Over a million Florida K-12 students attend a school of choice through magnet programs, open enrollment, career and technical academies, and charter and lab schools. Over 500,000 Florida students participate in the state’s education savings account and tax credit scholarship programs. Ron Matus, director of Research & Special Projects at Step Up for Students, joins the podcast to share the stories of the families and educators driving innovation and expanding opportunities across the state. We explore the growth of the ESA programs, how students with disabilities benefit, rural school choice options, the rise of specialized à la carte options, and the surprising growth in Catholic school enrollment.

Catholic School Update Brief 2026: https://nextstepsblog.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Catholic-school-update-brief-2026-final-approved.pdf

Next Steps Blog: https://nextstepsblog.org/author/ron-matus/

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