Lower Keys schools and educational opportunities range from early childhood up to college degrees. So, for children entering pre-kindergarten, up through elementary school, into middle and high school, and into college. (There are also some trade schools in the Keys for individuals who desire to learn a real-life skill.) So, read on to learn more about the schools and other educational facilities in the Florida Keys.
Lower Keys schools and educational opportunities are both public and private. The public schools in all of the Florida Keys are managed by the Monroe County school system. All total, there are nearly two dozen public schools in Monroe County or the Florida Keys, serving almost 8,500 students, ranging from elementary up to high school. Additionally, there are a half dozen private schools in Monroe County that serve nearly six hundred students.
Some of the schools located in Lower Florida Keys include, but are not limited to Coral Shores High School in Tavernier, Key West High School, Marathon School, Keys Center in Key West, Key West Collegiate School, Lower Keys Academic Connections For Excellence in Key West, Monroe Virtual Franchise in Key West, The Basilica Schoool in Key West, The Academy at Ocean Reef in Key Largo, Dolphin Montessori Children’s House, Grace Luthern in Key Wets, Montessori Children’s Schoo of Key West, and Montessori Island School in Tavernier.
Also, there’s advanced education, like The College of the Florida Keys, which was formerly the Florida Keys Community College. It is a public institution and its main campus is located on Stock Island but there are two more locations in Marathon and Key Largo. Hodges University is also located in Key West and it is a private school.
Trade or vocational schools are also in and around the Florida Keys but some are in the upper portion of the island chain and even in and around Miami. These included construction, computer information and science, culinary arts, architecture, business, and more programs.
These trade and vocational schools, along with the higher education facilities, are a mix of public and private and offer some scholarships, grants, and student loans. Tuition ranges quite widely, from $8,000 up to $30K per year. As mentioned, some of these institutions are located in the Lower Keys, while others are in the upper portion of the island chain. And still others in and around the Miami metropolitan area.