The Heritage Foundation has announced that Florida ranks first in Education Freedom for the third consecutive year. This ranking reflects Florida's focus on expanding school choice, supporting parental rights in education, and enabling families to choose the best educational options for their children. The Education Freedom Report Card was initiated in 2022, and Florida has maintained the top position since its inception.
Tallahassee, Fla., September 11, 2024 – Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. announced the selected books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month for September. This initiative is part of a monthly reading challenge aimed at promoting literacy and engagement in preK-12 schools. Each month, Commissioner Diaz highlights five recommended books, one for each selected grade range.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 21, 2024 – The State Board of Education convened for its August meeting to implement rules concerning accountability for Voluntary Prekindergarten Programs (VPK), the new School Readiness Plus program, and the creation of a Florida Seal of Fine Arts program. Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. provided remarks on the Florida Department of Education’s progress, noting a 13.3% reduction in teacher vacancies since last year and a decrease in average vacancies per school to 1.11.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 20, 2024 – Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. announced the Florida Department of Education Model Policy for the Volunteer School Chaplain Program.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 20, 2024 – The Florida Department of Education and Volunteer Florida are inviting students to participate in the Hispanic Heritage Month student art and essay contests with the theme “Honoring Hispanic Contributions to Florida’s Success.” Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States from September 15 to October 15.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 19, 2024 – The Florida Department of Education announced today that teacher vacancies for the 2024-2025 school year are 13.3 percent lower than first-day vacancies for the previous school year. Schools have reported an average of 1.11 teacher vacancies per school, down from last year's average of 1.28 vacancies per school. This year's decline follows a drop of over 8 percent in vacancies compared to the prior year.
Tallahassee, Fla., August 16, 2024 – Today, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., announced August’s chosen books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month, a monthly reading challenge aimed at promoting literacy and reading engagement in preK-12 schools.
The Florida Department of Education, in collaboration with the Department of Revenue, has announced the commencement of the Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday. The event starts today, Monday, July 29, and will run through Sunday, August 11. This initiative allows Florida families to save on essential items needed for the upcoming school year.
The Florida Department of Education has announced the 2024 school grades under a new grading scale. Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. commented on the results, stating, “This year’s school grades reflect Florida’s steadfast commitment to excellence in education. Under Governor Ron DeSantis’ leadership, we have continued to raise the bar for providing students with a quality education that suits their individual needs, and these school grades are proof positive that our approach is working.”
Tallahassee, Fla., July 8, 2024 – Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. announced the selected books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month for July. This monthly reading challenge aims to promote literacy and reading engagement in preK-12 schools. Each month, Commissioner Diaz highlights five recommended books—one per selected grade range.
Tallahassee, Fla., June 24, 2024 – Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., announced June’s chosen books for the Commissioner’s Book of the Month. This monthly reading challenge aims to promote literacy and reading engagement in preK-12 schools. Each month, Commissioner Diaz highlights five recommended books—one per selected grade range.
The Florida Department of Education and Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., have launched the 4th annual Summer Literacy Institute. The three-day event aims to support districts and schools by expanding literacy education resources and effectively implementing literacy education in VPK-Grade 5 classrooms statewide. The Institute provides professional learning opportunities for literacy leadership teams at the early childhood, school, and district levels. More than 1,200 educators and literacy leaders are attending the institute.
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) has expressed approval for Governor Ron DeSantis' Focus on Florida’s Future Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25. The budget, which allocates over $28 billion to reinforce the state's educational leadership, includes substantial investments in teacher salaries, per-student funding, and school choice initiatives.