The number of children enrolled in Florida’s publicly funded school choice options has grown exponentially over the last decade. That’s according to state education officials giving updates to lawmakers in a House Education Sub-Committee.
“When you add the programs that are not publicly funded, the number comes to 1.3 million. And when you divide it by the number of school-age children...you come to about 40 percent. So 40 percent of our population is exercising some form of school choice,” said Mike Koi, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Education’s Office of Independent Learning.
Included in that number are home schoolers, those in public charter schools, private schools, virtual schools and magnet schools.
In recent years, state lawmakers have increased availability, access and funding to school choice programs, as well as expanded the list to include new ones like online charter schools.
