OP ED by Keith Flaugh, CEO of Florida Citizens Alliance

by | Mar 12, 2025

Question:

Answer:

Will the amazing actions by President Trump save public education in Florida?

They will certainly help but Florida ranks at the bottom of national assessments including the Nation’s Report Card just released, US News and World Annual report, and SAT and ACT results…. so lots of work to be done!!

On multiple assessments 50% of Florida students cannot read or do math at grade level!

There is no question Governor DeSantis has led some amazing public education initiatives including getting rid of Common Core Standards, parents right protection, Education Saving Account vouchers, progress monitoring for student testing and the fight to stop CRT and obscene materials in Schools.

BUT where does Florida stand academically? Almost at the very bottom of all US States and light years behind 30+ other countries, internationally.

Over and over again I hear “President Trump has got this and our kids are saved”. 

Unfortunately, if you drink that Kool-Aid, 50 plus % of Florida’s 4 million students are doomed.

Just look at the data.

But this is not the worse part of the story.  Over the past 30+ years in reading and math, the US has dropped from the top 10 of countries on the international stage to below 30th, far behind China, Japan, and Nordic countries, to name just a few.

There is no question the federal education system has failed! But simply returning the funding and control to Florida won’t fix our broken education system in Florida.

Short term: Parents must take control and flee government union-controlled,  socialist/Marxist schools. 

Long term: The only solution is privatizing all K-12 education without government subsidy. Embrace micro schools, learning centers, co-ops, etc. to disciple your children in your values!

Keith Flaugh, 

[email protected]

About the Author

Keith Flaugh

Learn more on this topic

Related

Florida’s Taxpayer Scholarship Program for All

Florida’s Taxpayer Scholarship Program for All

Since the inception of the Florida scholarship program we have seen an exponential growth in students using the program. However, nothing has been more consequential for the school choice movement than the 2023 universal school choice law.  The 2023 law expanded the...

read more

Newsletter