Florida Charter Schools: Not as Good, or as Bad, as Advertised

Florida, as a state, has a very active school choice environment which includes traditional public schools, public charter schools, open enrollment policies and even scholarships for students who meet certain criteria. All of this is aimed to provide parents with high-quality options that best meet the needs of their child. However, in 2017, the Collins Institute report entitled “Patterns of Resegregation in Florida’s Schools” revealed some startling trends within our public school systems across the state. There was some concern that public charter schools were exacerbating the resegregation trend. Subsequently, the Collins Institute board in 2017, as a public policy research institute, decided to take a closer look at racial diversity, accountability, innovation and transparency in Florida’s public charter schools to better understand some key questions about charter schools in Florida, and how they contribute to Florida’s school choice landscape and student outcomes.