Florida ranks #1 in Education Freedom for the fourth consecutive year
Press release from the Office of Governor Ron DeSantis and the Florida Department of Education
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the Heritage Foundation ranked Florida #1 in Education Freedom for the fourth consecutive year. Florida’s expansion of school choice and support of parental rights directly led to this top ranking.
“In Florida, we are committed to ensuring parents have the power to make the education decisions that are best for their child,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Florida offers a robust array of educational choices, which has solidified our state as a national leader in education freedom, parental power, and overall K-12 education.”
“Earning the #1 ranking for Education Freedom for the fourth consecutive year affirms a simple principle: education decisions belong to families,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “Under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, Florida will continue honoring parents’ right to choose the best educational option for their child’s individualized needs. I am proud that Florida offers so many educational options that parents can have confidence in.”
The Education Freedom Report Card began in 2022, and Florida has earned the top ranking every year since its inception. The report card uses five categories: school choice, transparency, regulatory freedom, civic education, and spending to rank states.
In addition to Florida receiving the overall top spot for Education Freedom, Florida also earned high rankings in the following categories:
- #1 for Education Choice due to empowering parents across Florida to choose the best learning environment for their children.
- #1 for Civic Education due to Florida’s requirement for students to take a course in civics and the use of the Classical Learning Test for admissions at state universities.
- #1 for Academic Transparency due to Florida’s expansive legislation allowing parents to access classroom materials and Florida’s Parental Bill of Rights.
- #1 for Teacher Freedom due to Florida’s alternative pathways to entering the teaching profession.
The full Education Freedom Report Card can be viewed on the Heritage Foundation website
The Heritage Foundation is a right wing think tank in DC which is responsible for the Project 2025 disaster Trump lied about during the campaign, saying he didn’t know what it was and wasn’t going to implement it. It has been the blueprint for replacing non-partisan federal employees with Trump stooges, and it’s authors are spread throughout the administration.
“A 2025 report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) gave Florida universities an average “D” grade for their campus free speech climates, noting several institutions ranked poorly. The University of Miami, a private school, received the lowest grade with an “F”.
The rankings are based on student surveys, speech controversies, and university policies that affect expression. Although FIRE is actively litigating against some of the state’s laws, including the “Stop WOKE Act” of 2022, the report primarily focused on campus policies rather than state law.
Florida universities with poor free speech ratings
Based on FIRE’s 2025 and 2026 College Free Speech Rankings, the following Florida universities received low marks:
University of Miami: Received the lowest grade in the state, an “F,” for restrictive policies on harassment and internet usage.
University of Florida (UF): Received a “D” grade for its campus speech climate in the 2026 report, a significant drop from its previous standing. One factor contributing to a past low ranking was a 2023 incident where professors were temporarily prevented from giving expert testimony in a lawsuit against the state.
Florida International University (FIU): Received a “D” grade in the 2026 report.
Florida Atlantic University (FAU): Received a “D-” grade in the 2026 report.
University of Central Florida (UCF): Received a “D-” grade in the 2026 report.
Broader academic freedom concerns
Beyond free speech for students, a September 2024 survey of Florida professors found widespread concern about academic freedom.
The survey indicated that state government limits on tenure and academic freedom, combined with the political climate, had prompted many faculty members to seek jobs outside Florida.
A former professor reported leaving a “BIG FL state school” because the institution did not defend academic freedom and failed to provide a pay raise.
Some survey respondents indicated that the state’s policies had reduced applications to their departments.
State laws impacting higher education
Florida’s university system has been the subject of several state laws and policies that have raised concerns about academic freedom and free expression.
Stop WOKE Act: Signed into law in 2022, this act restricts how race and gender are discussed in colleges and workplaces, blocking businesses from requiring diversity training.
“Intellectual Freedom” Surveys: The state has conducted surveys on intellectual freedom at universities, which some faculty view as an attempt to prove “woke indoctrination” on campuses.
Changes to tenure and funding: Professors have reported that new limits on tenure and the political climate have created an oppressive and intimidating environment.
‘Academic freedom is on life support,’ say professors surveyed …
Sep 16, 2024 —
Florida Phoenix
Tallahassee Democrat
This is nothing to brag about. Heritage Foundation is linked to Project 2025, and our current overlords, Peter Thiel, Stephen Miller and David Sacks. Those three are currently running the government.
I homeschooled our children, and we pinched pennies to pay for curriculum, while still paying taxes to fund public schools. It was financially challenging, but worth the sacrifices we made.
Today, my children are homeschooling their children, and they can purchase homeschooling materials, science kits, literature, etc. through Florida’s innovative and very helpful educational funding.
It’s a new day in Florida! Choice in educational approaches is a beautiful thing for families and for our future!
Public school should not be the only option available – competition is healthy.
Hallelujah we also rank as BEST in education overall! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸MAGA
K-12 ranked in low 40’s by most.
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/movers/best-states-for-public-education.html
https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/public-school-rankings-by-state
https://www.nea.org/sites/default/files/2025-04/2025_rankings_and_estimates_report.pdf
I think our children’s reading and math scores are pitiful. I think free speech is monitored heavily in Gainesville. Look at the old gray people yelling in the street. No room for more than one way of thinking. Still fighting the same battle as fought in 1969. Yell on old hippies, yell on.
Any state that bans books has no right to be ranked #1 on that list as Freedom anything in any way. But hey, it worked so well in the 30s in Germany….
Not one book is banned in Florida (which is why bookstores and libraries have “banned books” tables, lol).
However, we appreciate you outing yourself as someone who believes minors should have access to explicit sexual content without their parents’ knowledge.
False. https://www.cfpublic.org/education/2024-11-11/florida-list-banned-books-schools
1. No, those are books removed from school libraries by school districts. They are not banned by the state of Florida and were not removed by the state of Florida.
2. Since 1930s Germany was part of the initial comment on this: when dictators ban books, it is a criminal offense to possess those books. Not at all the same as deciding that minors should not have unfettered access to inappropriate material.
3. We also appreciate you outing yourself as someone who believes minors should have access to explicit sexual content without their parents’ knowledge.