State of Florida Archives: on Education

Aaron Bean: Voted for more scholarships for private schools

• Expands the Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program (CITCSP) for students enrolled in eligible private schools by raising scholarship amount to $4000 for students in grades 6-8 & to $4250 for grades 9-12.
• Extends eligibility for the CITCSP to siblings of current recipients
• Allows for students receiving the McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities to be home schooled.

Aaron Bean: Restrict teaching sexual orientation/gender identity

Summary by NPR (3/28/22): The bill, which some opponents have called "Don't Say Gay," was signed by DeSantis. It reads, "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 69-47-3 on Feb/24/22; passed Senate 22-17-0 on Mar/8/22; State Sen. Aaron Bean voted YES; Signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Mar/28/22

ACLU: Against school prayer even if called "inspirational message"

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Adam Putnam: Parental control of education, not state or federal

Adam Putnam: Urges veto of school choice bill

"I have concerns about the way that that bill, along with much of the budget, was fashioned completely in the dark and behind closed doors to the point that not only the public but many of the members who were asked to vote on it were unaware of all the different things that were taped together at the last second and then shoved into the pipeline," Putnam said.

Adam Putnam: More emphasis on technical training, not college

Al Lawson: College education needs to be attainable and affordable

There are two key components that must be addressed:
1. College tuition has continued to increase faster than growth of income.
2. Student loan debt is rising among Millennials due to alarmingly high interest rates.

Al Lawson: I believe in all options available in public education

Andrew Gillum: End punitive high-stakes testing regime

GILLUM: The high-stakes testing regime, implemented through Florida's failed education reforms, has let down our state's children, parents, and teachers. Our current system demonizes our teachers, instead of supporting their work to mold, shape, and educate humanity. Our education system doesn't prepare children from the earliest stages-- 100% of our state's children should be reading at grade level. Testing and teaching to the test doesn't show us what our kids know, just how well they test. As Governor, I'll ensure a culture of accountability that views assessments as a data point, instead of the single, punitive arbiter of student, teacher, and school success.

Andrew Gillum: Opposes vouchers for school choice

A: Oppose

Andrew Gillum: $1B on education: set minimum teacher salary at $50,000

But the way Gillum proposes to raise the extra $1 billion--an increase in the corporate income tax from 5.5 percent to 7.75 percent--would likely be nearly impossible to get through the Legislature. On top of the GOP's antipathy to tax hikes, the state constitution requires a three-fifths vote in each chamber to raise the corporate income tax above 5 percent.

[Republican gubernatorial opponent Ron] DeSantis supports the school-choice policies Florida Republicans have passed in their 20 years in power, specifically, expanding charter-school and voucher programs. DeSantis also wants to "stop Common Core"-- the standards adopted by 45 out of 50 states as a way to improve education--but the steps he'd take to unwind them is unclear.

Andrew Gillum: Debt-free college in exchange for 4 years' work in Florida

GILLUM: While we're all proud to see many of Florida's universities rising in national rankings, some disparities exist in how we allocate resources among our institutions of higher learning. The current funding system unfairly punishes several universities, including our state's only institution dedicated to educating people of color. All state universities should have improvements measured against their own performance, not by a one-size-fits-all formula that harms those universities' students and teachers. I also believe that anyone willing to commit four years of employment in our state should be able to achieve a debt-free college education.

Andrew Gillum: $1 billion Fair Share investment in public schools

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on funding, but prefers setting policy at local level.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Proposes a $1 billion "Fair Share" investment in public schools covered by increasing state's corporate tax rate & legalizing & taxing marijuana.

Q: Education: Support the expansion of charter schools or help parents send their children to private schools with public money?

Ron DeSantis (R): Yes. Expand both charters & vouchers. Let federal dollars follow students to any schools their families choose.

Andrew Gillum (D): No. Against vouchers & "unaccountable, for-profit charter schools who use public dollars to enrich their executives."

Andrew Gillum: Make college debt-free for nurses & teachers

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on state funding, but more training support for students who enter workforce from high school.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Wants to make college debt-free for professions like nursing & teaching. Also higher pay for adjuncts.

Andy Martin: Supports vouchers for public, private or religious schools

Martin indicates support of the following principles concerning education (K-12).
• Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any publicly-funded school.
• Allow parents to use vouchers (equal opportunity scholarships) to send their children to any participating school: public, private or religious.
• Allow parents to use tax-free savings accounts to send their children to any publicly-funded school.
• Allow parents to use tax-free savings accounts to send their children to any participating school: public, private or religious.
• Support charter schools where teachers and professionals receive authorization and funding to establish new schools.

Brian Mast: Replace Common Core with school choice

School choice is a very important issue for me and as Congressman I will advocate for dollars to follow students so that parents can decide what school is best for their children.

Washington, DC wastes far too much money on programs that don't work, outlived their usefulness, or should never have existed in the first place. Members of Congress love to create programs, but they don't spend much time checking to see if taxpayers are getting their money's worth.

Annette Taddeo: Expand state's pre-K program to a full day

Annette Taddeo: Don't restrict teaching sexual orientation/gender identity

Summary by NPR (3/28/22): The bill, which some opponents have called "Don't Say Gay," was signed by DeSantis. It reads, "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

Legislative outcome: Passed House 69-47-3 on Feb/24/22; passed Senate 22-17-0 on Mar/8/22; State Sen. Annette Taddeo voted NO; Signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Mar/28/22

Augustus Invictus: Enemy of Common Core and No Child Left Behind

Brian Moore: Opposes vouchers for school choice

A: Strongly oppose.ÿ Funding Charter schools is basically a scam benefiting the private sector individuals and businesses, without improving the educational levels of its students.ÿ In fact, charter schools are not required to met the restrictions and regulations of public schools, and analyses show that 3 out of 4 charter schools fail in improving the education of its students. ÿ Public schools provide a much better level of education to its students.

Carlos Lopez-Cantera: Allow non-compulsory student-led prayer in school

Highlights:
• Authorizes students to select and deliver "inspirational" messages, including prayer, at noncompulsory school events under the following circumstances:
• The student government chooses to use a message at an event;
• All messages are given by student volunteers; and
• The student volunteer is authorized to determine the message's format and content.
• Prohibits school personnel from the following activities:
• Participating in or influencing a student's choice of message format or content; or
• Participating in the selection of a student who will deliver the message.

Carlos Lopez-Cantera: $10M for vouchers for private schools for poor kids

• A program allowing corporations to receive tax credits for funding vouchers for private schools will receive an extra $10.25 million under a bill passed by the House.
• The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program is capped at $175 million for the current fiscal year, and is scheduled to increase to $219 million. HB 859 would increase the cap to $229 million, and do away with random inspections for participating schools.
• The vouchers amount to about $4,000 per student, and only low-income students are eligible. Proponents of the bill note that the vouchers cost less than the per-student funding for public schools, which is $6,224 for the current year.
• Several Democrats decried the bill, though, as siphoning off money that would otherwise go to public schools.

Status:Bill passed House, 92-24; passed Senate, 32-8; approved by Governor, March 23,2012. (Carlos Lopez-Cantera voted YEA).

Carlos Lopez-Cantera: Allow students to deliver inspirational messages

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; State Rep. Carlos Lopez-Cantera voted YES; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Darren Soto: Against school prayer even if called "inspirational message"

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; State Senator Darren Soto voted NO; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Edward Janowski: Vouchers are regularly abused due to lack of oversight

A: I used to be in agreement with this plan, but have since seen that it is regularly abused and has little to no oversight. I think with a proper reworking of the tax system and budget that Public school systems could recover and exceed educational standards.

Fred Thompson: Voted for No Child Left Behind, but critics were right

A:Yes.

Q: Now you say all those things are true. Was your vote a mistake

A: Yeah. I did vote for it, and some of those critics were right. And some of us were wrong. What has happened is that, indeed, states have taught to the test. We've not gotten the transparency and the accountability that we thought we were getting.

Fred Thompson: Allow states to experiment with vouchers & charter schools

Greg Steube: $10M for vouchers for private schools for poor kids

• A program allowing corporations to receive tax credits for funding vouchers for private schools will receive an extra $10.25 million under a bill passed by the House.
• The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program is capped at $175 million for the current fiscal year, and is scheduled to increase to $219 million. HB 859 would increase the cap to $229 million, and do away with random inspections for participating schools.
• The vouchers amount to about $4,000 per student, and only low-income students are eligible. Proponents of the bill note that the vouchers cost less than the per-student funding for public schools, which is $6,224 for the current year.
• Several Democrats decried the bill, though, as siphoning off money that would otherwise go to public schools.

Status:Bill passed House, 92-24; passed Senate, 32-8; approved by Governor, March 23,˜2012. (Greg Steube voted YEA).

Greg Steube: Allow students to deliver inspirational messages

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; State Rep. Greg Steube voted YES; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Gwen Graham: Invest in our public schools and Head Start

• Make college more affordable by reining in student loan rates and increasing funding for Pell Grants.
• Foster relationships between these institutions and local industries to help employ and keep our graduates in the area.
• Utilize our community colleges along with local businesses to invest in on the job training.
• Invest in vocational education in high schools to help students learn a trade and equip them with skills to start students down the path of a new career.

Hillary Clinton: Solemn vow never to abandon our public schools

Hillary Clinton: Hold kids to high standards, starting at home

Hillary Clinton: Address teacher shortage with salary increases

Hillary Clinton: Teachers need more peer consulting & more recognition

Hillary Clinton: Social promotion cheats our children

Hillary Clinton: More after-school; smaller classes

Hillary Clinton: Reduce size of schools; and modernize

Hillary Clinton: Read to young kids 20-30 minutes daily

Hillary Clinton: Entire school staff should focus on school safety

Hillary Clinton: Vouchers will not improve our public schools

Hillary Clinton: Let's build up our schools-not tear them down

Hillary Clinton: Charter schools provide choice within public system

Jeb Bush: More funding for schools; merit pay for teachers

Supports the following principles concerning schools:
• Increase state funds for professional development of public school teachers and administrators.
• Increase state funds for school construction and facility maintenance.
• Grant merit pay raises each year to teachers who excel.
• Encourage private or corporate investment in public school programs.

Jeb Bush: Focus on abstinence; end social promotion

Supports the following principles concerning social issues in schools:
• Support sex education programs which stress abstinence.
• Bush says, "End social promotion, improve school safety and discipline."

Jeb Bush: Restrict grade inflation by imposing minimum standards

In response to these practices, Senate Bill 842 limits district grade forgiveness policies to replacing "D" or "F" grades in required courses with a "C" or higher earned in the same or comparable course. Any course grade not replaced according to a school district forgiveness policy would be included in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average required for graduation.

I believe that without some kind of minimum standard, many school districts will continue to implement overly-liberal policies that artificially inflate grade point averages. Therefore, I have decided to sign Senate Bill 842, and work towards strengthening this law.

Jeb Bush: Supports charter schools & vouchers

Supports the following principles concerning school choice:
• Provide parents with state-funded vouchers to send their children to any participating school (public, private, religious).
• Favor charter schools where independent groups receive state authorization and funding to establish new schools.
• Bush says, "Our education proposal would allow vouchers for children in chronically failing schools so that they could attend another public or private school."

Jeb Bush: A+ Plan: Make "F" schools disappear; make more "A" schools

But look what happens to the "F" schools in the two years since we implemented the A+ Plan. They are gone. They have disappeared.

In 1999, only 21% of our schools were high-performing "A" and "B" schools. Now there are twice as many high-performing schools, 41% in all. With the A+ Plan, we have nearly doubled the number of high-performing schools in Florida. We have provided a first-rate education for hundreds of thousands more students.

To help build on the successes of the A+ Plan, we must continue to increase funding for our schools. This includes--in the K-12 system--an 18 percent, $2 billion increase in student funding for Florida's public schools over the last three years. We should continue this trend, and so this year I am proposing we greatly increase total K-20 funding.

Jeb Bush: Push for gains among minority and disadvantaged students

But now is not the time to grow complacent. School grades will now measure the annual learning gains of students, which was part of the original vision of the A+ Plan. Now, in addition to tougher standards in reading and math, schools will be held accountable as well as rewarded for the progress of their lowest performing students. We must continue to push the envelope.

Jeb Bush: Social promotion doesn't do our kids any favors

I propose we give the social promotion language some teeth so that school districts won't give up on teaching our kids how to read. The best solution, of course, is to remediate struggling readers during the school year, to get them the extra help they need to stay on track. But for school districts that continue to circumvent the intent of the law, there should be consequences, perhaps including the withholding of administrative funds.

Jeb Bush: Voluntary universal Pre-K: fund 9,600 pre-school teachers

Next year, we'll add voluntary universal Pre-K, and I urge you to provide the resources we need to train 9,600 pre-school professionals this year, and to create the framework for a comprehensive high-quality program focused on critical early literacy skills. As we increase the number of children ready to learn when they enter kindergarten, we decrease the number who will struggle, be retained, and require remedial help in higher grades.

Jeb Bush: Guarantee college admission for top 20% of high school grads

Jeb Bush: Catholic Conference sought more voucher accountability

Governor Bush's voucher programs also encountered the kinds of accountability problems other privatization projects faced, but he would take no action to correct them even when the Florida Catholic Conference, a major beneficiary of vouchers, pushed for accountability standards, and the Florida Senate and the state auditor general specifically criticized the McKay Voucher Program for failure to screen and monitor the types of schools being awarded the funds involved and for allowing operators who did not have the capability to provide proper educational services to enroll students in their schools.

Jeb Bush: 60% of FCAT-passed schools failed to meet NCLB standards

1. grading public school reading, writing and mathematics performance on an A-F scale; and
2. annual reporting of these grades to the public.

One national education organization claimed that the FCAT reflects "modest expectation." In 2006, 60% of the schools that scored either A or B on the state FCAT test failed to meet the standards for the federal No Child Left Behind Law.

Marco Rubio: Voted for more scholarships for private schools

• Expands the Corporate Income Tax Credit Scholarship Program (CITCSP) for students enrolled in eligible private schools by raising scholarship amount to $4000 for students in grades 6-8 and to $4250 for grades 9-12.
• Extends eligibility for the CITCSP to siblings of current recipients
• Allows for students receiving the McKay Scholarship for Students with Disabilities to be home schooled.

Marco Rubio: Incentivize foreign language curriculum in elementary school

Preparing Our Students for the Global Marketplace
• Ensure student mastery of the appropriate knowledge at each grade level by developing statewide end-of-course examinations to match new, more challenging standards
• Make Florida's Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten Program a global model for school readiness
• Encourage trained and certified curriculum leaders in reading, math, and science, and in the new curricular standards in every school
• Provide strong incentives to identify gifted elementary school children and require our elementary schools to allow these children to work at a suitably challenging academic level
• Provide our elementary school children with the advantages of learning a second language by encouraging and incentivizing a foreign language curriculum in all elementary schools
• World-Class Teachers and Principals Make World-Class Schools
• Pay teachers and principals based on performance and merit

Marco Rubio: Prepare students for the Global Marketplace

Preparing Our Students for the Global Marketplace (College)
• Create career academies and career training programs that allow students to become industry certified in a technical field, both as part of and after their high school education
• Ensure the full implementation of policies relating to credit transfers, the expansion of articulation policies, and the elimination of any unnecessary barriers or impediments to postsecondary students
• Make public funding of universities contingent on university performance and outcomes
• Develop strategic fiscal policies that address the scope of each program for which state universities and community colleges will receive state support
• Commit to having a Top 10 public university in Florida
• Encourage collaboration among universities, businesses, education colleges, and specialty public-private partnerships to provide excellent principal preparation programs

Marco Rubio: More options for student and parent choice in education

Empowering Parents and Students
• Continue to add options for student and parent choice in education
• Increase virtual schooling
• Identify professions in high demand that are currently experiencing shortages and provide incentives for students to remain in Florida and enter these professions
• Provide voters with the option of dividing large school districts into smaller districts
• Create and fund an Inspector General or other watchdog to track specific incidents of fraud, waste, and abuse that occur each year in Florida public schools
• Require all schools that accept state funds, including community colleges and universities, to send parents annual notices delineating school content, performance, and spending
• Provide incentives to create innovative public-private partnerships that will expand after-school programs
• Pursue public-private partnerships to provide classroom construction, leasing, maintenance, and school services

Matt Gaetz: Allow opt-out of Common Core; abolish Dept. of Education

Matt Gaetz: Allow students to deliver inspirational messages

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; State Rep. Matt Gaetz voted YES; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Mike Haridopolos: Allow students to deliver inspirational messages

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; State Senator Mike Haridopolos voted YES: Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Neal Dunn: Stopping Common Core is the first step

Patrick Murphy: Quality public education is best way to grow middle class

Patrick E. Murphy: High quality education for all American students is one of the best ways we can grow our middle class. We need to fully fund public education and remove barriers to access. I support universal pre-kindergarten, increasing teacher pay to retain top talent, and strengthening public schools with additional services including early childhood, youth development, and family engagement. I also support fully funding Head Start, Title I, and IDEA to improve equal access to high quality public education. At the college level, we need to address the enormous burden of student loan debt and ultimately, we need to work towards debt-free college. Finally, we need to invest in our community colleges and technical schools, so our next generation is fully equipped to compete global

Philip Levine: Replace high-stakes testing with more comprehensive scoring

I would not abolish the school grading system--It is fair to develop robust measures of school performance. As Governor but I could create a more comprehensive scoring system that takes more factors into account than standardized test scores.

Philip Levine: Invest in public schools; stop funds to private/charters

Rick Scott: Allow students to deliver inspirational messages

Analysis by ACLU Florida: This is the school prayer, which was termed "inspirational message" bill when Senate legal staff expressed doubts it could pass constitutional muster. The measure authorizes school districts to adopt a policy to allow students of all ages to deliver inspirational messages at compulsory and non-compulsory school events and prohibits school personnel from being involved in overseeing the message contents, sectarian or otherwise.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 88-27-4 on Mar/1/12; Passed Senate 31-8-1 on Feb/1/12; Signed by Governor Rick Scott on Mar/23/12

Rick Scott: Increase the number of charter schools

I am calling for an increase in the number of charter schools--which are public schools that are allowed to work independently of their school board and can innovate in ways that encourage all schools to improve.

Rick Scott: Eliminated tenure; with performance pay, give $2,500 raise

Florida's education system is making tremendous progress, due in large part to our great teachers and the work begun by Gov. Bush. Our students and teachers were recently ranked 6th for educational quality; and our 4th-graders scored among the highest in the world on a recent reading evaluation. Accountability is working.

The best way we can build on this progress is to reward our hard-working teachers with a $2,500 pay raise. Some say they are afraid that giving raises to all teachers may mean that a teacher doing a bad job gets rewarded. But, thanks to our work, we are now in a better position than ever before to reward good teachers and move bad teachers out of the classroom. We don't want a war on teachers; we want a war on failure.

Rick Scott: $80M for state colleges; hold the line on tuition at $10K

We are changing how we fund higher education but if we want to make higher education more accessible to low and middle-income families, we have to make it more affordable.

Last year, I vetoed a tuition increase that would have taken a total of more than $42 million from Florida families. And, this year, we want to get rid of the 15% annual increase and inflationary increase on tuition.

My commitment to every family dreaming to send their children to college is simple: We will hold the line on tuition.

Parents saving for their children to get a four-year degree from a public university today need to save over $53,000. We shouldn't celebrate how accessible higher education is until we can make it more affordable. That's why I am proud that all of Florida's 4-year state colleges now offer bachelor's degrees for only $10,000.

Rick Scott: $10M for vouchers for private schools for poor kids

• A program allowing corporations to receive tax credits for funding vouchers for private schools will receive an extra $10.25 million under a bill passed by the House.
• The Florida Tax Credit Scholarship program is capped at $175 million for the current fiscal year, and is scheduled to increase to $219 million. HB 859 would increase the cap to $229 million, and do away with random inspections for participating schools.
• The vouchers amount to about $4,000 per student, and only low-income students are eligible. Proponents of the bill note that the vouchers cost less than the per-student funding for public schools, which is $6,224 for the current year.
• Several Democrats decried the bill, though, as siphoning off money that would otherwise go to public schools.

Status:Bill passed House, 92-24; passed Senate, 32-8; approved by Governor, March 23,2012.

Rocky De La Fuente: Keep college graduates in Florida after graduation

Ron DeSantis: Expand voucher and charters; stop Common Core

DeSantis also wants to "stop Common Core"-- the standards adopted by 45 out of 50 states as a way to improve education--but the steps he'd take to unwind them is unclear. The standards were criticized by conservatives as a top-down approach to education, and lawmakers responded by tweaking and renaming them "Florida standards" in 2014.

[Democratic gubernatorial opponent Andrew] Gillum wants to spend an additional $1 billion on education, part of which would go toward increasing the minimum salary for teachers to $50,000 per year, and for early-education and vocational programs.

Ron DeSantis: Expand both charters & vouchers

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on funding, but prefers setting policy at local level.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Proposes a $1 billion "Fair Share" investment in public schools covered by increasing state's corporate tax rate & legalizing & taxing marijuana.

Q: Education: Support the expansion of charter schools or help parents send their children to private schools with public money?

Ron DeSantis (R): Yes. Expand both charters & vouchers. Let federal dollars follow students to any schools their families choose.

Andrew Gillum (D): No. Against vouchers & "unaccountable, for-profit charter schools who use public dollars to enrich their executives."

Ron DeSantis: Fund training for high schoolers who enter workforce

Ron DeSantis (R): No statements found on state funding, but more training support for students who enter workforce from high school.

Andrew Gillum (D): Yes. Wants to make college debt-free for professions like nursing & teaching. Also higher pay for adjuncts.

Ron DeSantis: Invest in higher ed; focus on job skills

Ron DeSantis: Prioritize attracting and retaining great teachers

Ron DeSantis: Expand Tax Credit Scholarships for school choice

Ron DeSantis: Boost teacher's minimum salary to $47,500

Ron DeSantis: Parents should have public school choice

Ron DeSantis: COVID: other states not opening schools a policy blunder

Ron DeSantis: Rejects education cuts, launched civics initiative

Ron DeSantis: Signed bills to protect religious freedom in Florida

Ron DeSantis: Make sure people are not supporting critical race theory

DESANTIS: Yeah, I'm not considering anything beyond doing my job. I'm going to be running for re-election next year, and we're also working on a lot of things beyond the governor's race. We want to make sure people are not supporting critical race theory, making sure that, you know, parents have the ability to send their kid to school the way they want to.

Ron DeSantis: Don't sow doubts among children about gender identity

"This is trying to sow doubt about kids about their gender identity. It's trying to say that you know, they can be whatever they want to be. This is inappropriate for kindergarteners and first graders and second graders. Parents do not want this going on in their schools," he added.

Ron DeSantis: Restrict teaching sexual orientation/gender identity

Summary by NPR (3/28/22): The bill, which some opponents have called "Don't Say Gay," was signed by DeSantis. It reads, "Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards."

Legislative outcome: Passed House 69-47-3 on Feb/24/22; passed Senate 22-17-0 on Mar/8/22; Signed by Governor Ron DeSantis on Mar/28/22

Rudy Giuliani: Empower parents to decide parochial, charter, or home school

It seems to me the thing that's wrong right at the core of No Child Left Behind is the enforcer of standards should not be the bureaucrat in Washington or on the board of education. It should be the parent. We should empower parents. They should decide--private school, parochial school, public school, charter school, home school.

Why should a government bureaucrat be sending 168,000 children to failing schools when parents think they can do better for their children?

Rudy Giuliani: NYC public school system dysfunctional & should be blown up

A: What we need is choice.

Q: That's going to bring back public school teachers?

Q: Well, I love teachers. But I really care about the kids more.

Ted Yoho: Department of Education should be eliminated over 3-5 years

A: No. I believe that the Department of Education should be eliminated over a 3-5 year process through attrition and reassignment. The monies should be returned to the States and education should be left at the State level.

Val Demings: Equal access to quality education regardless of zip-code

Val Demings: College for all without facing crushing student loan debt

Val Demings: We need to focus more on our children graduating high school