Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis has released a detailed education platform. The former congressman says he wants 80 percent of K-12 dollars spent in the classroom.
DeSantis’ plan calls for expanded school choice in Florida, while directing increased spending that benefits public districts’ students and teachers. DeSantis also wants to order a full audit of Florida Department of Education to cut what he calls “bureaucratic waste.”
Claiming he wants to prevent the “rubber-stamping of Common Core,” DeSantis says he also wants a review of curriculum standards. That portion of the plan says it’s intended to ensure there are none of what the campaign calls “demonstrable political biases,” citing anti-Isreal bias specifically.
Regarding teacher recruitment, which has been a thorn in the side of the state’s education system, DeSantis says he intends to “simplify and optimize” teacher merit pay. He also intends to bolster vocational programs in K-12 schools, and put a section on American Constitutional Principles into civics curriculum.
In higher education, DeSantis’ platform intends to “hold the line” on tuition and student expenses, which it lauds as the second lowest in the nation.
