NAPLES, Fla. — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis visited The Freedom Institute of Collier County where he highlighted Florida’s success in education and position as the number one state in the country for school choice. Then, Governor DeSantis participated in a Q&A with the institute’s co-founder, Tom Grady, to discuss the multitude of opportunities afforded to Florida’s students as a result of the DeSantis administration’s focus on competition, variety, and freedom in education.

“When I took office as Governor, I made school choice a priority for my administration, working with the Legislature to expand our scholarship programs and deliver universal school choice,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida is the education state because we focus on core academics, empower parents to direct their children’s education, and recognize that all parents should be able to choose the school that is best for their kids.”

“As the chairman of the State Board of Education, I was proud to be part of the tremendous public school opportunities available to all Florida families and witnessed how competition and choice made them better,” said Freedom Institute Co-Founder Tom Grady. “The Freedom Institute of Collier County offers a revolutionary personalized high school experience made possible by Governor Ron DeSantis and his Freedom Agenda. Our curriculum is tailored to the aptitude and interests of each student-client and combines a rigorous, traditional core curriculum with mastery of real-world skills and traits such as financial literacy, character, and civic pride to ensure they are prepared for anything in our rapidly changing world.”

Florida is nationally ranked #1 in:

• School choice scholarships.
• Parental involvement in education.
• Education freedom.
• Overall education.
• Higher education.

Since Governor DeSantis signed universal school choice into law last year, Florida has funded more than 380,000 school choice scholarships, providing funds for students in Florida’s robust charter school network of more than 700 charter schools. There are also nearly 160,000 students in home education programs across Florida and more than 80,000 students participating in dual enrollment in a Florida College System institution. For Florida’s innovative education model — including charter school, home school, and dual enrollment options — The Freedom Institute is showcasing Florida’s embrace of non-traditional education options and the beneficial effects of freedom in education for their families.

To watch a recording of the Governor’s remarks, click here.

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