By Melissa Byrd

From the cradle to college, OCPS is on a roll of great results. With all the choices parents are offered in education today, it’s easy to overlook the tremendous opportunities that are offered locally in our free public education system. 

One of those great choices is the Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) programs offered at our local elementary schools. OCPS recently learned that it met or exceeded expectations in ALL of its VPK programs after results from the Florida Department of Education were released. 

According to the FDOE, 96% of the 91 sites managed by OCPS were either above expectations or excellent. This far exceeds the rate of public-school VPK sites rated above expectations or excellent (78%) when compared with the state and other large urban counties like Broward, Duval, Hillsborough, Miami-Dade, Palm Beach and Pinellas. 

The FDOE’s VPK accountability system evaluates providers based on a comprehensive set of metrics, including quality, learning gains, and student achievement. The positive outcomes reflect the district’s commitment to providing a high-quality early learning experience that prepares 4-year-olds for success in kindergarten and beyond. 

Speaking of success beyond, how about success on Advanced Placement (AP) exams? AP courses are college level courses offered in our high schools to give students the opportunity to earn college credit while in high school.  

Well, OCPS achieved a 63% pass rate on the 2025 AP exams, the highest districtwide pass rate in nine years. 

That may not seem high, but in 2024, the College Board, which administers the exams, as well as the SAT, nationwide, reported a nearly 60% average passing rate nationwide. These exams are not easy!  

One of the standout subjects was the AP Precalculus exam, which saw a remarkable district pass rate of 77%, an increase from 72% in 2024. 

But more impressive is that the district also saw a significant increase in exam participation, with a total of 39,871 AP exams taken in the 2025 series, up from 36,497 in 2024. This marks a 28% increase in exam participation since the 2021 AP exam series, showing a growing commitment to rigorous coursework among OCPS students.  

The big news here is that these passing rates mean that our students in OCPS were eligible to receive 138,000 college credits, totaling nearly $28 million in college credits at absolutely no cost to their families. This is yet another public school opportunity advantage! 

There are great things happening every day in our local public schools, and the results we are seeing are a testament to that. Our students are leaving our schools prepared for their future because of the vast opportunities provided to them.