Best Public Schools in Fort Lauderdale, FL

The city of Fort Lauderdale, Florida is home to a diverse array of 40 schools, including 22 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, 10 high schools, and 5 alternative schools. The schools in this district serve a wide range of student populations and performance levels, with some standout top-performing institutions as well as several struggling campuses.

At the top of the district, Bayview Elementary School and Virginia Shuman Young Elementary School are both ranked 5 out of 5 stars by SchoolDigger, with exceptional test scores and proficiency rates. Floranada Elementary School is also a strong 4-star performer. In contrast, schools like Whiddon Rodgers Education Center, Dillard Elementary School, and Sunrise High School rank in the bottom 10% of schools statewide, with very low proficiency, graduation rates, and high chronic absenteeism.

Across the Broward school district, there are stark achievement gaps, with many high-poverty, predominantly minority schools struggling significantly compared to their more affluent, whiter counterparts. Charter schools have mixed results, and alternative/specialized schools tend to serve the most challenged student populations. Addressing chronic absenteeism appears to be a key lever for improvement at many underperforming campuses, though simply increasing funding does not necessarily translate to better outcomes. Overall, the Fort Lauderdale school system has pockets of excellence alongside widespread challenges that will require targeted interventions to address.