Florida tops the nation in education, report shows

TAMPA - Florida is number one in education, according to new rankings from U.S. News and World Report.

The analysis found the Sunshine State is the best for low in-state tuition and college readiness, but being number one in education is in contrast to Florida ranking last in teacher pay.

"This is a great day for Florida to receive this accolade," said Raymond Rodrigues, chancellor of the State University System of Florida.

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A big reason why Florida ranks so high: the state’s performance in higher education. U.S. News and World Report measured college graduation rates for two-year and four-year colleges, accessibility, debt and tuition for public colleges and universities. Florida came in with the second-highest graduation rate and the lowest in-state tuition.

"We’ve had zero tuition or fee increases during the two terms that Governor DeSantis has served," said Rodrigues.

Florida’s public school system classrooms were also ranked, coming in fifth in college readiness, 12th in pre-school enrollment, and toward the middle with high school graduation rate, math and reading scores.

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The report called the pre-K through 12th grade metrics fairly strong while also noting Florida’s controversial education policies.

"While even in the writing of it you may have taken some shots at Florida policies, if you look at the metrics, the proof is in the pudding," said Manny Diaz, Jr., commissioner of the Florida Department of  Education. "I mean we’ve seen our results. Those metrics are kept and that’s why we’re number one."

But what’s not number one is teacher pay.

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"I mean I know that our Florida teachers work as hard or harder than anyone else in the country because of the conditions that we’re saddled to work with," said Rob Kriete, president of the Hillsborough Classroom Teachers Association. "What it shows to me is that they’re doing everything they can to meet the needs of the kids, even with a skeleton crew."

Florida recently dropped to the bottom nationwide, according to a National Education Association report that the state disagrees with.

"You’ve seen $4 billion invested in teacher pay directly by this governor since the beginning of his first term and our initial teacher pay has gone from $40,000 to $48,000," said Diaz. "My question to the teachers' unions is what are you doing to find efficiencies working with districts because those salaries at the end of the day are collectively bargained at the lower level."

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While Florida may be number one overall, the Hillsborough County teacher’s union president said Florida can still do better.

"With lawmakers that believe in high stakes and they want performance pay, if this U.S. News and World Report says that we’re number one, well we’re performing and I would ask the lawmakers to put their money where their mouths are," said Kriete.

The state education commissioner added that the report is an overall testament to the work teachers and professors are putting in across all education levels.

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