Best private high schools in Florida

Video: Florida lawmakers advance private school voucher program

Private schools, in some form, existed long before the concept of free public education in America. Students were often educated through church-sponsored programs, private tutoring, and boarding schools. Public schools on a large scale were proposed by Horace Mann in the 1830s. The concept gained momentum, and by 1870, nearly 80% of kids aged 5 to 14 were enrolled in public schools. Today, according to the most recent enrollment data, about 4.7 million students—or 10% of students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12—are enrolled in private schools.

Private schools are widely marketed as a better option when compared to public schools, and private school proponents will often point to standardized test scores to substantiate this claim. While private school students have consistently outperformed public school students on standardized tests, recent studies have shown private schools themselves are not the primary driver of success, nor are standardized tests the most accurate measure of student well-being.

Researchers have found that student success is more directly related to family attributes, like having parents who graduated from college, and higher incomes—more common amongst private school students than public school students—than simply whether the students attended a public or private school.

Still, private schools provide unique advantages and opportunities like smaller class sizes, more individualized instruction, and greater curricular flexibility. To better understand how private school offerings vary across the country, Stacker compiled a list of the best private high schools in Florida using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses eight weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics and grades, but other factors include culture and diversity, health and safety, clubs and activities, resources, and surveys of parents, teachers and students.

#30. Academy at the Lakes

– Enrollment: 445 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Land O Lakes
– Niche grade: A+

#29. Episcopal School of Jacksonville

– Enrollment: 886 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 6-12
– City: Jacksonville
– Niche grade: A+

#28. Donna Klein Jewish Academy

– Enrollment: 618 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: K-12
– City: Boca Raton
– Niche grade: A+

#27. Academy of the Holy Names

– Enrollment: 964 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Tampa
– Niche grade: A+

#26. Saint Edward’s School

– Enrollment: 562 (6:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Vero Beach
– Niche grade: A+

#25. The Benjamin School

– Enrollment: 1,282 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: North Palm Beach
– Niche grade: A+

#24. Carrollwood Day School

– Enrollment: 1,163 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Tampa
– Niche grade: A+

#23. Tampa Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 704 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 6-12
– City: Tampa
– Niche grade: A+

#22. Windermere Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 1,600 (14:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Windermere
– Niche grade: A+

#21. Community School of Naples

– Enrollment: 800 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Naples
– Niche grade: A+

#20. Canterbury School

– Enrollment: 762 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Fort Myers
– Niche grade: A+

#19. Shorecrest Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 1,009 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: St. Petersburg
– Niche grade: A+

#18. Belen Jesuit Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 1,377 (11:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 6-12
– City: Miami
– Niche grade: A+

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#17. Lake Highland Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 2,079 (13:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Orlando
– Niche grade: A+

#16. Riviera Schools

– Enrollment: 835 (8:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Miami
– Niche grade: A+

#15. Scheck Hillel Community School

– Enrollment: 1,250 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: North Miami Beach
– Niche grade: A+

#14. Saint Andrew’s School

– Enrollment: 1,335 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Boca Raton
– Niche grade: A+

#13. Miami Country Day School

– Enrollment: 1,250 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Miami
– Niche grade: A+

#12. Posnack Jewish Day School

– Enrollment: 862 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Davie
– Niche grade: A+

#11. Trinity Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 860 (10:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 6-12
– City: Winter Park
– Niche grade: A+

#10. Palmer Trinity School

– Enrollment: 770 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 6-12
– City: Miami
– Niche grade: A+

#9. Gulliver Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 2,227 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Pinecrest
– Niche grade: A+

#8. NSU University School

– Enrollment: 1,849 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Davie
– Niche grade: A+

#7. Crimson Global Academy, USA

– Enrollment: 180 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 9-12
– City: Online
– Niche grade: A+

#6. Berkeley Preparatory School

– Enrollment: 1,401 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Tampa
– Niche grade: A+

#5. Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart

– Enrollment: 857 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Miami
– Niche grade: A+

#4. American Heritage Schools, Palm Beach Campus

– Enrollment: 1,797 (4:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Delray Beach
– Niche grade: A+

#3. Pine Crest School – Fort Lauderdale Campus

– Enrollment: 1,803 (9:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Fort Lauderdale
– Niche grade: A+

#2. American Heritage Schools, Broward Campus

– Enrollment: 2,794 (5:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: PK, K-12
– City: Plantation
– Niche grade: A+

#1. Ransom Everglades School

– Enrollment: 1,141 (7:1 student to teacher ratio)
– Grades served: 6-12
– City: Coconut Grove
– Niche grade: A+