Here's how Florida's education system is serving as Republican's new blueprint

More of former President Donald Trump’s education platform was unveiled during the Republican National Convention last week, and many are drawing parallels to how Gov. Ron DeSantis has shaped Florida’s public school system in recent years.

DeSantis and the Florida Legislature passed several controversial laws that defunded diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, banned instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation and demanded that state universities consider the Classic Learning Test (CLT) , largely used by Christian and charter schools, as an SAT/ACT alternative, among other initiatives to ban books and certify new, controversial Black history standards.

In May, U.S. News & World Report sent a ripple of shock across the United States when it crowned the Sunshine State as No. 1 in the nation for education . The ranking, however, seemed largely based on Florida's scores in higher education.

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“In higher education, Florida – which is No. 9 in the overall Best States rankings – posted the second-highest rates of timely graduation among students at public institutions pursuing two- and four-year degrees, respectively,” the publication stated. “Students attending its public, four-year institutions also faced the lowest average amount in the country for in-state tuition and fees.”

Pre-K through high school, students excelled in college readiness, ranking No. 5. The state was ranked No. 12 for preschool enrollment, ranked No. 19 for high school graduation rate, and No. 21 and No. 32 for eighth-grade reading and math scores, respectively.

Republicans now hope to adopt some of Florida’s ideas on education to win over voters in November. Namely, the party wants to implement universal school choice, help boost parental rights in classrooms and promote what they call “patriotic” standards for civics education.

Here’s what that looks like in Florida.

Parental Rights in Education law, aka the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law, limits discussion on sexual orientation, gender identity

Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law was one of the first to come under fire from critics, who soon began referring to it as the “Don’t Say Gay” law.

It prohibits instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms. The bill originally only targeted kindergarten through third grade and limited similar discussions in higher grades to what is “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

The bill was expanded last year to include grades K-12, but a settlement curbed some ideas critics disagreed with. According to NPR , the settlement clarifies how sexual orientation and gender identities can be talked about in public schools. The vague language of the original law left many fearing they would be unable to talk about their identities without facing possible repercussions.

The settlement now makes clear that students and teachers can discuss sexual orientation and gender identity, so long as it isn’t included as part of instruction.

‘Stop Woke Act’ prohibits teaching CRT in K-12 schools

Florida's "Stop WOKE Act" targets critical race theory (CRT) in schools and workplaces by codifying the Florida Department of Education's prohibition on teaching CRT in K-12 schools, barring schools and universities from hiring "woke" CRT consultants and preventing corporations from forcing employees to take mandatory CRT training.

In March, a three-judge panel of the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court's decision to block part of the law, preventing it from being implemented in workplaces. The law is currently being enforced in schools.

Critical race theory is a loosely organized framework of legal analysis based on the idea that race is a social construct used to oppress and exploit people of color, according to Britannica .

It teaches that law in the U.S. maintains systems that create inequalities between white people and people of color. People who subscribe to the idea work toward restructuring these institutions to eliminate all race-based hierarchies.

Defunding DEI programs

In May 2023, DeSantis signed legislation that banned state funding for DEI programs at Florida’s public universities. The law bars Florida state universities from spending state or federal funds to promote, support or maintain any programs that “advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, or promote or engage in political or social activism.”

How gender and race are taught on Florida campuses is restricted under the law. It requires university officials to review any lessons “based on theories that systemic racism, sexism and privilege are inherent in the institutions of the United States and were created to maintain social, political and economic inequities.”

DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. Studies by McKinsey & Company, a business focused on accelerating sustainable and inclusive growth, show that there are “clear correlations” between diversity and business performance.

Adopting the Classic Learning Test as SAT/ACT alternative

DeSantis signed a bill into law in May 2023 that authorized Florida school districts to administer the Classic Learning Test (CLT), a new and controversial standardized test, alongside the SAT and ACT. Now, the Florida Department of Education will consider adding the CLT as an acceptable exam for university admissions.

The CLT is a new “classical and Christian” alternative to the SAT and ACT standardized tests that were created in 2015 by Maryland educator Jeremy Tate, who believes American education has become “utilitarian” and that “high-stakes” testing is partially to blame.

More than 200 colleges and universities accept CLT scores , but that list mostly consists of private universities.

The College Board, which administers the SAT, has said that it recognizes the role that the CLT and other assessments can play in a diverse educational landscape but rebuked a concordance relationship study published by the Classic Learning Initiatives in April.

There are four CLT exams that students can take, each focusing on different grade levels. The CLT is the college entrance exam for grades 11 and 12, CLT 10 is a college preparatory exam for grades 9 and 10, CLT 8 is a high school readiness program for grades 7 and 8 and CLT 3-6 is a diagnostic and summative exam for grades 3-6.

The CLT offers both online and paper assessments that evaluate English, grammar and math skills. According to the website, the CLT differs from other tests by emphasizing “foundational critical thinking skills.”

Expanding School choice programs

DeSantis signed one of the largest private school voucher expansions in the U.S. in March 2023, following a trend from other conservative states after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the law, all Florida students are eligible for taxpayer-financed vouchers to attend private schools. The total awarded amount is up to $8,500 depending on the area the student lives in.

The Tallahassee Democrat reported at the time that the Florida House estimated the cost of the expansion as $209.6 million to public schools, while a Senate analysis had tagged it at $646 million. However, the Florida Policy Institute, a progressive research organization, estimated that it would cost Florida taxpayers closer to $4 billion.

Teachers unions and other groups criticized the bill, saying it will rob public schools of already scarce funding and allow private schools to discriminate against students, including those with disabilities. Some parents, however, applaud the new laws, including parents who already send their kids to private schools.

Contributors : John Kennedy and Nirvi Shah , USA TODAY NETWORK

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Here's how Florida's education system is serving as Republican's new blueprint