DeSantis signs bill limiting book challenges by adults without kids in school

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday that revises provisions related to K-12 education, postsecondary education, and the Education Practices Commission.

At a news conference alongside Florida Department of Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. and Speaker of the Florida House Paul Renner in Jacksonville, DeSantis signed CS/CS/HB 1285.

“Florida is the No. 1 state in the country for education,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “By focusing on core academic subjects and rejecting indoctrination in the classroom, we have become a standard-bearer for educational excellence. The legislation I signed today continues to build on Florida’s previous accomplishments.”

DeSantis said the bill provides a clear and concise process for a struggling school to convert to a charter school, which the governor said will “eliminate lengthy and drawn-out negotiations between the incoming charter school and the school district, to ensure no student is trapped at a failing school in Florida.”

The bill also ensures book challenges in Florida are limited for those who do not have children with access to school district’s material, a move the Florida governor hopes will cut back on “activists trying to politicize and disrupt a district’s book review process.”

Under the new law, individuals without children with access to school district material will only be able to challenge one book a month, while parents with kids in schools will still have the ability to challenge an unlimited number of books.

The bill also continues support for the Purple Star Schools of Distinction Program, which “helps to ensure a seamless transition for military families moving into Florida by requiring schools to provide them with support and resources.”

The program, established in 2021, awards schools who support military families needs with the distinction that it holds for three years.

Currently there are 197 schools that hold the distinction, including 23 in Hillsborough County, 22 in Citrus County, and one each in Pasco and Pinellas counties.

The following local schools hold the Purple Star Schools of Distinction designation:

Hillsborough County

• Anderson Elementary School

• Ballast Point School

• Bevis Elementary School

• Chiaramonte Elementary School

• Collins Elementary School

• Doby Elementary School

• East Bay High School

• FishHawk Creek Elementary School

• Franklin Middle Magnet School

• General James D. Randall Middle School

• Lanier Elementary School

• Madison Middle School

• Nelson Elementary School

• Newsome High School

• Progress Village Middle Magnet School of the Arts

• Roland Park K-8 Magnet School

• Shore Elementary Magnet School of the Arts

• Southshore Charter Academy

• Stowers Elementary School

• Tinker K-8 School

• T. R. Robinson High School

• Warren Hope Dawson School

• Winthrop Charter School

Citrus County

• Academy of Environmental Science

• Central Ridge Elementary School

• Citrus eSchool

• Citrus High School

• Citrus Springs Elementary School

• Citrus Springs Middle School

• CREST

• Crystal River High School

• Crystal River Middle School

• Crystal River Primary School

• Floral City Elementary School

• Forest Ridge Elementary School

• Hernando Elementary School

• Homosassa Elementary School

• Inverness Middle School

• Inverness Primary School

• Lecanto High School

• Lecanto Middle School

• Lecanto Primary School

• Pleasant Grove Elementary School

• Rock Crusher Elementary School

• Withlacoochee Technical College

Pasco County

• WonderED K-12 Academy

Pinellas County

• Northeast High School

You can watch the full news conference on this page.

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