When the A+ Program launched the state’s foray into public school alternatives, school choice proponents made the argument that public schools needed competition. Charter schools, private schools and home schooling were seen as the better options to failing public schools. Thank goodness Palm Beach County doesn’t have that problem.
Our county’s public schools are some of the best in the nation — period, full stop, no question. By almost every conceivable statistic, our school district is doing more than holding its own against alternative forms of education. It’s exceeding expectations, a fact that gets lost when people think about public schools in Florida and the U.S.
For starters, the district has maintained its “A” rating. More than 70% of the district’s schools earned either an “A” or “B” grade, with 82 of them earning an “A” rating. There are no “D” or “F” schools in Palm Beach County. Beyond grades, the district is doing better in using community assets, such as local libraries, Junior Achievement and the Norton Museum to bolster classroom education. The district also offers an array of choice and career technical programs with the idea to develop student interest in construction, finance, healthcare and other potentially lucrative careers…