The Florida Department of Education launched a new framework Monday to explicitly compete with “woke” Advanced Placement U.S. history courses, following criticism that the College Board embeds racist bias and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” into such courses.
The department will launch the Florida Advanced Courses and Tests framework for U.S. history as a pilot program in the fall.
“The FACT U.S. history framework underscores our commitment to instruction grounded in the full scope of our nation’s history, while ensuring materials are free from ideological bias or indoctrination,” Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas saidopens in a new tab.
“The FACT U.S. history framework provides a thorough and balanced study of our nation’s past, grounded in primary sources and factual accuracy,” Ryan Petty, chair of the State Board of Education, added. “It represents an important step toward restoring academic integrity in the classroom after years of uneven and, at times, ideologically driven instruction.”
‘War on Woke’
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, established the framework when he signed House Bill 1537opens in a new tab into law in 2023. The law establishes alternatives to existing options like Advanced Placement, following criticism that AP courses embed critical race theory (a lens claiming that America is systemically racist and requires fundamental reform) and “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (a movement advancing racial quotas in the name of diversity) into curriculum materials.
DeSantis has launched a “war on woke,” opposing CRT and promoting classical education.
In his keynote address on Friday, DeSantis said education in the Sunshine State will not impose political indoctrination on children but will follow the classical model.
“We believe in the traditional, classical mission of educationopens in a new tab,” DeSantis said in 2023. “We want to be able to pursue truth. We want to be able to promote rigor, and we want to give students the foundation so that they can think for themselves and be citizens of our republic.”
