Did you know that:
- In 2015, Florida ranked 30th in the United States in overall quality and 37th in student chances for success?
- The high school graduation rate for low income students in Florida is 67.0% compared to the national average of 73.3%, placing Florida 40th among of the 50 States?
While these statistics do not paint a pretty picture, they do represent a marked improvement in recent years. High school graduation rates have grown from 58.8% in 2005-6 to 77.8% in 2014-15. This is remarkable considering that improvements in education quality have taken place, even though since 2007-8 the amount that Florida spends on education per pupil has dropped from $7,126 ($8,190 in today’s dollars) to $7,105. One of the factors underlying improvements in education quality has been the efforts of school teachers and administrators, with the support of private donations, to experiment with new learning materials, technologies and teaching techniques. In 2016, your BallenIsles Charities Foundation made grants in support of such efforts.