[RachL168]

Hello! We are considering a move to FL and finding a good school system is important to us. It seems in most of the areas I am looking at the elementary schools are close to 1000 kids.

Does anyone know of any towns/schools that the enrollment is not quite as high but still a good school? In our school up North it has more of a family feel and the principal knows everyone by name.

[BNBR]

Florida has statutory requirements for small class sizes. But as you said, the schools themselves can be quite crowded. I don't find this an issue, personally. That said, our elementary school in an urban area is not overcrowded and the principal knows us by name and says hello. I think most elementary schools are that way. It's the high schools where it becomes more of an issue.

[562026]

Originally Posted by JakeDuryea

I would twice consider looking at most public schools in Florida. They are getting more crowded as you say by the month, and high schools are in fact becoming a disaster, middle schools not so much at least right now - next year is another story.

And yet another C-D alias for CVPFord a/k/a gitondowntheroad a/k/a JimKrowe a/k/a DankeShoen a/k/a B_Vogue a/k/a ClearwaterBeachClearwater... and now JakeDuryea.

Folks, please don't pay attention to anything any of these posters have to say. In other words, don't feed the troll(s)!

[kyle19125]

Originally Posted by RachL168

Hello! We are considering a move to FL and finding a good school system is important to us. It seems in most of the areas I am looking at the elementary schools are close to 1000 kids.

Does anyone know of any towns/schools that the enrollment is not quite as high but still a good school? In our school up North it has more of a family feel and the principal knows everyone by name.

Check out North St Augustine/Vilano Beach, St John's or Ponte Vedra Beach. They're in the St Johns County School District which is ranked number one in Florida. Ketterlinus ES has just 424 students in north St Augustine and Vilano Beach. Ocean Palms Elementary in Ponte Vedra Beach has just 531 students. Cunningham Creek Elementary School has 585 students and is located in unincorporated St John's, SW of Jacksonville. Ketterlinus is in a more unique area that's not cookie-cutter and feels infinitely more old-Florida with older homes as well as newer homes sprinkled in. The other two are very much cookie-cutter suburbia if that's your style/desire.

[HarryWhom]

To add more I'd also recommend Palm City. It's a very family oriented community. Martin County is very nice and has some great beaches, and lots to do for the kids. Bessey Elementary and Hidden Oaks Middle are excellent.

[beachmouse]

Florida is a large and growing state where schools districts are by county rather than individual cities or towns. So schools tend to be bigger in order to take advantage of economies of scale and parents push to get their kids moved into what are seen as the best schools in the county, leading to those schools ending up as the most crowded.

Which is not always a bad thing since it allows for a really large range of activities and more spaces for kids to find their niches. But it also lets other kids fall between the cracks more than you get at a lot of smaller schools.

If you want the very high quality small school experience down here, private may be the best option.