JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a press conference in Jacksonville Tuesday morning.
DeSantis signed House Bill 1285, which in part, limits challenges on books to one per month for anyone without students in a Florida school.
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“We are beefing up our turnaround in-school status,” DeSantis said. “The kids are going to be educated but not indoctrinated.”
“Many books with pornographic or sexually explicit material have been removed from public and private schools and parents will have the right to prevent their children from reading if they see fit,” he added.
The bill also implements a turnaround plan for struggling charter schools throughout the state of Florida.
The sponsors of the charter school will be responsible for monitoring the schools’ finances and ensuring that schools participate in a state accountability system.
“The school must take corrective action if they are graded at a D or F consecutively,” said DeSantis. “The bill requires prompt action for turnaround schools. We do believe in Florida that everybody can succeed but it’s our responsibility to bring success.”
The bill also requires the State Board of Education to create certificates for teachers who choose to work in schools that use a classical education model.
The bill will also allow 11-12th grade students to test out if they want to serve in the military and extend the state’s Purple Star School Distinction Program designation for military-friendliness, to school districts.
DeSantis was accompanied by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., Speaker of the Florida House Paul Renner and Ray Rodrigues, Chancellor of the State University System of Florida.
“With the signing of House Bill 1285, Governor DeSantis has further solidified Florida’s higher education system as number one in the nation,” said Rodrigues. “HB 1285 establishes additional accountability measures and creates opportunities for universities to enhance research and innovation to meet the workforce and economic demands of our state.”
According to a news release from the governor’s office, HB 1285 also:
- Requires that school districts and charter schools provide 11th and 12th grade students with the opportunity to take the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Test and the ability to consult with a military recruiter.
- Ensures postsecondary institutions allow students to work their way through school.
- Protects from conflicts of interest between a postsecondary institution and its trustees.
- Empowers aspiring teachers to obtain a classical teaching certificate developed by the State Board of Education.
- Enables classical schools to prioritize enrollment for families moving from one classical school to another.
Watch the press conference here:
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