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BREVARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Brevard Public Schools is the 48th largest school district in the nation and the 10th largest in the Sunshine State. Every semester, Brevard Public Schools serves 73,000 learners via 84 schools, 20 special centers and 10 charter schools spread across Brevard County’s 17 municipalities. Given the scope of its mission, Brevard Public Schools is also the county’s largest employer, providing 9,000 community members with jobs as faculty, administration, and staff.
Over the years, Brevard Public Schools has earned state and national recognition for student performance, including:
- 64 Five Star School Awards (Florida Department of Education, Oct. 2017)
- Three National Blue Ribbon Honor Schools (U.S. Department of Education, Sep. 2017)
- Best High Schools-West Shore Junior Senior High School #5 in Florida and #32 in America (U.S. News & World Report, April 2017)
- Best High Schools-Edgewood Junior Senior High School #7 in Florida and #50 in America (U.S. News & World Report, April 2017)
Brevard County Colleges and Universities
Brevard County is home to Eastern Florida State College (EFSC), the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) and satellite campuses of the University of Central Florida, Barry University, Keiser University, and Webster University, just to name a few.
Eastern Florida State College
Founded in 1960 as a small higher learning institution with big goals, EFSC now serves students at four campus locations across Brevard County and through its strong online instructional programs. The college is continually growing and expanding its physical locations and program offerings. Since 2012, EFSC has launched 40 new programs of study, including its first bachelor degree programs. EFSC’s grounds are also home to the Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts in Melbourne and the Astronaut Memorial Planetarium and Observatory in Cocoa.
UCF DirectConnect and Florida Tech Track Programs
Students graduating with a two-year A.A. or A.S. degree from EFSC are eligible for the DirectConnect program, which guarantees admission to the University of Central Florida (UCF). Students may attend UCF classes online, in Orlando or take classes at the university’s Brevard County satellite locations in Cocoa and Palm Bay. EFSC students can also utilize the Florida Tech Track program to transfer their credits to FIT.
Florida Institute of Technology (FIT)
Founded in 1958 and located in Melbourne, Florida, FIT is a highly acclaimed technical university located right here along the Space Coast. The private university welcomes students from all over the world to study courses in its top notch programs and become tomorrow’s engineers, aviators, researchers, and scientists. FIT also offers all Brevard County students the option to attend dual enrollment courses while still in high school. In addition, Palm Bay Magnet High School students may participate in the Pirates to Panthers Academy, which prepares students for careers in industries found along the Space Coast.
As of 2017, FIT is recognized as a:
- Tier 1 Best National University (U.S. News & World Report)
- One of the Best U.S. Universities (The Wall Street Journal)
- Top 20 Small University in the World (Times Higher Education)
- ‘Low Debt’ Private University (Forbes Magazine)
- One of the Nation’s Top Technical Institutes (The Fiske Guide to Colleges)
