Jacob Ogles
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed a legislative package loosening regulations on Florida’s public school districts.
Multiple bills (SB 7002, SB 7004) free Florida’s school system of many requirements that did not impact private competitors.
The “Learn Local” package was a top priority this year for Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, who presented the changes as an appropriate follow-up to the state’s move last year toward “universal school choice.” The changes go into effect on July 1.
Changes include overhauling requirements for teacher training, governance issues and student promotion requirements.
Passidomo thanked DeSantis and House Speaker Paul Renner for supporting the changes to state law.
“I am tremendously grateful to Governor DeSantis, Speaker Renner, and all of the members who worked on our Learn Local package,” Passidomo said.
“The result is a tremendous win for Florida’s traditional public schools as Florida begins the process of reevaluating what level of state oversight is necessary in an environment of universal school choice. Our public schools deserve the opportunity to compete, right along other school choice options. My goal was to make serious headway this year, and I could not be more pleased with the final product. My vision for this critical initiative is a multi-year effort. Every year more and more regulations are put on our school districts, and every year we need to be looking at regulations we can remove.”
Notably, the bill ultimately passed in the Legislature didn’t include everything Passidomo and other lawmakers had unveiled ahead of the Legislative Session.
Originally, legislation controversially included eliminating a required 20-minute period of free play time and a 10th-grade English assessment. But none of those changes made the cut following pushback. That included former Gov. Jeb Bush publicly objecting to dropping the 10th grade assessment, a key part of the A-Plus education plan implemented during the Coral Gables Republican’s tenure as Governor.
DeSantis also signed legislation (SB 7032) establishing a Graduation Alternative to Traditional Education program, or GATE, which will waive tuition and fees for those who quit high school but pursue vocational diplomas or workforce credentials in Florida’s state college system. The Florida Legislature allotted $4 million to cover the costs of that effort in a state budget that has not yet been signed.
Passidomo signaled that her push to deregulate public education is far from over.
“With two years left in the Senate after my term as Senate President comes to an end in November, I look forward to joining Senator (Corey) Simon and Senator (Alexis) Calatayud as we continue to dig in on deregulation in the years to come.”
Simon, a Tallahassee Republican, and Catalayud, a Miami Republican, carried the education bills this Session, along with Sen. Travis Hutson.
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Anne Geggis contributed to this report.
An earlier version of this story incorrectly characterized new standards for grade progression.
11 comments
KathrynA
May 10, 2024 at 3:17 pm
It sounds like more regulation; not deregulation and a “dumbing down” of our education system.
Dont Say FLA
May 10, 2024 at 3:44 pm
Did they un-ban all the books that “weren’t banned”?
JD
May 10, 2024 at 5:05 pm
This is the final phase of their education grift.
rick whitaker
May 10, 2024 at 6:49 pm
florida’s education system can’t handle the private stealing going on. the new motto for florida will be , ” florida, the home of dumbo and dumb asses.”
WGD
May 10, 2024 at 11:16 pm
So in response to all those complaining about taxpayer money going to support unregulated private schools, DeSantis can now reply that we’re not regulating public schools either so there. It’s so ,much more fun (and more profitable) to water down education and lower standards than to actually make sure kids are getting a quality education.
rick whitaker
May 10, 2024 at 11:26 pm
WGD, desantis got elected twice. what the hell is wrong with your state besides unbridled greed. public school is just too valuable to ruin. florida voters don’t want ANY students or schools to cost them money they would rather spend on a golf course.
Dont Say FLA
May 11, 2024 at 11:06 am
DeSantis was a different person in his first term, presumably for the purpose of getting re-elected so Rhonda could then show up.
Dont Say FLA
May 11, 2024 at 11:07 am
I shouldn’t say “DeSantis was a different person” in his first term
I should say “DeSantis identified [presented] as human” in his first term
rick whitaker
May 11, 2024 at 1:08 pm
DSF, i was getting ready to ask you, was he a dem in his first term. you straightened it out nicely.
KathrynA
May 11, 2024 at 12:06 pm
Maybe–that’s debatable, but the caring for the state and people and for local government to control things under their jurisdiction, that perhaps he tried to show (??) has completely disappeared. He and his cohorts want to control everything to the determent of everyone, but the very rich and developers (who have become very rich). The rest can live with polluted water, cookie cutter small homes or apartments with no insurance or health care and of course, a quality education and maybe, if you’re an outdoor worker–no water during the long, hot summer. Yes, DeSantis loves the people of Florida!!
rick whitaker
May 11, 2024 at 12:14 pm
KAYHRYN, up here in tennessee we call florida the north korea of the south. it’s such a heartless place. nobody in my family would think of going there. south carolina beaches are better than florida any day. and we don’t have desantis, scott, rubio, and the rest of the gang of thugs around our necks.