What are the secrets of great schools?
We went to find out in a state with plenty of them—Florida.
Once known for having a dismal K-12 public education system, Florida reversed course with a slate of ambitious reforms passed in 1999 known as the A+ Plan. And ever since it has been a national leader in making academic gains, succeeding with students across the demographic spectrum.
Part of this success is due to the variety of options now available to families—neighborhood schools, charter schools, magnet schools, dual enrollment and so on. This has given parents and students more freedom to find a school that best fits their needs.
Students who are where they belong are much more likely to realize their potential.
Starting Thursday, we will be profiling some of these schools. First up is the Osceola Professional and Technical High School (PATHS).
How did we choose the schools to highlight? Our policy experts meticulously rummaged through the data and picked out schools with excellent test scores, outstanding graduation rates for high schools and a good mix of students.
I added another more stringent criteria when I visited them: would I send my kids there? The answer was always yes.
I won’t be spoiling anything to tell you the obvious. Strong education policies create the framework for strong schools. But it is great principals and teachers who make it happen. They are the common denominator in each profiled school.
We hope you will both be inspired by them and learn from them.
