Florida's 2025 Legislative Session concluded with a focus on education policies, according to Patricia Levesque, Executive Director of the Foundation for Florida’s Future. The session saw efforts to support parental choice and invest in education-to-workforce systems, alongside interventions aimed at improving student outcomes.
The session coincided with the release of the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress scores, which indicated a decline in Florida student performance. In response, the Foundation proposed several policy solutions. "We’re grateful to the Florida House for passing nearly all these priorities through the lower chamber," Levesque stated. However, she noted that the Senate did not take up many important initiatives.
Despite this setback, Levesque expressed gratitude for a significant achievement: "We are grateful to both the House and the Senate for delivering a big victory for the Schools of Hope charter school program this year." This program aims to attract high-impact charter schools to serve students in low-performing schools.
Florida has also become the first state to address public school enrollment decline and underutilization of facilities through policy. This move is seen as ensuring taxpayer-funded buildings are used effectively for educational purposes.
Each year after the legislative session, the Foundation ranks policymakers based on their efforts in advancing key education issues. This results in a legislative report card that reflects each policymaker's support for student-centered education policies.