Florida Senate Approves Education Deregulation Measures

The Florida Senate passed a series of bills aimed at "deregulation" of public schools, including measures to change state assessments and instruction, give districts flexibility in setting teacher salaries, and allow school districts to publish their tentative budgets online. The legislative package, a priority of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, aims to reduce red tape and burdensome regulations for schools. One measure underwent significant changes after criticism from former Gov. Jeb Bush, removing a provision related to the state's third-grade literacy policy. The House Education Quality Subcommittee also gave initial approval to a school deregulation bill, including a provision to allow school districts to charge a $100 "processing fee" for people who make more than a certain number of challenges to instructional materials or library books.