South Florida Schools

Palm Beach County's school district earned an A rating for the third consecutive year, with 109 of 202 graded schools earning an A and no district-operated school receiving a D or F. The district's graduation rate reached a record 93.5%. Several schools posted dramatic turnarounds this cycle: Dwight D. Eisenhower K-8 in Palm Beach Gardens, Glade View Elementary in Belle Glade, S.D. Spady Elementary in Delray Beach, and West Gate Elementary in West Palm Beach all jumped from a C straight to an A. For families comparing school options across the county, that combination of a strong top tier and real gains lower down is a more complete picture than the district letter grade alone.

Broward County Public Schools earned an A rating for the third consecutive year, with 176 of 287 graded schools earning an A and zero D or F schools for the third year running. Pembroke Pines stood out this cycle, with 19 of its 23 public schools earning an A, including West Broward High School, Charles W. Flanagan High School, Walter C. Young Middle School, and Chapel Trail Elementary. Ten schools districtwide moved from a C straight to an A. Broward's western suburbs, Pembroke Pines, Weston, Coral Springs, and Parkland, continue to anchor the district's strongest performance.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools is an A-rated district for the seventh time since 2018, with 297 of 470 graded schools earning an A and no school receiving a D or F. MAST Academy on Virginia Key ranked 23rd countywide out of all 470 graded schools, and Key Biscayne K-8 Center placed 91st, both A-rated. As Florida's largest district, Miami-Dade's scale means results vary block by block more than a single county-wide grade can capture, but the district's consistency at the top over the past four years of gains is a genuine signal, not just a headline number.

St. Lucie County's school district earned an A rating for the second consecutive year, with 17 of 45 graded schools earning an A and no school earning a D or F. Forest Grove Middle School in Fort Pierce and Rivers Edge Elementary in Port St. Lucie both moved from a B to an A this cycle. Not every school held steady: St. Lucie West Centennial High, previously A-rated, dropped to a B, a reminder that district-wide gains and individual school trends do not always move together. For families moving from Palm Beach County, the district offers solid and improving education at a significantly lower cost of living.

Martin County retained its A district rating for a second consecutive year, with 13 of 23 graded schools earning an A and every district-operated school earning a C or higher. South Fork High School, Stuart Middle School, and Indiantown Middle School all moved from a B to an A this cycle, and the district's total accountability points climbed from 785 to 808. With lower enrollment than its coastal neighbors, Martin benefits from smaller class sizes and strong community engagement, which is a significant draw for families considering the Treasure Coast.

Highlands County's school district improved to a B for 2025-26, even as the number of A-rated schools slipped from five to three: Lake Placid Elementary, now on a three-year A streak, along with Park Elementary and Sun 'n Lake Elementary. Cracker Trail and Lake Country Elementary, both A schools the year before, each missed repeating by one to two percentage points. All three of the county's traditional high schools, in Sebring, Avon Park, and Lake Placid, graded C for a ninth consecutive year. Families moving to Highlands County for land or retirement should weigh that gap between a strong elementary tier and a flatter high school track record. Private and charter school options are also available in the Sebring area.

Okeechobee County's school district earned a C grade for 2025-26, with one school rated B, six rated C, and one rated D among its eight graded schools; the district's superintendent noted it finished just four points short of a B district rating. The county's Virtual School is the one A-rated program in the district. Okeechobee remains a rural, agricultural county, and families weighing it against the coastal counties are typically trading school ratings for land, a slower pace, and a significantly lower cost of living.

Indian River County's school district earned an A grade for the fourth year running, with 23 of its 25 graded schools rated A and none rated D or F. Both of the county's traditional public high schools, Vero Beach High School and Sebastian River High School, carry A ratings, which is unusual consistency for a district this size. For families comparing the Treasure Coast against Palm Beach County, Indian River offers similarly strong outcomes at a noticeably lower cost of living.