Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) school choice program has led to significant enrollment declines in public schools, prompting the possibility of campus closures as more families opt for private schools, charter schools, or homeschooling. 

DeSantis is expected to sign the state budget sometime in early June, before fiscal 2025 begins on July 1. In his “Focus on Florida’s Future” budget plan, he proposed $114 billion in state spending, marking a reduction of more than $4.6 billion compared to the current year’s budget.

This initiative extends Florida’s investments in education by allocating a record-breaking $27.8 billion to the K-12 public school system. This will include the highest per-student investment ever and will also cover the costs of the more than 274,000 students who will participate in Florida’s school choice program, the Family Empowerment Scholarship.

These programs have been central to DeSantis’s goals of restructuring Florida’s education system. 

“The money follows the student and the family. It’s not embedded in a certain system or a certain framework,” DeSantis said when asked about school closures. “And so, the student and the family will be making those decisions.”

Since the 2019-20 academic year, approximately 53,000 students have left traditional public schools across multiple counties. This exodus has prompted school administrators to consider the closures of campuses. 

At the same time, enrollment in charter schools has seen a rise of more than 68,000 students statewide, as reported by the Florida Department of Education. 

Private school enrollment increased from 397,970 students to 445,000 students during this period, as per the latest available state data. 

An increasing number of families also opted for homeschooling, with this demographic expanding by nearly 50,000 students since then, totaling 154,000 students, according to the latest data from the Florida Department of Education.

“If your product is better, you’ll be fine. The problem is, they are a relic of the past — a monopolized system where you have one option,” Chris Moya, a Florida lobbyist representing charter schools, said of traditional public schools. 

Florida has seen unprecedented achievements over the past five years, including its top-ranking status in education. DeSantis emphasized that this budget will solidify Florida’s position as a prime example of success in fiscal conservatism on a national scale.

“Success is not something that is handed to a state as large as Florida. It requires a steadfast commitment to supporting families at every step,” he said.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

“By expanding workforce education for high-demand jobs, providing family-first tax relief, ensuring that Florida’s students can access a quality education that fits their needs, investing in resilient infrastructure, and putting conservative principles at the forefront of every decision, we have delivered time and again for our residents,” he added. “Florida’s success is proof positive that when you establish a foundation of governing on conservative principles and protect the freedom of your residents, success will follow.”

DeSantis’s educational policies are already affecting other Republican-leaning states, with many adopting similar voucher programs.