Photo: CBS 12
Private schools in Florida have been seeing surges in applications as more parents take advantage of universal school choice.
Jay Boggess is President of Jupiter Christian School.
"In the last 12 months, we have 700 students sitting in a wait pool. That signals to me there is pent up demand for the type of educational model that we're providing."
But just three years ago as Chief of Staff for the Palm Beach County School District, Boggess said in a video promoting public schools that Palm Beach County Schools are "your best choice."
What changed? In 2023, Florida passed a school choice law that allows parents to take their tax dollars, often about $8,000, and use it on private schools.
Now, 60,000 kids in Palm Beach are no longer in traditional public schools. And Boggess tells CBS 12 News that he thinks that will be a nationwide trend.
Experts say over 41 percent of Florida K through 12 students are attending something other than traditional public schools.
Meanwhile, school districts say they are working on being more competitive by offering choice and career programs.
A sign of how big business is for private schools, Jupiter Christian has been open since 1963 and they are first now building a second campus.