Gov. DeSantis signs bill to enhance Florida education

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed legislation supporting education for working students who are in school, military training or in some form classical education.

During a news conference held on Tuesday in Jacksonville, DeSantis stated his support of House Bill 1285, which will revise provisions relating to K-12 education, establish the Purple Star School District Program and provide postsecondary education.

More features included in House Bill 1285 include:

• Provide a clear and concise process for a struggling school to convert to a charter school.
• A school receiving consecutive low-performance evaluations is deemed a “turnaround school.” If the district’s plan to turn the school around does not succeed, the pathway for the school to find new direction and leadership should be simple and efficient.
• These changes will eliminate lengthy and drawn-out negotiations between the incoming charter school and the school district to ensure no student is trapped at a failing school in Florida.
• A charter school must give preference to kids in the previous school zone and must serve the same grade levels as the previous school.
• The charter school cannot charge rent for the facility, and the school district cannot charge an administrative fee.

DeSantis mentioned how important engraining a person with a vital education is, referencing his educational experience while working at the same time.

“I had to work my way through school, and I was working jobs,” said DeSantis. “For whatever reason there were some programs in our university system that prohibited working a part-time job. This bill will repeal that rule.”

The House bill will allow students to work alongside their educational path to help pay for their education.

He then emphasized the many options available for students seeking an unconventional learning path, including vocational work and military recruitment.

The bill will help families when transitioning from classical schools to another classical school while living in Florida, mentioning that all school boards must negotiate with the college board to allow an option for students to earn credits while in high school.

He concluded his announcement by signing the bill into Florida law.