OCALA, Fla. — As nearly 3 million students prepare to return to school across Florida, state data shows a growing number of children are being educated at home.
According to the Florida Department of Education, enrollment in home education programs increased 37% over the past five years, from 97,261 students in the 2018-19 school year to 152,871 students in the 2024-25 school year. The increase followed the passage of the Florida Empowerment Scholarship in 2019.
Hillsborough County has the highest number of students in home-education programs in Florida, according to the state. In Central Florida, Orange, Brevard and Lake counties have the most home education students, with about 6% of all students in Orange County homeschooled…