New Poll: Florida Parents Give Schools Good Marks, But 80% Still Want Higher Academic Standards

Pioneer Institute asked Florida parents what they think about their schools, and most said they are doing a good job preparing students for success. Yet 80% still want the state to raise its academic standards. 

That contrast is revealing. Parents aren’t unhappy with their schools – they simply want more from them. And they have reason to: Florida’s fourth-grade performance ranks near the top of the nation in reading and math, while its eighth-grade performance ranks in the bottom 10.

The findings show that school choice and high academic standards should go together. Florida has built the nation’s strongest school choice systems. Parents are signaling that higher academic standards should come next.

Nearly Half of Parents Have Used School Choice

Nearly half (49%) of surveyed parents say they have used a Florida school choice or scholarship program. That includes 29% who are currently using one.

Participating parents are using a wide range of school choice options. The most common programs are public school open enrollment (45%), private school scholarships (30%), and charter or magnet schools (25%), followed by the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities and the Personalized Education Program Scholarship (22% each).

Parents Give Florida’s Schools Good Marks

On a scale of 0 (very poor) to 10 (excellent), parents give the quality of Florida’s K-12 education an average rating of 7. Nearly half (45%) rate it an 8 or higher.  

Parents currently using school choice are even more enthusiastic. Three in four (75%) rate Florida’s K-12 education an 8 or higher, compared to 45% of parents overall, and their average rating is 8.4. 

Parents are just as confident about their children’s preparedness. Nearly three in four (72%) say their children are prepared to perform well on standardized tests, including 35% who say very prepared. Just 9% say their children are unprepared.

Satisfied Parents Still Want Higher Standards

Despite high satisfaction in the quality of Florida’s K-12 education, 80% of parents also agree that the state should raise its academic standards for what students are expected to learn in reading and mathematics.  

School choice users are even more likely to want to raise the bar, despite being more satisfied than parents overall. Three-quarters of these parents give Florida’s schools an 8 or higher, yet 91% want the state to raise its academic standards. The families that chose their schools and like what they see are still asking for more. 

Parents Are Concerned About The Gap Between Fourth- And Eighth-Grade Performance

Florida’s parents are right to want more from the state’s education system. On the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), Florida’s fourth-grade average scores ranked second in the nation for math and 10th in reading. However, the average eighth-grade scores ranked 41^st in math and 43^rd in reading.

These are two different groups of students tested in the same year, not the same students followed over time. But this gap raises fair questions about how well Florida’s schools are serving students throughout their education. 

Parents take this gap seriously. When shown these rankings, 78% said they were concerned about the difference between Florida’s fourth- and eighth-grade results.

It points to a clear priority: making sure Florida’s middle schools deliver the same strong results as its elementary schools, starting with higher standards in reading and math. 

Conclusion

Florida parents are largely satisfied with their schools and the choices available to them. But they want higher academic standards and even stronger performance, especially for middle school students. Even school choice users, who are most satisfied with their schools, want to raise the bar. 

Florida led the nation in expanding educational opportunity. The next challenge is ensuring that students achieve at high levels throughout the entirety of their K-12 education. School choice and higher standards go hand in hand.

Methodology Note: The poll, conducted with Big Village from October 27 to November 1, 2026, surveyed 182 Florida registered voters who are parents or guardians of a child currently in grades K-12.