FLORIDA – The Florida Department of Education on Thursday unanimously approved a new set of guiding principles for the state’s education system, known as “The Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education.”
The declaration, authored by the conservative Heritage Foundation — the same organization behind Project 2025 — makes Florida the first state in the nation to formally adopt the document.
Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas said the declaration reflects values everyone can support.
“I don’t know how anyone can disagree with parental choice and responsibility, curriculum transparency, and academic excellence,” Kamoutsas said.
The Phoenix Declaration outlines six core principles for Florida’s education system:
- Parental choice and responsibility
- Academic excellence
- Cultural transmission
- Character formation
- Transparency and accountability
- Truth and goodness
Kamoutsas and other state leaders described the document as a “unifying foundation,” reaffirming Florida’s commitment to strong educational standards.
However, critics said the declaration represents a partisan effort to reshape public education.
Elona Peck, one of several speakers who objected at the meeting, argued that the principles conceal a political agenda.
“The fact that the Heritage Foundation wrote it, that it’s part of Project 2025 — this is indoctrination dressed up in pretty words,” Peck said. “The principles sound wonderful, but be careful what you put in here.”
Maggie McDonald, another opponent, called the declaration “white Christian nationalist ideology” tied to Project 2025.
According to the Department of Education, the document was signed by more than 50 scholars and policy experts, along with 10 education and public interest groups — all with conservative affiliations.
The department emphasized that the Phoenix Declaration is not a rule or law and carries no enforcement power. Officials said it serves instead as a statement of principles to guide future education policy in Florida.