DeSantis champions Florida as a blueprint for national education policy

Photo courtesy: U.S. Dept. of Education

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has highlighted the state’s education policies as a potential standard for a national model.

During a recent press conference at Trinity Christian Academy in Jacksonville, he made a point to highlight that Florida’s school choice framework could be achieved without relying on the federal Department of Education.

“Florida, for the last two years, has been ranked No. 1 in education,” DeSantis said. He also said that the state has been ranked No. 1 in public higher education for the last few years, which he credits to tuition not rising.

He expanded on Florida’s status, saying that public institutions use taxpayer dollars to serve the interest of the state’s people and not to pursue an indoctrination agenda.

In order to provide educators in Florida greater financial independence and professional autonomy, he highlighted programs like paycheck protection, which stops automated deductions of union dues.

Several states have enacted paycheck protection laws, which require union members to choose to participate rather than have dues automatically withheld from their paychecks. Proponents contend that these policies improve openness and provide workers greater financial autonomy over union membership. 

However, many labor unions and other critics argue that these regulations reduce collective bargaining power by making it harder for unions to raise the money they need for campaigning and negotiations.

In 2023, a statute enacted by DeSantis limited automatic withdrawals for union dues for teachers and other public sector workers. The law also mandated that disclaimers regarding a worker’s choice not to join a union be included on union membership forms as part of a larger effort to reform union power in the state. These modifications reflect national discussions over employee choice, union power and labor rights.

According to News4Jax, roughly 155,000 students are receiving their education at home, according to DeSantis, who emphasized the growth in home-schooling throughout Florida. According to data from the National Home Education Research Institute, Florida has the highest  percentage of home-schooled pupils, which supports this figure.

More than 524,000 children are being served by the Family Empowerment Scholarship and other school choice programs, according to Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr.; this number is on pace with some of the biggest public school districts in the nation. Diaz said that since 2022, the Students with Unique Abilities program has expanded by 75%, giving kids with special needs more access to education.

These changes align with a larger national trend supporting school choice and individualized instruction, representing Florida’s ongoing drive for alternative educational options.

These changes align with a larger national trend that supports school choice and individualized learning, and they demonstrate Florida’s dedication to offering various educational options. In honor of National School Choice Week, the federal Department of Education recently highlighted the range of K–12 educational options accessible to students and families across the country, including home-schooling, private schools, online learning, public charter schools, public magnet schools and traditional public schools. 

These programs highlight an increasing focus on parental empowerment and educational flexibility, which are concepts that are becoming more popular in Florida and the nation as a whole.