Data-Driven Education Journalism for the Sunshine State
Education News & Data
Local education reporting from every corner of Florida, grounded in Florida Department of Education data.
Florida's gender graduation gap has narrowed from 7.5 to 3.7 points since 2016, with boys improving 10.9 points versus 7.1 for girls. But eight small districts still have double-digit gaps.
Leon County's graduation rate has declined for four consecutive years to 85.1%, the lowest in its recorded history. It is the only Florida district at an all-time low while 16 others set records.
When Florida waived assessment requirements during COVID, graduation rates in its poorest districts spiked by up to 22 points. When requirements returned, the gains evaporated, and some districts fell below their pre-improvement levels.
Pasco County's graduation rate climbed 16.4 points to 95.5% in 2024, with its special education rate of 96.2% exceeding the overall rate. The large suburban district near Tampa is rewriting expectations.
Florida's graduation gap between low-income and all students narrowed from 6.3 to 3.5 points since 2016, with FRL students improving 11.8 points. Unlike the ELL gap, the poverty gap did not snap back after COVID.
Florida Virtual School's graduation rate climbed 30 points in eight years, from 66.6% to 96.6%, while its cohort grew 56%. The state's flagship online program now outperforms most traditional districts.
Florida's share of schools with high chronic absenteeism eased from its 2021-22 peak of 76.3% to 73.0% by 2023-24, with about one in four schools now below the threshold. 496 schools still have a majority chronically absent.
Hardee County has declined for four consecutive years, losing 17.8 percentage points since 2020. Its male graduation rate of 69.3% is 18.6 points below the state average.
With a 17.4% chronic absenteeism rate, Collier County has been below the Florida average every year since tracking began, and the gap keeps growing.
The number of Florida county districts graduating 90% or more of their students has surged from 6 to 29 since 2016, while districts below 70% have disappeared entirely.
Putnam County's chronic absenteeism rate is 57.5%. Walton County's is 24.3%. Both are rural districts with similar enrollment. The gap has nearly doubled since 2019.
Florida's English learner graduation gap narrowed to just 4 points during COVID assessment waivers, then blew back to 14.3 points when requirements returned. The V-shaped pattern raises hard questions about assessment policy.
Polk County's chronic absenteeism rate has more than doubled since 2018, with 50,277 of 128,510 students now missing 10% or more of school.
Putnam County's graduation rate climbed 27.6 points in eight years, from 63.6% to 91.2%, with students with disabilities improving by 53.5 points. The rural North Florida district now exceeds the state average.
Hendry County is the sole Florida district where chronic absenteeism is below pre-pandemic levels. The other 72 remain worse off, including every large urban system.
