Florida Department of Education
01/21/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/21/2026 13:02
Florida Leads the Nation as #1 for Education Freedom for the Third Consecutive Year
January 21, 2026
FDOE Press Office 850-245-0413 [email protected]
Florida Leads the Nation as #1 for Education Freedom for the Third Consecutive Year
Tallahassee, Fla., January 21, 2026 - Today, Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas announced that Florida has been ranked number one in Education Freedom for the third consecutive year by ALEC Index of State Education Freedom: A 50 State Guide to Parental Empowerment. Florida also ranked number one for student-centered funding programs, charter schools and home schooling and was the only state to receive an A+ rating in this year's rankings. This recognition underscores Florida's bold leadership in expanding educational opportunities and empowering families across the state.
"Florida's continued recognition as number one in Education Freedom reflects Governor Ron DeSantis' leadership and unwavering commitment to putting students and families first," said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. "Florida leads the nation because we provide all students and families with access to high-quality school choice options that meet their individual needs."
The ALEC Index was created to provide a comprehensive analysis of learning options available across all 50 states. It evaluates states on key areas of educational opportunity, including education freedom programs, charter schools, homeschooling, virtual schooling, and open enrollment. Florida's achievement in the Index highlights the state's commitment to providing families with access and choice across learning environments.
In addition to earning the top overall ranking for Education Freedom in the 2026 ALEC Index of State Education Freedom Report, Florida achieved high marks in the following categories:
- #1 for Student-Centered Funding Programs
- #1 for Charter Schools
- #1 for Home Schooling
Florida has also ranked #1 for Education Freedom by the Heritage Foundation, #1 in Talent Attraction and Developing a Skilled Workforce by Lightcast, #1 on the Parent Power! Index by the Center for Education Reform, and #1 on the EdChoice Friedman Index.
Read More News...
Florida Department of Education published this content on January 21, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 21, 2026 at 19:02 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]