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Press Release
Ron DeSantis platform on education in Florida
DeSantis: Boost Classroom Spending For Students and Teachers, Expand Choice, Vocational and Technical Education, and Hold the Line on College Tuition
Below is gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ron DeSantis' platform policy in regards to education in Florida:
As a product of Florida’s public school system and a parent of two future Florida students, Ron DeSantis knows the importance of ensuring all Florida students have the opportunity to attend a great school and get a world-class education. Ron DeSantis believes that every student, regardless of their zip code or family circumstances, should have the opportunity to get a great education.
Twenty years ago, decades of taking a cookie-cutter approach to educating our diverse youth culminated in a systemic failure across Florida’s education system. The system’s refusal to innovate and change resulted in scores of Florida’s children being robbed of the opportunity to improve their future and maximize their opportunities through getting a high-quality education.
Back then, Florida ranked 38th on the National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) and had an abysmal 52% high school graduation rate. After two decades of Republican-led education reforms, we now rank 5th in the nation on the NAEP and have a graduation rate of 82.3%. Florida also ranks 4th in the nation for K-12 achievement and was the only state in the country in 2017 to significantly improve in the key areas of grade 4 mathematics, grade 8 reading, and grade 8 mathematics. As Governor, Ron DeSantis will set the ambitious goal of achieving top 3 status in both the NAEP and K-12 achievement rankings.
In Higher Education, Florida now boasts five of the top 100 public universities in the country, including one in the top 10. We have the 2nd best 2-year college graduation rate in the country and the 8th best 4-year college graduation rate in the country – while maintaining the 2nd lowest tuition in the country and 6th lowest percent of students with debt at graduation. On day one, Ron DeSantis will challenge our university system to do even better by setting a goal of having a top five public university.
Florida’s education success story was made possible by allowing for innovation in education coupled with choice for families and public accountability.
Ron DeSantis will build on these successful reforms and not allow our education system to slide backwards. Ron DeSantis will work tirelessly to make Florida a world-class leader on education.
