Many school districts throughout Florida are seeing a decline in students attending traditional public schools. However, enrollment of parents sending their children to Catholic schools in the Sunshine State continues to rise.

New data from Step Up for Students highlights this trend and says the credit goes to the states expanding school choice options.

With nearly half of Florida students now attending schools other than their zoned neighborhood schools, it’s clear that parental choice is reshaping the educational landscape in the Sunshine State,” said Hera Varmah with the American Federation for Children.

School choice advocates credit the American Federation for Children (AFC), for played a huge part in the passage and expansion of school choice policy in the state of Florida.

Groups like AFC say because of the role that school choice is playing in Florida and now with expanding it to universal school choice, parents will notice an improved educational landscape, especially in Catholic schools, whose enrollment numbers have been in decline for years.

School choice experts point out that trends have shown that prior to expanded school choice, both Catholic and public school enrollment rates were rapidly declining. But with the expansion of education choice, new data shows Catholic school enrollment rates in Florida are up 9%.

The decline in students attending public schools in the state can be attributed to Florida’s school choice efforts. Many Catholic schools and other private, Christian, and charter schools report a waiting list of parents looking to send their children to these schools of choice.