Are schools in FL terrible? Would you send your kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public or private school? There are some really nice private schools in Florida. If you’re going the public route my family has kids in a “good” public school in Florida and had come from Connecticut previously. Florida obviously does not compare to the education that can be had in Connecticut but they said they felt Florida has a very strong math and science program but was lacking in their English/comp lit education and they’re supplementing the kids with extra books at home. One was just accepted into NYU this year and wants to go to law school.

Connecticut has some of the best public schools in the country.

And apparently FL schools are comparable in math and science, the subjects of the future. Who knows, perhaps FL students learn Spanish too and can better communicate with 400 million Spanish speakers below our border?

[Anonymous]

I personally know three families with kids who moved to different areas of Florida. Like here, schools vary widely by location and can be different a few miles apart. Two families send their kids to public school. One send their to private.

[Anonymous]

I know at least a dozen successful adults who grew up and were educated in Florida. I also know successful adults who grew up in small towns or who attended schools in poorer districts. Your kids will be absolutely fine. They may even do better in college admissions, as they could be ahead of their classmates and ranked higher.

[Anonymous]

I'd worry about the hurricanes and flooding due to climate change.

[Anonymous]

We have friends who moved to Niceville, which has a highly rated school district (Okaloosa County). We have other friends in Walton County, which is next door.

I can only speak to High School, but Niceville High and South Walton are pretty on par with any DC public as far as academic rigor, AP offerings etc. The quality of teachers is hit or miss. Salaries are low and the COL has increased significantly in those area over the past few years due to COVID. Lots of teachers leaving mid-year etc

The HUGE benefit of sending your kids to school in FL is the Bright Futures scholarship, which has a variety of tiers to subsidize college. With a minimum 3.5 GPA and a certain amount of volunteer hours, you can get a full ride to a state university. Even with a 3.0, you can get 75% tuition paid for.

The people I know who have kids in HS take a very practical approach to the education process. One is pre-law, the other pre-med, so they are checking the boxes to get into a University and then continue their education. They aren't worried too much about the day-to-day goings on at school. HS is a means to an end.

Lots of engineering/STEM majors working the AP classes to get into UF, much as any DMV kids would do.

That said, the Northwest part of Florida is also essentially the south, so they do fun things like big homecoming weekends and Friday Night football games etc if that is your thing.

[Anonymous]

I know a handful of families from DC/NY/NJ/MD who relocated to the Parkland school district in FL. The schools are very, very good. All the families relocated for work. All were worried about schools. Several were surprised to discover their kids were behind and needed tutors to catch up.

Judging all schools in FL is pointless. Would you equate all schools in DC or NYC? MD? VA? Of course not.

Good rule of thumb: affluence of the school district. Having said that, I know a wealthy philanthropist who spearheads fundraising efforts for the Naples school district. Not sure why there’s such a need for private philanthropy in such a wealthy area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know a handful of families from DC/NY/NJ/MD who relocated to the Parkland school district in FL. The schools are very, very good. All the families relocated for work. All were worried about schools. Several were surprised to discover their kids were behind and needed tutors to catch up.

Judging all schools in FL is pointless. Would you equate all schools in DC or NYC? MD? VA? Of course not.

Good rule of thumb: affluence of the school district. Having said that, I know a wealthy philanthropist who spearheads fundraising efforts for the Naples school district. Not sure why there’s such a need for private philanthropy in such a wealthy area.

Parkland is in the middle of nowhere, quite far from the coast. If schools there are very good compared to DC schools, imagine those in more established areas like Broward or Boca.

It's quite incredible to see the ignorance and the arrogance coming from folks like OP.

[Anonymous]

It's fine if you're white and straight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a handful of families from DC/NY/NJ/MD who relocated to the Parkland school district in FL. The schools are very, very good. All the families relocated for work. All were worried about schools. Several were surprised to discover their kids were behind and needed tutors to catch up.

Judging all schools in FL is pointless. Would you equate all schools in DC or NYC? MD? VA? Of course not.

Good rule of thumb: affluence of the school district. Having said that, I know a wealthy philanthropist who spearheads fundraising efforts for the Naples school district. Not sure why there’s such a need for private philanthropy in such a wealthy area.

Parkland is in the middle of nowhere, quite far from the coast. If schools there are very good compared to DC schools, imagine those in more established areas like Broward or Boca.

It's quite incredible to see the ignorance and the arrogance coming from folks like OP.

Ha. I think you overestimate your intelligence.

Broward and Boca schools are not doing great. Don't judge the schools based on your traveling experiences.

Having grown up in FL, I would choose Parkland (or similar) if we ever moved back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I personally know three families with kids who moved to different areas of Florida. Like here, schools vary widely by location and can be different a few miles apart. Two families send their kids to public school. One send their to private.

Like EVERYWHERE, school quality in Florida varies by location. OP needs to be more specific about the area they are considering.

Note that, on average recent test scores, FL schools outperform MD, VA & DC.

https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?chort=1&sub=MAT&sj=&sfj=NP&st=MN&year=2022R3

[Anonymous]

Historically there has not been that many hurricanes in FL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hell no
DeSantis is literally crashing the public schools and colleges

I'm sorry you are ok moving to a state that just removed AP African American studies?

And he's ok killing off his population. What the hell do you think will happen when another pandemic hits? Because it will idiot.

Right now moving to Florida is dumb. But hey you want your daughters as second class citizens sure... Go on and move it's going to cost you a ton,, from INS, to school choice yeah fantastic decision.

Op here! Thanks so much for your very thoughtful response! I really appreciate your opinions! I hope that if you have children, you don’t call them idiots!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have friends who moved to Niceville, which has a highly rated school district (Okaloosa County). We have other friends in Walton County, which is next door.

I can only speak to High School, but Niceville High and South Walton are pretty on par with any DC public as far as academic rigor, AP offerings etc. The quality of teachers is hit or miss. Salaries are low and the COL has increased significantly in those area over the past few years due to COVID. Lots of teachers leaving mid-year etc

The HUGE benefit of sending your kids to school in FL is the Bright Futures scholarship, which has a variety of tiers to subsidize college. With a minimum 3.5 GPA and a certain amount of volunteer hours, you can get a full ride to a state university. Even with a 3.0, you can get 75% tuition paid for.

The people I know who have kids in HS take a very practical approach to the education process. One is pre-law, the other pre-med, so they are checking the boxes to get into a University and then continue their education. They aren't worried too much about the day-to-day goings on at school. HS is a means to an end.

Lots of engineering/STEM majors working the AP classes to get into UF, much as any DMV kids would do.

That said, the Northwest part of Florida is also essentially the south, so they do fun things like big homecoming weekends and Friday Night football games etc if that is your thing.

Note this is one of the few people posting here who have actual personal recent experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know a handful of families from DC/NY/NJ/MD who relocated to the Parkland school district in FL. The schools are very, very good. All the families relocated for work. All were worried about schools. Several were surprised to discover their kids were behind and needed tutors to catch up.

Judging all schools in FL is pointless. Would you equate all schools in DC or NYC? MD? VA? Of course not.

Good rule of thumb: affluence of the school district. Having said that, I know a wealthy philanthropist who spearheads fundraising efforts for the Naples school district. Not sure why there’s such a need for private philanthropy in such a wealthy area.

Parkland is in the middle of nowhere, quite far from the coast. If schools there are very good compared to DC schools, imagine those in more established areas like Broward or Boca.

It's quite incredible to see the ignorance and the arrogance coming from folks like OP.

Ha. I think you overestimate your intelligence.

Broward and Boca schools are not doing great. Don't judge the schools based on your traveling experiences.

Having grown up in FL, I would choose Parkland (or similar) if we ever moved back.

Ha. I think you overestimate your intelligence.

You don't live here based on your post. We do.

Broward and Boca schools are doing great. Sure, we can always find something to complain about, but they remain leagues ahead of DC (we used to live there) and Parkland (many friends there, often sending their kids NOT there)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Historically there has not been that many hurricanes in FL.

True. Last 20 years have been quite nice. Let's hope!