In Florida, a growing number of students are attending schools outside their designated attendance zones. At Moreland’s Alternative Educational Academy in Pompano Beach, kindergartners express confidence and enthusiasm for their school environment. This confidence stems from the efforts of Karen Moreland-Alford, a former educator who founded the Christian K-12 school, expanding its enrollment to nearly 200 students. Many parents attribute their children’s improved academic performance to transitioning from unsafe, low-performing schools to Moreland’s institution. The success of her school is largely due to Florida’s education choice scholarships.
Florida’s scholarship programs have played a crucial role in providing families with educational options and allowing talented educators the freedom to establish new schools. These scholarships need to be safeguarded and expanded. Opening public buildings to new schools, offering startup support for educators, and reducing bureaucratic challenges are essential steps toward fostering educational entrepreneurship. Children deserve access to schools created by their dedicated teachers.
Over the past two decades, numerous public school teachers and principals have left traditional classrooms to start their own schools, particularly in low-income and rural areas. Motivations vary: some seek a faith-based teaching environment or focus on specific disabilities, while others aspire to create something new. Critical to enabling these opportunities is the concept that funding follows the student. With state scholarships worth approximately $9,000 per student, educators can open schools even in low-income neighborhoods, making quality education accessible beyond those who afford private tuition.
A major challenge remains in finding suitable facilities. Without access to taxpayer-funded facilities, many new schools begin with small enrollments in modest locations such as church classrooms and strip malls. Critics may misinterpret these beginnings as a lack of quality, but parents trust these schools for the strong instruction they provide. Repurposing vacant public buildings could swiftly enhance the growth of successful educational models.
The effectiveness of these initiatives is evident. Research by the Urban Institute indicates that low-income students using Florida’s tax credit scholarship enroll in college at higher rates than their peers who remain in traditional schools. Parents have the power to move their children if schools underperform, a choice that district schools do not face annually.
Even some school districts recognize the benefits of competition. In Polk County, two teachers transitioned from public schools to establish Wonderhere, a Montessori-based micro-school that expanded to three locations due to parental demand. The district eventually proposed a partnership to integrate Wonderhere within a Title I school, showcasing how healthy competition can drive innovation and strengthen education overall.
Currently, more than half of Florida’s publicly funded K-12 students attend a school outside their traditional district school, according to the James Madison Institute. School choice has become a core component of public education in the state. Despite progress, these advancements face threats from those opposing education choice scholarships, which could limit options for families and close potential avenues for aspiring educator-entrepreneurs.
For two decades, Florida has demonstrated that empowering parents and granting educators the freedom to innovate leads to student success. Now is the time to build on this momentum. As the students in Pompano Beach already understand, education choice is a promising path forward.
Erika Donalds, a former Collier County School Board member, education entrepreneur, and CEO of Education Freedom Foundation, highlights the importance of maintaining and expanding these programs. With firsthand experience as a mother and professional in education, she advocates for continued progress in Florida’s education landscape.
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