Florida Prioritizes Private School Scholarships Over Public Education Funding in Miami-Dade

Florida Department of Education budget documents, as reported by the Miami Herald and relayed by CubaHeadlines, show that in 2026-27 the state plans to send about $766 million in private school scholarships to roughly 82,470 students in Miami-Dade. By comparison, about $737 million is planned for roughly 303,506 students in traditional and charter public schools. The gap of about $29 million makes Miami-Dade the first major urban county in the state where scholarship money exceeds the state allocation for public school students.

The article stresses that these figures cover state funds only. That works out to about $8,000 per scholarship recipient versus under $3,000 per public or charter student. The state supplies about 25% of the money for Miami-Dade students, while local property taxes, around $2.2 billion, supply about 75%. So the numbers do not show that private schools receive more total public money per student. The article attributes the change to scholarship growth, especially after a 2023 expansion opened them to nearly all families regardless of income, and to falling enrollment in traditional public schools. The funding formula dates to the early 1970s.

Five other counties had scholarship obligations above their state allocations in 2025-26. The Legislature has made adjustments, though some officials say they are temporary. A Republican state representative says the formula needs revision. A Monroe County school board member proposes funding scholarships in a separate budget item. A Teach Florida representative suggests calculating scholarship funding with the same criteria used for public students. The article reports no final decision.