Best High Schools in Key West, FL

Key West, Florida, is home to six high schools serving approximately 1,528 students across the Monroe County School District, offering a diverse range of educational options from large traditional public schools to specialized academies and alternative programs.

The standout academic performer is The College Of The Florida Keys Academy, a small school of 62 students that earned a 4-star rating and ranks in the 79th percentile statewide, with test scores well above district and state averages. In contrast, Key West High School, which enrolls 87.5% of all high school students in the city, struggles with a 2-star rating and consistently scores below the district average in core subjects like Algebra and Geometry. Somerset Island Prep has shown remarkable improvement, jumping 228 spots in state rankings to a 3-star rating, and boasts a perfect 100% graduation rate with the lowest chronic absenteeism (9.7%) among traditional schools. The smallest programs—Keys Center (9 students) and Lower Keys Academic Connections For Excellence (12 students)—serve high-need populations, reflected in their high chronic absenteeism rates (82.4% and 68.4%) and the highest per-student spending in the city ($52,307 and $39,788 respectively).

A key takeaway is that small school size alone does not guarantee success; the type of program matters greatly. While The College Of The Florida Keys Academy thrives as a selective academy, the alternative schools face significant challenges despite intensive resources. Chronic absenteeism emerges as a critical predictor of school performance, with lower rates strongly linked to higher graduation rates and better rankings. Monroe Virtual Franchise remains a data anomaly with limited recent performance metrics, making it difficult to assess its current effectiveness. Overall, parents in Key West have a wide spectrum of choices, but the performance of the city's largest school, Key West High School, is a significant concern that impacts the district's overall reputation.