Yes, Florida Is No. 1 in the Country for Education. Here’s Why.

The debate around education in Florida is among the most contentious in America.

The state’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, has staked his political persona on being an opponent of what he terms the “woke” influence on education policy, even centering his 2024 presidential campaign on the theory that his efforts in the Sunshine State would entice a national audience to vote him into the White House.

Unfortunately for DeSantis, making America Florida did not resonate with Republican voters in states like Iowa and New Hampshire, and he exited the race after running a distant second to former President Donald Trump in the Iowa caucuses.

Statistically, though, Florida still fares well in many education metrics, and for the second year in a row is the top state for education in U.S. News & World Report’s Best States rankings. That placement is largely fueled by several stellar metrics in higher education, and less so by Florida’s still fairly strong performance in the prekindergarten- through-12th-grade arena.