A Closer Look at Florida’s Record Graduation Rate

A Closer Look at Florida’s Record Graduation Rate 

Bottom Line: Florida’s graduation rate rose to a non-pandemic record 89.7% during the 2023-2024 school year according to Florida’s Department of Education. The grad rate represented an increase of 1.7% over the prior year, with gains across all demographics, and is among the highest in the nation. In announcing the news Governor DeSantis had this to say: Florida leads the nation in education because we put education over indoctrination, empower parents, and have made school choice universal. This record graduation rate is a prime metric of our success, in addition to our #1-in-the-nation rating. Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. Added: Florida is number one for education because of our commitment to providing a quality education that fits the needs of each student, and our climbing graduation rate is proof positive that our approach is working. The #1 rating Governor DeSantis and Commissioner Diaz Jr. referred to is the annual U.S. News and World Report ranking which most recently showed Florida as ranking best in the nation for pre-k through college education.  

  • ‘04-’05 school year: 58.8% (all-time low)  
  • ‘12-’13 school year: 75.6% (first time over 75%)  
  • ‘17-’18 school year: 86.1% (last year prior to DeSantis administration)  
  • ‘20-’21 school year: 90.1% (peak graduation rate impacted by the pandemic)  
  • ‘22-’23 school year: 88%  
  • ‘23-’24 school year: 89.7% (highest non-pandemic graduation rate) 

So, what we’ve seen since the onset of Governor DeSantis’s administration which included the elimination of the Common Core curriculum which was replaced with the B.E.S.T. curriculum, the advancement of the Parental Rights in Education policies and the advent of Universal School Choice is consistent progress leading to last year’s non-pandemic record high graduation rate. Notably, on the current trajectory, it’s possible Florida could exceed the pandemic record, which occurred due to the suspension of Florida’s graduation test requirement, as soon as the current school year.  


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