Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. The association reported that their member institutions enrolled over 121,000 students in the fall of 2006.
Additionally, there are 20 colleges and universities that are not affiliated with the ICUF, but are fully accredited universities in the state of Florida.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, including the State University System of Florida
State University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida is a system of eleven public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2011, over 320,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities...
(SUSF), the Florida College System (FCS), the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
The Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. Like the 11 public colleges and universities in Florida, all ICUF schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The current President...
(ICUF) and other private institutions, and also secondary and primary schools.
Overview
There are ten public universities and a liberal arts college that comprise the State University System of FloridaState University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida is a system of eleven public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2011, over 320,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities...
. In addition the Florida College System comprises 28 public community colleges
Community colleges in the United States
In the United States, community colleges are primarily two-year public institutions of higher education and were once commonly called junior colleges....
and state colleges. In 2008 the State University System had 302,513 students. Florida also has many private universities, some of which comprise the Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
The Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. Like the 11 public colleges and universities in Florida, all ICUF schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The current President...
. In 2010, nineteen of Florida's 28 community colleges were offering four year degree programs.
The state's public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of Education
Florida Department of Education
The Florida Department of Education is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies . It is headquartered in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee.The Florida Commissioner of Education manages the day-to-day...
(FLDOE). FLDOE also has authority over the Florida College System. The State University System is under the authority of the Florida Board of Governors
Florida Board of Governors
The Florida Board of Governors was created in 2002 by the passage of a constitutional amendment, which went into effect in 2003. By an unprecedented vote, a 17-member board was established to serve as the statewide governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all...
.
As mandated by the Florida Constitution
Florida Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Florida is the document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Florida, and establishes the basic law of the state....
, Article IX, section 4, Florida has 67 school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s, one for each county. All are separate from municipal government. School districts tax property within their jurisdictions to support their budgets.
Florida has hundreds of private school
Private school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
s of all types. The FLDOE has no authority over private school operations. private schools may or may not be accredited, and achievement tests are not required for private school graduating seniors. Many private schools obtain accreditation and perform achievement tests to show parents the school's interest in educational performance.
In 2008, about 55,000 students were homeschooled
Homeschooling
Homeschooling or homeschool is the education of children at home, typically by parents but sometimes by tutors, rather than in other formal settings of public or private school...
. Neither FLDOE nor the local school district has authority to regulate home school activities. The government supports and assists homeschooling activities. There is no minimum number of days in a year, or hours in a day, that must be met, and achievement tests are not required for home school graduating seniors.
Primary and secondary schools
In the state of Florida, public primary and secondary schools are administered by the Florida Department of EducationFlorida Department of Education
The Florida Department of Education is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies . It is headquartered in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee.The Florida Commissioner of Education manages the day-to-day...
.
School districts are organized within county boundaries. Each school district has an elected Board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
which sets policy, budget, goals and approves expenditures. Management is the responsibility of a Superintendent of schools
Superintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
.
The Florida Constitution
Florida Constitution
The Constitution of the State of Florida is the document that establishes and describes the duties, powers, structure and function of the government of the U.S. state of Florida, and establishes the basic law of the state....
allows districts to either elect the superintendent in a popular election (the default provision) or choose (via popular election) to allow the school board to appoint the superintendent. As of 2010, school boards in 25 districts (Alachua, Brevard, Broward, Charlotte, Collier, Duval, Flagler, Hernando, Hillsborough, Indian River, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Saint Johns, Saint Lucie, Sarasota, Seminole, and Volusia) appointed the superintendent; the remaining districts elect their superintendent.
In 2008, there were 619 secondary schools in the state.
Education Week
Education Week
Education Week is a United States national newspaper covering K-12 education. It is published by Editorial Projects in Education , a non-profit organization, which is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland...
evaluated Florida's schools for 2010, fifth in the nation overall, with As for student testing, teacher accountability and progress on closing the achievement gap. It gave the state an F for per-pupil spending.
The Center for American Progress
Center for American Progress
The Center for American Progress is a progressive public policy research and advocacy organization. Its website states that the organization is "dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action." It has its headquarters in Washington D.C.Its President and Chief...
, described as a "left-leaning think tank" stated that for half the states studied, it found no correlation between spending and achievement after allowing for cost of living, and students living in poverty. The Center commends Florida as one of two states that provides annual school-level productivity evaluations which report to the public how well school funds are being spent at the local level.
Florida's public-school revenue per student and spending per $1000 of personal income usually rank in the bottom 25 percent of U.S. states. Average teacher salaries rank near the middle of U.S. states.
Florida public schools have consistently ranked in the bottom 25 percent of many national surveys and average test-score rankings before allowances for race are made. When allowance for race is considered, a 2007 US Government list of test scores shows Florida white fourth graders performed 13th in the nation for reading (232), 12th for math (250); while black fourth graders were 11th for math (225), 12th for reading (208). White eight graders scored 30th for math (289) and 36th for reading (268). Neither score was considered statistically significant from average. Black eighth graders ranked 19th on math (259), 25th on reading (244).
In 2002, voters approved a constitutional amendment to limit class size in public schools starting in the 2010-11 school year from 18 in lower grades to 23 in high school. This was phased in by the legislature from 2003 to 2009, to promote compliance when the amendment took affect. As of March 2011, 28 school districts had failed to comply and owed fines, which were to be redistributed to districts that were in compliance.
Florida educators criticized former Governor Jeb Bush
Jeb Bush
John Ellis "Jeb" Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd Governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007. He is a prominent member of the Bush family: the second son of former President George H. W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; the younger brother of former President George W...
for a program that penalizes underperforming schools (as indicated by standardized test
Standardized test
A standardized test is a test that is administered and scored in a consistent, or "standard", manner. Standardized tests are designed in such a way that the questions, conditions for administering, scoring procedures, and interpretations are consistent and are administered and scored in a...
s, most prominently the FCAT
Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test
The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or the FCAT , is the standardized test used in the primary and secondary public schools of Florida...
) with fewer funding dollars. Supporters say the program's tough measures have resulted in vast improvements to the education system. Major testing organizations frequently discount the use of state's average test-score rankings, or any average of scaled scores, as a valid metric (for details on scaled test scores, see psychometrics
Psychometrics
Psychometrics is the field of study concerned with the theory and technique of psychological measurement, which includes the measurement of knowledge, abilities, attitudes, personality traits, and educational measurement...
).
Florida, like other states, appears to substantially undercount dropouts in reporting.
In 2007, the state's school population grew by 477 students to 2,641,598, which was far below the projected 48,376 increase. School boards blamed rising insurance and property tax costs and the major 2004 and 2005 hurricane season, which have discouraged migration into Florida. Growth in counties such as Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas, and Duval counties was under state projections. Hillsborough County was the only one of these to have grown; growth in the county was projected to be 4,537, but the actual increase was only 536 students.
Some school districts had backed up the start of the academic year well into August in order to complete the semester and exams before the December holiday break. In 2006, the legislature required districts to start no earlier than two weeks before the end of August. The state requires that each school teach for 180 days. Private schools may be open for more than 170 days.
Florida does not handpick the best students to take the Advanced Placement exams
Advanced Placement Exams
Advanced Placement examinations are taken each May by students at participating American, Canadian, and international educational institutions. The tests are the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement courses. All but one of the AP exams combine multiple-choice questions with a...
.
In 2010, there were about 60,750 foreign-born children of illegal immigrants attending public schools. The cost per year averaged $9,035 annually. The total cost of educating these children is over $548 million.
History
Florida had a voucher system for low-income families from failing school districts from 1999 until 2006. In the final year, 750 students out of 190,000 eligible made this choice. The state paid an average of $4,000 per student as opposed to the $7,206 per student attending public schools.The system was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court for violating separation of church and state, since some students used these for church schools.
Between 2000 and 2008, school enrollment increased 6%, the number of teachers 20%.
Sports
As in most areas, high schools compete in sports in two types of division. One, because of logistical and geographical constraints, is necessarily local. That is, large schools play small ones in the same area. A second division is based on school population and is statewide. Eventually, schools with the best records in this type of division will meet each other for seasonal playoffs to determine the state champion.Competition is under the auspices of the Florida High School Athletic Association
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high school It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations ....
.
Funding
In the fiscal year 2007-2008, the Florida Educational Enhancement Trust Fund received $1.28 billion from the Florida Lottery, passing the billion-dollar mark for the 6th time in the lottery's 20-year history. As of 2009, the current lottery's total contribution since start-up is more than $19 billion.Public colleges and universities
In 2010, the annual tuition. alone, at Florida's 11 public universities was $4,886, third lowest in the country. The average cost total for books, tuition, fees, and living expenses, is $15,500 compared to $16,140 average for the country.In an attempt to save money, entering students may take nationally standardized Advanced Placement exams. In 2010, 67, 741 Florida seniors took the exam. 33,712 scored 3 or more, sufficient for advanced placement. A total of 307,000 Florida students took AP exams in 2010. 64,000 scored a minimum of three or more; 43,000 scoring a four or higher.
State University System of Florida
The State University System of FloridaState University System of Florida
The State University System of Florida is a system of eleven public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2011, over 320,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities...
manages and funds Florida's ten public universities and a public Liberal Arts college:
|
|
In 2009, the system employed 45,000 people statewide. The budget was $4.1 billion for community colleges and universities.
In 2000, the governor and the state legislature abolished the Florida Board of Regents
Florida Board of Regents
The Florida Board of Regents was from 1965 to 2001 the governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all public universities in the state of Florida, United States. It was created to replace a predecessor body called the Florida Board of Control, which had existed from...
, which long had governed the State University System of Florida, and created boards of trustees to govern each university. As is typical of executive-appointed government boards, the appointees so far have predominantly belonged to the governor's party. This effect has not been without controversy. In 2002, former governor and then-U.S. Senator Bob Graham
Bob Graham
Daniel Robert "Bob" Graham is an American politician. He was the 38th Governor of Florida from 1979 to 1987 and a United States Senator from that state from 1987 to 2005...
(Dem.) led a constitutional-amendment ballot referendum designed to restore the board-of-regents system. Voters approved. Therefore the legislature created the Florida Board of Governors
Florida Board of Governors
The Florida Board of Governors was created in 2002 by the passage of a constitutional amendment, which went into effect in 2003. By an unprecedented vote, a 17-member board was established to serve as the statewide governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all...
; however, each university still maintains a Board of Trustees which work under the Board of Governors. During Florida's 2007 legislative session, Governor Charlie Crist
Charlie Crist
Charles Joseph "Charlie" Crist, Jr. is an American politician who was the 44th Governor of Florida. Prior to his election as governor, Crist previously served as Florida State Senator, Education Commissioner, and Attorney General...
signed into law SB-1710, which allowed the Board of Governors to allow a tuition differential for the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, and the University of South Florida
University of South Florida
The University of South Florida, also known as USF, is a member institution of the State University System of Florida, one of the state's three flagship universities for public research, and is located in Tampa, Florida, USA...
. This legislation ultimately created a tier system for higher education in Florida's State University System.
Florida College System
The Florida College System manages and funds Florida's 28 public community colleges and state colleges, with over 100 locations throughout the state of Florida.
|
North Florida Community College North Florida Community College is a public community college in Madison, Florida, and part of the Florida College System. It enrolls around 1,200 students and serves six rural counties in North Florida: Madison County, Hamilton, Lafayette, Jefferson, Suwannee, and Taylor.The school was founded as... Northwest Florida State College The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is a charter school in Niceville, Florida that was established in 2000. The Collegiate High School at Northwest Florida State College is an innovative charter school that enables 10th, 11th and 12th grade students to simultaneously earn... Pasco-Hernando Community College Pasco–Hernando Community College is the youngest two-year community college in Florida. With four campuses in Brooksville, Dade City, New Port Richey and Spring Hill, PHCC serves Pasco and Hernando counties in the central west coast of Florida.... Pensacola State College Pensacola State College, formerly known as Pensacola Junior College, is a public state college in Pensacola, Florida, and a member institution of the Florida College System.... South Florida Community College South Florida Community College , serving more than 19,000 area residents annually, has campuses and centers in Highlands, DeSoto and Hardee counties, Fla. The Highlands Campus, on , is located two miles south of Avon Park, Florida. It is bounded on the north by Lake Lelia, to the south by Lake... St. Petersburg College St. Petersburg College is a fully accredited post-secondary educational institution located in St. Petersburg, Florida, serving some 65,000 students annually... Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee Community College is a community college, located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. The institution was founded in 1966 by the Florida Legislature. The college is a member of the Florida College System.... |
Private colleges and universities
Independent Colleges and Universities of Florida
The Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. Like the 11 public colleges and universities in Florida, all ICUF schools are accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The current President...
is an association of 28 private, educational institutions in the state of Florida. The association reported that their member institutions enrolled over 121,000 students in the fall of 2006.
|
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Additionally, there are 20 colleges and universities that are not affiliated with the ICUF, but are fully accredited universities in the state of Florida.
|
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See also
- FloridaFloridaFlorida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
- Florida College System
- Florida Board of GovernorsFlorida Board of GovernorsThe Florida Board of Governors was created in 2002 by the passage of a constitutional amendment, which went into effect in 2003. By an unprecedented vote, a 17-member board was established to serve as the statewide governing body for the State University System of Florida, which includes all...
- Florida Department of EducationFlorida Department of EducationThe Florida Department of Education is the state education agency of Florida. It governs public education and manages funding and testing for local educational agencies . It is headquartered in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee.The Florida Commissioner of Education manages the day-to-day...
- State University System of FloridaState University System of FloridaThe State University System of Florida is a system of eleven public universities in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2011, over 320,000 students were enrolled in Florida's state universities...
- List of colleges and universities in Florida