Public schools in Fort Lauderdale, FL
35 open public schools with an address in Fort Lauderdale, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
35
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
23,152
35 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
18.7:1
Florida median 16.8:1
Charter schools
6
11 magnet · 0 virtual
An overview of Fort Lauderdale public schools
The federal directory lists 35 public schools in Fort Lauderdale, FL: 20 elementary, 3 middle, 8 high, 4 combined or other. The 35 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 23,152 students, an average of 661 per school. The largest campus is Fort Lauderdale High School (2,260 students), and the largest elementary school is Renaissance Charter School at Tradition (1,144).
Broward operates the most schools here (30), and 5 regular districts have at least one Fort Lauderdale campus. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 18.7:1, higher than the statewide school median of 16.8:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 6 charter schools, 11 magnet schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 8 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 4 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 9 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 47% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Fort Lauderdale
Broward
Public school district
30 schools in Fort Lauderdale · 323 total
St. Lucie
Public school district
2 schools in Fort Lauderdale · 56 total
Hillsborough
Public school district
1 school in Fort Lauderdale · 294 total
Manatee
Public school district
1 school in Fort Lauderdale · 84 total
Sarasota
Public school district
1 school in Fort Lauderdale · 65 total
Elementary schools in Fort Lauderdale
20Middle schools in Fort Lauderdale
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New River Middle School Broward · Magnet | 06–08 | 1,566 | 23:1 | |
| Sunrise Middle School Broward · Magnet | 06–08 | 1,141 | 19.3:1 | |
| William Dandy Middle School Broward · Magnet | 06–08 | 620 | 18.8:1 |
High schools in Fort Lauderdale
8| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broward County Acceleration Academies Broward · Alternative School | 08–12 | 0 | — | |
| Broward Detention Center Broward · Alternative School | 06–12 | 78 | — | |
| Dillard 6-12 Broward · Magnet | 06–12 | 1,998 | 22.2:1 | |
| Fort Lauderdale High School Broward · Magnet | 09–12 | 2,260 | 24.6:1 | |
| Stranahan High School Broward · Magnet | 09–12 | 1,286 | 24.3:1 | |
| Tradition Preparatory High School St. Lucie · Charter | 09–12 | 956 | 20.3:1 | |
| Whiddon Rodgers Education Center Broward · Alternative School | 06–12 | 655 | 21.1:1 | |
| Winthrop College Prep Academy Hillsborough · Charter | 09–12 | 1,055 | 39.1:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Fort Lauderdale
4| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy Manatee · Charter | KG–12 | 1,369 | 17.8:1 | |
| Pine Ridge Alternative Center Broward · Alternative School | KG–12 | 39 | 3.9:1 | |
| Seagull School Broward · Alternative School | PK–12 | 131 | 9.4:1 | |
| Wingate Oaks Center Broward · Special Education School | PK–12 | 90 | 8.2:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White19.7%
- Hispanic29.9%
- Black45.3%
- Asian1.6%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.1%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial3.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 34 Fort Lauderdale schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (23,152 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Fort Lauderdale
How many public schools are in Fort Lauderdale, FL?
The current NCES directory lists 35 open public schools with a location address in Fort Lauderdale: 20 elementary, 3 middle, 8 high, 4 combined or other. Together they reported 23,152 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Fort Lauderdale?
Schools with an address in Fort Lauderdale belong to 5 education agencies, led by Broward (30 schools), St. Lucie (2 schools), Hillsborough (1 school). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Fort Lauderdale?
Fort Lauderdale High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Fort Lauderdale, with 2,260 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Fort Lauderdale?
Yes. 6 of the 35 public schools in Fort Lauderdale are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including College Preparatory Academy at Wellen Park, Lakewood Ranch Preparatory Academy, New Life Charter Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Fort Lauderdale schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Fort Lauderdale public schools is 18.7:1, higher than the Florida school median of 16.8:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Fort Lauderdale guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Florida cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Florida cities