Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) announced Monday that $6.5 million was being designated to launch the Career Pathways for Public Service Initiative. The new program will prepare students for public service and a career in local or state government.
“It was great to award $6.5 million to create civics academies through three of our nation-leading state colleges,” DeSantis said. “This first-of-its-kind program will teach our future leaders foundational American values as they prepare for careers in public service.”
The program will become available for Florida’s public school students beginning in ninth grade, where the students will learn “about the importance of public trust, government efficiency, and the values of our state and nation.”
Three Florida institutions received the dollars, including Polk State College, Broward College, and Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ).
The curriculum at the academies will be developed in connection with the Lou Frey Institute, which said it was excited to be a part of the expanded civics initiative.
“The Career Pathways for Public Service Initiative aligns with the Lou Frey Institute’s development of a civic assessment currently being administered by institutions across Florida,” Lou Frey Institute Director Stephen Masyada said. “We are excited to expand that work by creating a secondary civic curriculum and accompanied teacher training which will ensure students graduate high school with the knowledge and skills to succeed in both the public sector and in advanced public service career preparation. The value of lifelong civic learning, connecting civic education and engagement to professional development and careers, is critical for advancing civil society.”
Civics education has been a priority for the DeSantis administration. Earlier this month, DeSantis touted the state’s increased civics scores among Florida’s seventh graders.
“While the Biden administration is seeking to award grants to indoctrinate students with ideologies like Critical Race Theory, in Florida we have focused on Civics Excellence, teaching accurate American History without an ideological agenda,” DeSantis said. “Our students and teachers have worked hard to elevate their Civics Excellence and are proving to the nation that Florida is the national model for cultivating great citizens.”
This follows the civics advocacy Florida Republicans have backed dating back to as recently as last year, when DeSantis signed multiple bills enhancing civics education.
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Grant Holcomb is a reporter at The Florida Capital Star and The Star News Network. Follow Grant on Twitter and direct message tips.
Photo “Governor DeSantis Awarded $6.5 Million to Create Civics Academies. Through Three State Colleges and School Districts, Students Can Prepare for a Career in Public Service Starting in Ninth Grade.” by Governor Ron DeSantis.
