The big story: High school students who attend campuses with independent governing boards, such as private and charter institutions, have reported a rise in positive feelings toward their schools and an uptick in grades, according to a recent study.
The 2024–25 Independent School Health Check report by the National Association of Independent Schools details the results of a survey of teens attending independent schools. The report includes more than 1,600 nonprofit, K-12 schools nationwide.
In Florida, independent schools have seen an increase in enrollment since the pandemic, a 12% median gain that outpaces the national median growth by 7%, according to the report. Miami and Tampa saw most average growth, at 24% and 12%, respectively.
Throughout Florida, 84% of Florida independent schools saw increased enrollment since the pandemic, compared to 63% nationwide. In Tampa alone, the increase was 86%.
Amanda Torres, vice president of research at the National Association of Independent Schools, credits the expansion of the state’s voucher programs.
“By eliminating income limits for major scholarship programs and expanding access to education savings accounts and vouchers, Florida has broadened the pool of families considering independent schools,” she said.
While regional and citywide morale and academic data points were not analyzed in the report, in the 2024-25 school year, the study found more than 50% of high schoolers at independent schools reported receiving mostly A’s in classes nationwide. More than 5 out of every 6 students reported belonging in their school, and 97% said their teachers treat them with respect.
Seventy-two percent of high schoolers in the 2024-25 survey also reported having great overall health, an increase by 5% from the year before.
Hot topics
Campus safety: St. Petersburg College has established its own police department to work alongside campus security. • New Florida law that took effect this week has created a 1,000-foot buffer zone around schools for shooting a gun, except in self-defense or on private property by the owner, WFLA reports.
Charter schools: A charter school operator wants to build a campus in a mixed use development in a rapidly growing section of Brevard County, Florida Today reports.
College expansion: National “brand name” universities such as Vanderbilt and Carnegie Mellon are bringing new campuses to Florida. The Chronicle of Higher Education examines the factors drawing them to the Sunshine State.
Dress code: The Florida Department of Education has proposed an employee dress code that could place limits on religious head coverings, the News Service of Florida reports.
Early learning: The Escambia Children’s Trust is investigating new approaches to improve the county’s poor kindergarten readiness rate, which dipped to 36% in 2025, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.
Friday night lights: A Charlotte County high school has canceled the remainder of its football season because of too many injuries, WINK reports.
Immigration enforcement: A University of Central Florida student reflects on his experiences as a “Dreamer,” including being detained by ICE, as he nears graduation, WLRN reports.
Mental health services: Clay County schools rolled out new resources to help students manage emotions while in class, Clay Today reports.
New schools: The Duval County school district unveiled a new school design that could be a prototype for the future, Jacksonville Today reports.
School closures: The Highlands County school board is considering whether to merge two small elementary schools in its effort to reduce spending, Highlands News-Sun reports.
Science lessons: Feedback on Florida’s proposed new science standards continued to be mostly negative in a second day of public hearings, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Teacher pay: Polk County voters will decide whether to increase property taxes as a way to increase school district teacher and staff pay, the Ledger reports.
Number of the day
20 — That’s the number of additional points students will need to earn on the SAT in order to qualify for a Bright Futures scholarship, starting in 2028. Read more from WTVT.
Quick quiz
Schools across Florida are closing as enrollment declines. What’s being talked about to take over the space?
a) Multifamily housing
b) Private schools
c) Retail
Find the answer in this story from the Miami Herald.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
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