Orange County braces for loss of thousands of students to homeschooling, charters
What we know:
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) expects to lose more than 3,000 students in the upcoming school year, citing an exodus to charter schools and homeschooling.
What we don't know:
Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) is seeing a decline in enrollment as more students are becoming homeschooled or tranfereing to charter schools.
The trend follows a statewide shift, with more than 155,000 students enrolled in Florida’s home education programs during the 2023–2024 school year—a 46% increase over five years. Orange County has one of the highest homeschool participation rates in the state, with 8% of families opting out of traditional schools.
OCPS has not detailed how the projected loss of students will impact classroom sizes, teacher staffing, or budget allocations. It’s also unclear what measures the district may take, if any, to retain students or respond to the growing appeal of alternative education.
The long-term effect on public school infrastructure and funding as more families exit the system remains to be seen.
The backstory:
Florida’s expanding school voucher program is central to the shift, giving families more access to public funds they can use for private, charter, or homeschool-based education.
Critics argue this undercuts public school systems, while supporters say it empowers parents with more choice. The trend accelerated during the pandemic and has continued upward, especially among families seeking personalized or flexible learning environments.
Big picture view:
Orange County’s enrollment decline reflects a statewide transformation in how families approach education. With more learning options now available and publicly funded, traditional public schools are facing increasing competition.
Organizations like Orlando Family Stage have stepped in to support homeschool families with supplemental educational and social programming linked to OCPS curricula. This reflects a growing infrastructure supporting families who opt out of conventional classrooms.
What they're saying:
Joette Tindell has been homeschooling her daughter, Lilyanne "Pearl" Tindell, for several years now. She says there have been a lot more resources available as the homeschooling community grows.
"Because I’m a teacher, I know her needs, and because I’m her mom, I know her needs," said Tindell. "There’s no way the school can match what we give her at home."
One of the programs Lilyanne Pearl utilizes is at the Orlando Family Stage, which has increased its programming recently because of the demand.
"Homeschoolers need those opportunities to socialize, get together and build friendships, communicate and learn all of those skills," said Bethany Post, Education Office Manager at Orlando Family Stage.