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Boot Camps & Military Schools in Florida

When teenagers in Florida start exhibiting troublesome behavior, whether it’s emotional, behavioral, or related to mental health issues, parents often find themselves overwhelmed with worry and frustration. If you’re a parent in Florida dealing with a teen who’s engaging in dangerous behavior, struggling in school, and putting their future at risk, you’re not alone. Help Your Teen Now is here to support you. We’re a parent advocate group that provides unbiased information about various teen help programs in Florida and nationwide.

While you might be considering options like boot camps or military schools within Florida, we want you to know there are alternatives. Choosing the right therapeutic program for your child is a difficult decision, and there are numerous factors to weigh before making a choice. At Help Your Teen Now, we’re committed to guiding you through this process. We offer detailed information about therapy programs for teens, outlining their differences and requirements.

During this challenging time, we’ll collaborate closely with you to research different facilities and determine the best fit for your child. When you reach out to us, we provide a complimentary consultation and assessment to understand your needs better and offer tailored guidance. Before committing to any boot camps or military schools in Florida, consider contacting us first. We’re here to ensure you have access to the latest information and support you in making the best decision for your teen’s well-being.

At Help Your Teen Now, we want you to have the information and resources you need to feel confident in your decision to help your child. Call us today at 1-800-901-7347 to get started. Read more to learn if a military school for troubled teenagers is the best program for your teen.

Help Your Teen Now Says Boot Camps and Military Schools In Florida Are Not The Best Option for Troubled Teens

There are several kinds of teen help programs, such as wilderness camps, boot camps, military schools, residential treatment centers and therapeutic boarding schools. Not every program is right for every teen, and even between similar programs, there could be vast differences in their success rates. Help Your Teen Now has gathered lots of information on a wide range of programs from parents and students, information outlets and more. We are a one-stop resource for parents like you who are faced with the difficult task of placing their troubled teen in a residential program. We are ready and waiting to help every parent take that difficult journey, from finding a school to welcoming a healed teenager home again.

Regulatory Laws For Military Schools & Boot Camps In The State Of Florida

Florida does not require Accreditation, Licensing or Approval for nonpublic schools, however, Registration with the Department of Education is mandatory. S. 1002.42, F.S. Instructors are not required to hold a teacher certification, although they and all potential employees must complete a criminal background checks with the Department of Law Enforcement. S. 1002.42(2)(c)1., F.S. Regular attendance is compulsory for a minimum of 170 days out of 180. A-1.09512, F.A.C. The course of study in nonpublic schools is at the discretion of the school owner as the state school district has no authority over the curriculum. (S. 1002.42(2)(h), F.S). The only exception is the regulation of experiments performed on live animals. Students may be excused from dissecting living and nonliving animals with parental consent. 1003.47, F.S. A certification of health and immunization is required by each student that enrolls in nonpublic school. S. 1002.42(5), F.S. Private schools may participate in the district’s health services plan as long as they meet certain standards. Each county health department is required to keep private schools apprised of this plan. S. 381.0056(5)(a)18., and 381.0056(6), F.S. Nonpublic schools that serve food must meet the minimum sanitation standards decreed by the Department of Health. S. 381.0072 (1)(b), F.S.

 

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf

 

One concerning element of Florida Boarding Schools is that teens who commit crimes can be sentenced to boot camps for troubled teens, many of which have extreme discipline to keep teens behavior under control.

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Regulatory Laws For Military Schools & Boot Camps In The State Of Florida

Florida does not require Accreditation, Licensing or Approval for nonpublic schools, however, Registration with the Department of Education is mandatory. S. 1002.42, F.S. Instructors are not required to hold a teacher certification, although they and all potential employees must complete a criminal background checks with the Department of Law Enforcement. S. 1002.42(2)(c)1., F.S. Regular attendance is compulsory for a minimum of 170 days out of 180. A-1.09512, F.A.C. The course of study in nonpublic schools is at the discretion of the school owner as the state school district has no authority over the curriculum. (S. 1002.42(2)(h), F.S). The only exception is the regulation of experiments performed on live animals. Students may be excused from dissecting living and nonliving animals with parental consent. 1003.47, F.S. A certification of health and immunization is required by each student that enrolls in nonpublic school. S. 1002.42(5), F.S. Private schools may participate in the district’s health services plan as long as they meet certain standards. Each county health department is required to keep private schools apprised of this plan. S. 381.0056(5)(a)18., and 381.0056(6), F.S. Nonpublic schools that serve food must meet the minimum sanitation standards decreed by the Department of Health. S. 381.0072 (1)(b), F.S.

 

Reference: http://www2.ed.gov/admins/comm/choice/regprivschl/regprivschl.pdf

 

One concerning element of Florida Boarding Schools is that teens who commit crimes can be sentenced to boot camps for troubled teens, many of which have extreme discipline to keep teens behavior under control.

Statistics for Troubled Teens In Florida

ADD/ADHD

  • 8.9%

8.9 percent of children in Florida, aged 3–17 years have been diagnosed with ADHD. (National Survey of Children’s Health, 2016–2019).

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9489617/

TEEN PREGNANCY 

  • 15.2%

The teen pregnancy rate for adolescents aged 15 to 19 in Florida is 15.2 per 1,000 females in this age group, according to the World Population Review.

https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/teen-pregnancy-rates-by-state

TEEN SUICIDE

  • 9%

Florida ranks 8th with a suicide rate of 9 deaths per 100,000 adolescents aged 15 to 19, according to data from the CDC WONDER Multiple Cause of Death Files (2020–2022).

https://www.americashealthrankings.org/explore/measures/teen_suicide/FL

DRUG USE

  • 7.87%

In 2020, approximately 788,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17 nationwide met the criteria for Illicit Drug Use Disorder (IDUD). In Florida, about 7.87% of adolescents in this age group reported using illicit drugs, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics.

https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#florida

ALCOHOL USE

  • 9.05%

Approximately 9.05% of teens in Florida suffer from Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD). (National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics, 2020).

https://drugabusestatistics.org/teen-drug-use/#florida

 

TEEN VAPING

  • 5.9%

Approximately 5.9% of middle and high school students, equivalent to 1.63 million individuals, reported current e-cigarette use. Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2024.

https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey

TEEN PORNOGRAPHY

  • 57%

The porn industry experienced a 12.6% annual revenue increase from 2018 to 2023. Adolescent exposure to pornography has steadily risen, with the age of first exposure becoming increasingly younger. 57% of young adults ages 18-25 use porn monthly or more often.

https://www.addictionhelp.com/porn/statistics/

TEEN BULLYING

  • 46%

According to Pew Research Center, 46% of U.S. teens aged 13 to 17 have experienced at least one of six types of cyberbullying behaviors. (Pew Research Center, 2022).

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/12/15/teens-and-cyberbullying-2022/

 

Summary

We Can Help!

Let HelpYourTeenNow Help You Choose The Best School For Your Teen.

Help Your Teen Now is not affiliated with any program, school, or facility anywhere in the country, so you can be sure our information and recommendations are unbiased. We want you to know that there are several misconceptions about boot camps and military schools in Florida, as well as some things to be aware of. While the rigid rules and strict structure of these programs may seem ideal to correct misbehavior, they aren’t right for teens with emotional, behavioral, or mental health issues. Military schools are intended for teens who wish to gain an exemplary education while preparing for a career in the armed services. Boot camps are only intended to provide short-term help. We strongly urge parents to consider therapeutic boarding schools for their teens. These long-term programs include therapy for correcting behavior and offer teens a chance to succeed academically. Alternative or therapeutic boarding schools have a much higher rate of long-term success and offer you and your child a better chance to achieve your goals. We will help you find the right program for your family’s needs.

Contact Help Your Teen Now at 1-800-901-7347 to discuss the best teen help program alternatives to boot camps and military schools in Florida.