The Florida Education Association (FEA) has issued a statement addressing the recent conclusion of the 2025 Legislative Session in Florida. The association emphasized a missed opportunity by the Florida Legislature to invest in public education, citing a continuation of policy actions dating back to 1999 under Governor Jeb Bush, a trend they say persists today with Governor Ron DeSantis. The FEA criticized these policies, stating they have led to ongoing declines in student performance metrics such as SAT scores and scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
The association highlighted a critical shortage of qualified educators and a failure of the state to offer competitive wages, noting that Florida ranks last in average teacher pay for the second consecutive year. “We need common sense solutions to public education issues,” reads the statement. The FEA expressed disappointment, indicating that lawmakers did not fulfill promises to support educators and improve public schools’ competitiveness.
Despite the early session anticipations for salary adjustments and legislative reforms—such as reducing administrative obstacles, extending teaching certificates to ten years, and addressing teacher shortages—most proposed bills did not pass, although some had bipartisan committee support. The FEA pointed to political conflicts as a barrier to effective policy-making.
The session ended with legislators leaving Tallahassee without finalizing a budget, leaving state communities uncertain about future educational funding. The FEA concluded their statement by emphasizing the adverse impacts on students, educators, and local communities, and called for a change in direction for Florida’s public education system. “Our students who are not supported are the ones who suffer,” the group said, underscoring the broader community impacts. The association advocates for new policies to address these ongoing challenges within Florida’s education framework.
