DeSantis
DeSantis
Gov. Ron DeSantis marked the start of the 2026-27 school year by highlighting Florida’s recent education achievements and reaffirming the state’s focus on teacher pay, school choice, workforce education and student performance.
Speaking ahead of students returning to classrooms across the state, DeSantis said Florida will continue investing in policies aimed at expanding educational opportunities while maintaining high academic standards.
“We’ve led the way to champion policies that expand opportunities for students, strengthen workforce education, support great teachers, and ensure every child has access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in life,” Gov. DeSantis said. “As students across the state get ready to go back to school, we wish them a successful year ahead. We appreciate the parents, educators, and school leaders whose dedication to students is leaving them better prepared than ever, and we will keep working to ensure that the best days for education in Florida are still ahead.”
State education officials pointed to recent student achievement data showing that, for the first time, more than 60 percent of Florida students are performing on or above grade level in both English language arts and mathematics. The administration also said student performance on the state’s progress monitoring assessments has improved in both subjects since 2023.
Education Commissioner Henry Mack said the state remains focused on preparing students for future careers while building on Florida’s education system.
“Education changes the trajectory of a child’s life. Every classroom, every lesson, every parent, and every educator help shape opportunities that extend far beyond the next grade level or graduation,” Mack said. “As we begin this school year, we remain committed to building on our successes and strengthening Florida’s education system as a national model of excellence – challenging students to reach their highest potential, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to succeed in their future careers, and preparing them to make meaningful contributions to Florida and the United States as productive citizens.”
The governor also highlighted investments in teacher salaries. Since 2019, Florida has allocated more than $7 billion through the Teacher Salary Increase Allocation, increasing the state’s average starting teacher salary from $40,000 to $50,200, according to the governor’s office.
The 2026-27 state budget includes $1.56 billion for teacher salary increases, including $200 million designated to raise salaries for experienced teachers with at least 10 years of service in Florida public schools.
The governor’s office also cited several national rankings in which Florida placed first, including education, education freedom, higher education and workforce education.
The 2026-27 school year begins this month for districts across Florida, with students in Levy County returning to classrooms on Monday, Aug. 10.
DeSantis
Your comment has been submitted.
Reported
There was a problem reporting this.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.
Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to read or post comments.
Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.
We recommend switching to one of the following browsers:
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Account processing issue – the email address may already exist
Must be at least 8 characters, not contain repeating characters (e.g., 111), and not contain sequential numbers (e.g., 123).
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Invalid password or account does not exist
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Must be at least 8 characters, not contain repeating characters (e.g., 111), and not contain sequential numbers (e.g., 123).
Secure transaction. Secure transaction. Cancel anytime.
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
A receipt was sent to your email.
