Governor Ron DeSantis has named two more members to the Florida Board of Education, and reappointed a third.
The board has recently taken actions that have concerned critics, including in November when members voted to adopt the Phoenix Declaration for Florida’s K-12 schools. The declaration is a set of guiding principles written by the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation.
DeSantis appointed Erika Fritz-Ochs and Luis Fuste to the board for the first time, and reappointed Dr. Grazie Christie.
Fritz-Ochs is a former teacher who now works for the University of Florida. She has been a consultant for the Florida Department of Education, and an educational training specialist for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Fuste is a lawyer who has served on the Board of Trustees at Doral College and sits on the Florida Commission on Ethics.
While current and reappointed member Dr. Christie, a radiologist who has been on the board since 2022, is a member of Americans United for Life, a pro-life organization.
These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
In July, DeSantis named Layla Collins, the wife of Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins to the board.
The next meeting of the state board will take place on January 21 at Tallahassee State College.
The board chaired by Ryan Petty is currently seven members strong, and sets policy, standards, and strategic direction for the state's public K-12 and Florida College System (community/state colleges).
It also oversees the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) and approves curricula (like the Sunshine State Standards).
DeSantis, a former teacher, has made education one of the focal points of his two terms in office. Under his administration, Florida has rolled out a universal voucher program, kept in-state tuition steady, and expanded apprenticeship programs in the state.
His tenure has also coincided with a teacher shortage that worsened during COVID, which has shown improvements, and what critics call historic under enrollment and underfunding for Florida’s public schools.
He will leave office in January of 2027, but Florida Board of Education members hold their seats for four year terms.
The governor, in his most recent budget, which he rolled out in December, is asking for $30.6 billion for K-12 funding in the state, a $9,406 investment per student in the state, an increase of $279 per pupil over last year.
He’s also asking for $1.56 billion for teacher salary increases, an increase of $200 million over this school year.
Here’s what else he’s asking for in his proposed (education) budget:
- $1.71 billion for early childhood education, including $483.4 million for Voluntary Prekindergarten.
- $300 million for the Safe Schools Allocation, an increase of $10 million over FY 2025-2026.
- $17.5 million to support civics engagement programs, including $10 million for the Florida Civics Seal of Excellence Program.
- $1.9 billion for the Florida College System
- $4 billion for the State University System
- $100 million for continued recruitment and retention of quality faculty at our state universities
- $130 million for nursing education programs to help address nursing vacancies.
- $100 million for the Workforce Development Capitalization Incentive Grant Program to expand or establish career and technical education programs
- $20 million for the Governor’s Pathways to Career Opportunities Grant Program to support pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs for high school and college students.
