LEE COUNTY, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday touted gains in Florida’s schools as classes resume across the state, highlighting higher graduation rates, improved test scores, new teacher pay incentives and expanded career-training options.
DeSantis, joined by Florida Department of Education Commissioner Dr. Henry Mack and local school officials, said the state’s education reforms are producing measurable results and giving parents more choices.
“We have been ranked number one in education freedom,” DeSantis said.
He pointed to a record 92.2% high school graduation rate, said more than 60% of students are performing at or above grade level in both English language arts and mathematics for the first time, and noted that 76% of schools earned an A or B in the 2025-26 school year.
DeSantis credited a shift to periodic “progress monitoring” assessments rather than a single end-of-year test. He said the share of students at or above grade level on ELA progress checks rose from 49% to 61%, and math performance climbed from 53% to 62%.
DeSantis said the state has put roughly $7 billion into teacher pay since he took office, raising the average minimum salary from about $39,000 to nearly $51,000 and lifting the state average toward $58,000. He also cited a new budget provision that includes $1.56 billion for a teacher-pay categorical and $200 million earmarked for salary increases for teachers with 10 or more years of experience.
“We wanted to make sure if we’re putting more money into this, that it’s actually going into teachers’ pockets,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis used the event to promote a renewed focus on civics education, including a Civics Seal of Excellence that offers teachers a $3,000 bonus for completing 50 hours of coursework on the American Republic and Western civilization. He also touted infrastructure and environmental projects such as a reservoir intended to reduce harmful discharges from Lake Okeechobee into the Caloosahatchee River.
Newly sworn Education Commissioner Dr. Henry Mack said he returned to Florida after serving in federal roles to build on the state’s momentum. Mack emphasized the link between education and the labor market, and he promoted apprenticeships and short-term workforce certification programs as pathways to well-paying jobs.
“Where Florida goes, so goes the nation,” Dr. Henry Mack said, adding that the state has led in registered apprenticeships and work-based learning. He pointed to federal and state initiatives that expand short-term workforce Pell aid and help people gain industry-recognized credentials.
“We know we have more jobs looking for people than people looking for jobs,” Mack said, urging schools to couple academic instruction with career and technical education to ready students for the workplace.
Lee County Superintendent Denise Karlin praised local progress, noting the district posted its highest point total in a decade, 29 schools improved a letter grade and the district posted its highest-ever graduation rate.
“We won’t stop until we get to 100,” Karlin said.
Karlin said nearly two-thirds of traditional public schools in Lee County are rated B or higher and set a goal to become a top-ranked district by 2028.