Florida Department of Education Celebrates Major Milestones Achieved in 2024

December 27, 2024

FDOE Press Office
850-245-0413
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Florida Department of Education Celebrates Major Milestones Achieved in 2024

~ Florida continues to lead the nation in educational excellence as #1 in the Nation ~

Tallahassee, Fla., December 27, 2024 - Under the leadership of Governor Ron DeSantis, the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) has continued its mission to prioritize students, expand opportunities, and empower educators. From workforce education and teacher quality to school safety and academic progress, Florida remains steadfast in delivering a world-class education system.

"This year's achievements reflect our commitment to Florida's students by upholding parental rights, focusing on fundamental education, and equipping students with the tools they need to succeed," said Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. "Thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis, Florida continues to lead the nation as the Education State, and we are proud to deliver on the promise of a brighter future for our students."

Florida: Setting the National Blueprint for Educational Success

• Ranked #1 in Education by U.S. News & World Report for the second consecutive year.
• Ranked #1 for Higher Education by U.S. News & World Report for the 8^th consecutive year.
• Ranked #1 in Education Freedom by the Heritage Foundation for the third consecutive year.
• Florida was ranked #1 in the Parent Power Index by the Center for Education Reform, reflecting its robust school choice options, including charter schools, private school scholarships and virtual education programs.

Expanding School Choice

• Florida has surpassed 500,000 students participating in Florida's school choice scholarship program. Additionally, more than 30,000 students will participate in the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts Program, with an additional 18,000 students utilizing the transportation stipend created by House Bill 1 (2023).
• For the first time, the number of students who have enrolled at a public charter school in Florida crossed the 400,000 mark in the 2024-25 school year.
• In 2024, Governor DeSantis signed House Bill 1285, which requires schools to offer the ASVAB military aptitude test, empowering students to explore military service and work their way through school while promoting classical education.

Workforce Education: Expanding Opportunities for Students

• During the 2023-24 academic year, Florida experienced record-breaking CTE enrollments, including over 800,000 K-12 Career and Technical Education (CTE) students, 480,000 postsecondary CTE students-a remarkable 30% increase in postsecondary enrollments since Governor DeSantis took office.
• In 2024, 76,800 rapid credentials were awarded, marking a 14.16% increase from last year's total of 67,269.
• In 2024, FLDOE awarded $109 million to expand and create workforce development programs through the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program, providing hands-on experience in high-demand fields like health, aerospace, biomedical science, digital video technology, aviation and more.
• FLDOE has awarded $19.6 million through the Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant for the development of new, and operation or expansion of existing, registered apprenticeship or preapprenticeship programs.
• In October, FLDOE launched XploreFLEd , allowing out-of-state students to enroll in Florida's workforce education courses, offering high-quality, practical education while furthering Florida's leadership in workforce development.

Increasing Teacher Pay and Support

• Governor DeSantis approved an additional $201.8 million in funding to increase teacher salaries, bringing the total investment to $1.25 billion for Fiscal Year 2024-25. Since 2020, over $4.6 billion has been dedicated to improving teacher pay.
• Teacher vacancies dropped 13.3 percent for the 2024-25 school year, reflecting Florida's success in retaining educators and creating new certification pathways.
• Florida invested $10 million in the Civic Seal of Excellence Initiative, ensuring teachers are equipped to elevate civic literacy among students.
• The Florida Department of Education hosted its 4^th annual Summer Literacy Institute engaging over 1,200 educators in professional development.

Investing in Florida's Students: Building Pathways to Excellence

• Governor DeSantis approved a record $28.4 billion for K-12 public school funding, including a historic per-student allocation of $8,959, reflecting an increase of $240 over the previous year.
• More than 600 middle and high school students competed in the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) State Championship, a first-of-its-kind program fostering civil discourse and civic education. Since its 2019 launch, FCDI has engaged over 3,400 students from more than 400 schools statewide.
• The Florida Seal of Fine Arts Program was implemented to honor high school graduates who meet exemplary benchmarks in fine arts coursework, emphasizing Florida's commitment to recognizing and promoting student achievement across diverse disciplines.

Celebrating Florida's Academic Success

• Florida's first-in-nation progress monitoring assessment has proven highly effective in driving students' success and growth.
  • Florida's FAST assessment showed a 20-percentage point increase in Grades 3-10 ELA performance during the school year.
  • Mathematics scores increased by 42 percentage points from Progress Monitoring 1 to Progress Monitoring 3 in Grades 3-8.
  • Achievement gaps in ELA, math and science narrowed across all grade levels.
  • Nearly 1,300 schools earn an "A" grade in 2024, a 6-percentage point increase over 2023.
• SB 1264 expanded standards on the history of Communism, ensuring students learn about the evils of Communism and creating the Institute for Freedom in the Americas to promote economic and individual freedoms.
• In January 2024, the State Board of Education permanently prohibited Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the Florida College System, banning the use of state or federal funds for initiatives based on race or sex preferences.

Supporting the Resiliency of Florida's Students

• In 2024, First Lady Casey DeSantis expanded the Resiliency Florida initiative and launched a groundbreaking program allowing parents and grandparents to serve as Resiliency Coaches in schools. Resiliency Coaches receive training on the 11 Resiliency Characteristics and how to help students build resiliency.
• Parents, grandparents, and mentors who become Resiliency coaches are eligible to receive a $150 stipend.
• In January 2024, the State Board of Education approved a new rule to include Resiliency Education Standards in K-12 health and physical education courses, emphasizing character development, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
  • The new Resiliency standards address essential topics such as the effects of social media, substance abuse prevention, personal health, community health, and consumer health, ensuring students are equipped to overcome modern challenges.
• Governor DeSantis also signed HB 931, establishing a statewide school chaplain program, authorizing volunteer chaplains to provide additional counseling support with parental consent.

School Safety: A Continued Priority

• In January, Florida distributed $25 million to 134 Jewish Day Schools to increase safety and security measures, ensuring a safe learning environment for all students.
• In the Focus on Florida's Future Budget, Governor DeSantis approved a $570 million investment in school safety and mental health for the 2024-25 fiscal year, emphasizing the state's commitment to student well-being.
• The State Board adopted new campus safety rules, requiring locked gates and classrooms, annual inspections, and unannounced compliance checks to enhance security measures.
• The State Board approved mandatory training for students on Fortify FL within the first five days of the school year to improve incident reporting and approved a rule requiring that districts make available a FortifyFL training for parents and guardians prior to the start of each school year.

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