Florida dominates nation for ‘education freedom,’ study says. Here’s what that means

Last year, Florida was dubbed the top state for education in the country, though a newer study looks at just how free that education is.

More specifically, the American Legislative Exchange Council examined each state in the U.S. for its 2025 State Education Freedom Index, looking at which ones offer the most flexibility when it comes to students’ schooling routes.

“We are in the midst of an educational renaissance in America. At the time of writing, a record 12 states are empowering (or will be empowering) every family and every student with education freedom,” the study reads. “These states recognize the unique needs of each student and that parents, not government bureaucrats, are best positioned to determine those needs and choose a school that best fits their student.”

To score each state, researchers looked at the following categories:

• Education Freedom Programs: Includes education scholarship accounts, vouchers and tax-credit scholarships, which allow state dollars to follow students into schools of their choice
• Charter Schools: States earn higher scores when:
  • Charter growths aren’t capped
  • Charter schools receive similar funding to their public-school counterparts
  • A Universal authorizer is available
• Homeschooling: States earn higher scores when:
  • Parents aren’t required to notify their school district that they’re homeschooling
  • States have fewer homeschooling regulations
• Virtual Schooling: States earn higher scores when:
  • There are options available statewide and across school districts
  • States offer online learning to graduate from high school
  • States provide an approval process for online providers and courses
• Open Enrollment: Includes policies allowing for inter- and intra-district open enrollment, allowing students to attend schools outside their designated attendance zone

Within the study, Florida gained plenty of points for its school-choice programs, including the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and Hope Scholarship programs.

The Sunshine State also earned top marks in terms of its charter schools and virtual schools, though it floundered a bit in terms of homeschooling due to the state having some relevant regulations.

Overall, though, Florida came out on top over the rest of the competition, being the only state to score an A+.

Earlier this year, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz touted the state’s high ranking, attributing the score to state leadership.

“Florida has exponentially expanded opportunities for families to choose the best educational fit for their child,” he said. “We are proud to be ranked No. 1 for Education Freedom, and we will continue to empower parents with the resources they need to help their children succeed.”

Meanwhile, the full state-by-state ranking is as follows: