The 10 best (and not-so-hot) Florida School Districts in 2025

Photo courtesy of University of Miami

If you’re a newcomer to the state of Florida, first, let us welcome you. There is no other place we’d rather live than the Sunshine State.

If you have children, picking a place to settle down in Florida can be a daunting task. Don’t just chase the palm trees and sunny vibes—schools are a major deal, especially if you’ve got little humans tagging along. Some neighborhoods look dreamy, but then you peek at the school ratings and, well, maybe not so dreamy after all.

We won’t mislead you. Florida is fab, but the education quality is a mixed bag. One street over, you’ve got kids nailing their SATs and winning spelling bees, and a few miles away, it’s a whole different story. You want to do your homework before you sign that lease or put down roots.

If you’re numbers-obsessed (or just want the receipts), the Florida Department of Education dropped their stats for 2025.

FLDOE grading scale:

·       A = 64% of points or greater

·       B = 57% to 63% of points

·       C = 44% to 56% of points

·       D = 34% to 43% of points

·       F = 33% of points or less

The top 10 school districts with the highest scores? Drumroll, please:

1.     Nassau County: 74%

2.    St. Johns County: 74%

3.    Lafayette County: 73%

4.    Walton County: 73%

5.    Collier County: 71%

6.    Holmes County: 71%

7.    Indian River County: 71%

8.    Sarasota County: 70%

9.    Miami-Dade County: 69%

10.  Sumter County: 69%

Here is the Not-so-Hot list:

1.     Gadsden County: 49%

2.     Jefferson County: 51%

3.     Hamilton County: 52%

4.     Okeechobee County: 53%

5.     Madison County: 54%

6.     DeSoto County: 55%

7.     Franklin County: 55%

8.     Putnam County; 55%

9.     Citrus County: 57%

10.  Dixie County: 57%

11.  Marion County: 57%