Attorney General James Uthmeier has filed a lawsuit against McGraw Hill LLC and Savvas Learning Company LLC, alleging that the companies overcharged Florida school districts for instructional materials. The complaint, submitted in the Second Judicial Circuit Court, claims that both publishers violated state law and the Florida False Claims Act by not providing Florida schools with the lowest prices offered elsewhere.
“Our lawsuit exposes a textbook case of corporate greed—companies charging Florida schools more than the law allows, pocketing the difference, and sticking taxpayers with the bill,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Florida will not be a playground for deceitful profiteers who think they can cheat our students and teachers. We will make sure they pay back every dime and face the full consequences under the law.”
State law requires publishers to offer every Florida school district their best national price for instructional materials. They must also automatically extend any price reductions available elsewhere and provide free materials to Florida schools if such offers are made to others.
The State alleges that McGraw Hill and Savvas knowingly charged some Florida districts more than what was offered in other states and did not pass along required cost reductions. As a result, according to the lawsuit, school districts—and ultimately taxpayers—paid more than necessary.
The State of Florida decided to intervene after an investigation initiated under the Florida False Claims Act. This act permits whistleblowers (relators) to file actions on behalf of the State when entities submit false or fraudulent payment claims. The complaint seeks treble damages as well as civil penalties in order to prevent similar violations in the future.
