JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Florida’s high school graduation rate rose to 89.7% during the 2023-2024 school year, an increase of 1.7 percentage points over last year, exceeding the pre-pandemic rate of 86.9% for the 2018-2019 school year. 

In Duval County during a ‘School Choice’ event, parents and faculty members say that Florida education is invested in their students. 

Timothy Feagins, principal at Douglas Anderson High School, who has been a part of the Duval County Public Schools for over 20 years, told First Coast News this new record shows that the Florida education system is headed in the right direction.

“We are really excited about the high school graduation rate we’ve hit records here in Duval County,” Feagins said.

In Duval County, CTE classes are being offered. These are courses that prepare students for the workforce, by teaching them professional and technical skills. CTE programs often combine academic courses with career-focused courses, mentoring and work opportunities.

Micheal Burt, who has been teaching at A. Philip Randolph High School for the past eight years, told First Coast News these CTE classes are beneficial to students before entering the workforce. 

“Our CTE Program is keeping kids involved and also interested in the classroom,” said Burt.

During a news conference in Jacksonville, Desantis said the Florida education model should be a blueprint for the rest of the country.

“We can look back over the last six years and say what’s been done in Florida has had huge life-changing effects in a positive way on so many families throughout the state of Florida,” DeSantis said.

For a look at the new rate increases, click here.