Florida Department of Education

The Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) is the state education agency of Florida. It is in charge of public education and handles money and tests for local school boards. The main office is in the Turlington Building in Tallahassee, named after a past education leader.

The person who leads the department is called the Florida commissioner of education. At first, this person was chosen by voters. But in 2003, the rules changed, and now the governor chooses the commissioner. The governor also picks seven members for the Florida Board of Education, which watches over the department.

The department helps about 2.8 million students and more than 4,000 schools and colleges. It also gives Internet access to schools through something called the Florida Information Resource Network. It works with many teachers and staff to make sure students get good education.

History

The person in charge of Florida's public schools was set up under the 1868 Florida Constitution. Later, in 1968, this role became known as the commissioner of education, as stated in the 1968 Florida Constitution. In 2003, changes were made so that this leader would no longer be chosen by voting and a State Board of Education was created.

In 2022, Florida decided not to accept 41% of math textbooks because they did not follow the state's new rules called B.E.S.T. Standards, which replaced Common Core. The department said these books had topics or methods that were not allowed, such as critical race theory and social–emotional learning. The head of the department, Richard Corcoran, wanted to keep certain ideas out of classrooms. Later, 19 of these books were approved again after changes were made.

In 2022, Florida formed a group of 13 people, including teachers and experts, to create a new curriculum about money skills for students. This work was finished in 2023 and got support from famous people like Mark Cuban and Matt Higgins. With this, Florida joined many other U.S. states that teach students about money skills in school.

State exams

In Florida, students in grades 3 to 10 take a test called the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) each year. These test results help give each public school a letter grade from A to F. Schools with higher grades receive more money.

Students also take the SAT or ACT, two big tests used across North America. Florida has a special program called the Bright Futures Scholarship. There are two levels of this scholarship. The first level gives full tuition at a Florida state college if you have a 3.5 GPA, 100 volunteer hours, and the right SAT or ACT score. The second level gives 75 percent of tuition if you have a 3.0 GPA, 75 volunteer hours, and the right SAT or ACT score. Many students use these scholarships to pay for college.

Teacher certification

The department gave extra money to teachers who were certified by the federal government. Before 2025, this bonus could be between $3,000 and $7,800 each year. Teachers who specialize in STEM subjects or special education could also get extra money added to their pay. However, these bonuses are expected to get smaller because the state is earning less money.

School Funding

Florida has a system to help students from families with low income get reduced-price or free lunches at school so they can focus on learning. Recently, some areas like Broward, Duval, and Pasco have lost some of this federal help, which is a big problem because many students depend on these meals.

Schools in Florida keep growing, with more students joining each year. Experts say that to keep up, the state needs more money for education. With better funding, schools could hire more teachers, keep class sizes manageable, and improve the whole school experience for students.

Superintendents of Public Instruction

Here is a list of people who have led education in Florida as Superintendents of Public Instruction:

1. C. Thurston Chase (1868–1870)
2. Henry Quarles (1870–1871)
3. Rev. Charles Beecher (1871–1873)
4. Jonathan C. Gibbs (1873–1874)
5. William Watkin Hicks (1875–1876)
6. William Penn Haisley (1877–1881)
7. Eleazer K. Foster (1881–1884)
8. Albert Jonathan Russell (1884–1893)
9. William N. Sheats (1893–1905) and (1913–1922)
10. William M. Holloway (1905–1913)
11. William S. Cawthon (1922–1937)
12. Colin English (1937–1949)
13. Thomas D. Bailey (1949–1965)
14. T. D. Johnson (1965)
15. Floyd Thomas Christian (Supt. of Public Instruction 1965–1969; Commissioner of Education in 1969–1974)

Commissioners of Education

1. Ralph D. Turlington (1974–1986)
2. Betty Castor (1986–1994)
3. Douglas L. Jamerson (1994–1995)
4. Frank T. Brogan (1995–1999)
5. Tom Gallagher (1999–2001)
6. Charlie Crist (2001–2003)
7. Jim Horne (2003–2004)
8. John L. Winn (2004–2007)
9. Jeanine Blomberg (interim) (2007)
10. Eric J. Smith (October 5, 2007 – June 10, 2011)
11. Gerard Robinson (June 11, 2011 – 2012)
12. Tony Bennett (January – August 2013)
13. Pam Stewart (August 2013 – January 8, 2019)
14. Richard Corcoran (January 8, 2019 – May 1, 2022)
15. Jacob Oliva (interim) (May 1, 2022 – June 1, 2022)
16. Manny Díaz Jr. (June 1, 2022 – July 11, 2025)
17. Anastasios Kamoutsas (July 12, 2025 – present)