2024 Florida Charter School and School Choice Summit Sets Attendance Record

Florida Department of Education | November 25, 2024

Tallahassee, Fla., November 19, 2024 – Last week, the Florida Department of Education hosted the 2024 Annual Charter School Conference and School Choice Summit in Orlando. The conference hosted a record-breaking 1,300 attendees and exhibitors. The conference provides leaders and educators from Florida’s charter schools and private schools the opportunity to collaborate with each other and Florida Department of Education (FDOE) staff, share best practices and meet with exhibitors who offer services designed for the charter school and private school community.

“I am proud to welcome a record number of attendees at this year’s Charter School Conference and School Choice Summit,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “Under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida is the best state to receive a quality education that fits the needs of each family. This conference is yet another example of how we support the continued expansion of school choice in Florida.”

Florida has significantly increased the number of charter schools in the state, growing to 738 schools throughout the state and enrolling more than 405,000 students this year. In addition to charter schools, Florida offers universal school choice with a robust variety of options that allow students to attend the school that best meets their needs.

In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed House Bill 1, making Florida the first state in the nation to establish universal school choice. HB 1 eliminated financial eligibility restrictions and the enrollment cap for the Family Empowerment Scholarship Educational Options and increased the annual scholarship cap growth for the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities. For the 2024 school year, more than 500,000 students are utilizing the Family Empowerment Scholarship and Florida Tax Credit Scholarship programs.