As filmmaker and writer Nora Ephron said during a '96 commencement address at Wellesley College, "Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead." If that's the case, high school may be one of the greatest dress rehearsals of all.
It's a place where students explore their interests, dive into extracurricular activities, finally get the freedom to choose their own classes, and prepare for college or the workplace. For many of these students and their families, public education is key: 49.4 million students enrolled in public pre-K-12 schools in fall 2021, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Of those, about a third were in high school, enrolled across about 23,500 public secondary schools nationwide.
Recommended Videos
For many anxious parents, getting their kids into the best of these public high schools is of the utmost importance. Some families even move homes to get into better school districts. However, among all of these thousands of schools, a few stand out for their academic excellence, incredible track records, and the future success of their young students.
Stacker compiled a list of the 30 best public high schools in Florida using 2023 rankings from Niche. Niche uses seven weighted factors for its rankings. A majority of the score is based on academics, but other factors include culture and diversity; sports; clubs and activities; resources; and surveys of parents, teachers, and students. School districts are provided when available; otherwise, the city is listed instead.
Daniel Hoz // Shutterstock
#30. Design & Architecture Senior High School
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 487 (17:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
Achira22 // Shutterstock
#29. International Studies Preparatory Academy
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 381 (18:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
#28. School for Advanced Studies
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 119 (30:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
LightField Studios // Shutterstock
#27. Florida Southwestern Collegiate High School
- Location: Charlotte County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 373 (34:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
Mircea Moira // Shutterstock
#26. State College of Florida Collegiate School - Bradenton
- Location: Manatee County School District, FL - Enrollment: 504 (25:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
LStockStudio // Shutterstock
#25. Mast Academy
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 1,549 (21:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
panitanphoto // Shutterstock
#24. Pompano Beach High School
- Location: Broward County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 1,219 (23:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
Jacob Lund // Shutterstock
#23. Archimedean Upper Conservatory (AUC)
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 320 (13:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
ImageFlow // Shutterstock
#22. Edgewood Junior/Senior High School
- Location: Brevard Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 922 (18:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
Ground Picture // Shutterstock
#21. Terra Environmental Research Institute
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 1,668 (25:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
Tyler Olson // Shutterstock
#20. Orlando Science Middle/High Charter School
- Location: Orange County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 1,269 (19:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
SEALANDSKYPHOTO // Shutterstock
#19. MAST@FIU - Biscayne Bay Campus
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 454 (23:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+
sirtravelalot // Shutterstock
#18. Coral Reef Senior High School
- Location: Miami-Dade County Public Schools, FL - Enrollment: 3,310 (26:1 student to teacher ratio) - Niche grade: Grade A+