South Florida School
& Education Guide
Broward County has the 6th largest public school district in the United States. Palm Beach County is the 11th largest. Here's what you need to know before choosing where to buy.
270,000+
Broward County Students
180,000+
Palm Beach County Students
260+
Schools in Broward
100%
School Choice Available
Florida DOE Rated
Top-Rated Public High Schools
Ratings reflect Florida Department of Education school grades (A–F) based on FSA/FAST scores, graduation rates, and learning gains. Updated 2025–2026 school year.
Cypress Bay High School
Weston
Consistently top-ranked in Broward. IB & AICE programs.
Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS
Parkland
Strong academics, nationally recognized STEM programs.
Western High School
Davie
Magnet programs in biomedical sciences & engineering.
Deerfield Beach High School
Deerfield Beach
STEM-focused with dual enrollment & magnet options.
Pompano Beach High School
Pompano Beach
Improving scores; new building with updated facilities.
Spanish River HS (Palm Beach)
Boca Raton
Cambridge AICE, top SAT/ACT scores in the county.
Olympic Heights Community HS
Boca Raton
STEM academy, IB programme, dual enrollment with FAU.
Atlantic Community HS
Delray Beach
Visual & performing arts magnet, strong athletics.
Private & Independent
Top Private Schools
Pine Crest School
Fort Lauderdale / Boca Raton
$29,000–$34,000/yr
Preeminent K-12. High acceptance rate to top universities.
St. Thomas Aquinas High School
Fort Lauderdale
$16,500/yr
Catholic college-prep. Exceptional athletics + academics.
American Heritage School
Plantation / Boca Raton
$24,000–$32,000/yr
Known for medicine & law pre-professional tracks.
Westminster Academy
Fort Lauderdale
$18,000–$24,000/yr
Christian college-prep. Strong test scores and arts.
The Benjamin School
Palm Beach Gardens
$27,000–$36,000/yr
One of Palm Beach County's premier independent schools.
FAU High School (Early College)
Boca Raton
Free (public/charter)
Dual enrollment at FAU — earn an AA degree by graduation.
Florida Tax Credit Scholarship & Family Empowerment Scholarship: Florida's school choice programs provide vouchers/scholarships for private school tuition. Income-eligible families may qualify for substantial assistance. Apply through Step Up For Students.
Tuition-Free Options
Charter Schools Worth Knowing
KIPP South Florida
College-prep network serving underrepresented students, K-12. High AP participation.
Mater Academy (multiple campuses)
One of FL's largest charter networks. Strong STEM. Campuses in Miami-Dade & Broward.
Academica Charter Schools
Network of A-rated charters across Broward, Palm Beach, and Miami-Dade.
FAU High School
Free public early college program. Graduates earn a full AA from FAU by senior year.
Monarch High School (Coconut Creek)
Broward's performing arts magnet. Nationally recognized theatre & music programs.
Higher Education
Colleges & Universities
Florida Atlantic University (FAU)
Boca Raton
R2 Research University. 30,000+ students. Strong business, nursing, engineering.
Nova Southeastern University
Davie (Fort Lauderdale)
Medical, law, pharmacy, psychology. Largest independent university in FL.
Florida International University (FIU)
Miami
Top 50 public university. 58,000 students. Excellent for business & STEM.
Lynn University
Boca Raton
Smaller private school. Strong hospitality, media, and liberal arts programs.
Palm Beach Atlantic University
West Palm Beach
Christian liberal arts. Strong nursing and pharmacy programs.
Broward College
Fort Lauderdale (multiple campuses)
Affordable AA/AS degrees. Seamless transfer to FAU, FIU, UCF, and USF.
School districts can make or break a neighborhood decision.
Jacob Edri knows which streets feed into which schools — and how zoning lines affect property values. Get the local intelligence before you buy.
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