Florida went through a fairly radical change in their K12 approach starting in the early 2000s. Since that time they've had astonishing improvements especially in early childhood literacy and the huge numbers of students now taking and passing AP classes. 

Just one example: between 2003 and 2013 Florida went from 24th to 1st in low-income NAEP reading scores. They achieved that with a series of very cost effective reforms. 

Excellenceineducation.org

Today Florida is 46th in the US in per capita spending on K12 according to the NEA.