California's kids can't read.
New York spent $268 billion on schools and still can't graduate nine out of ten students.
Florida just crossed a threshold no state has crossed before – and the people who said it was impossible have gone very quiet.
The Number That Changes the Argument Forever
For the first time in Florida history, more than 60% of students are performing at or above grade level in both math and English Language Arts.
Stop there for a second.
Every teachers union in America spent four years telling parents that Florida's approach – ditching year-end standardized tests, replacing them with continuous progress monitoring – would hurt kids.
They were wrong.
One hundred and fifty thousand additional students are now meeting grade-level expectations in reading compared to four years ago.
Math proficiency climbed nine percentage points since 2023 alone.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2070577775157916125?s=20
The state's graduation rate hit 92.2% – the highest in Florida history, up from 56% back in 2005.
And this wasn't just the easy-to-help kids.
Hispanic students gained four percentage points in testing scores.
English language learners saw the largest graduation gains of any subgroup – up 5.6 points in a single year and 13.3 points since 2021.
African American graduation rates climbed 3.9 points over last year.
Economically disadvantaged students improved by 3.3 points.
That's the story Democrats claim they own.
Florida is delivering it.
What Happened When DeSantis Ignored the Unions
Four years ago, DeSantis scrapped year-end standardized testing and replaced it with three progress checkpoints throughout the school year – so teachers can intervene before students fall behind, not after.
Every education bureaucrat in America said it couldn't work, and every teachers union in the country said it would fail.
"I think this innovation was the right way to go," DeSantis said Friday at Lakeland High School. "It's less about a high-stakes 'have you crammed enough to do the test?' And more about an accurate assessment of how these students are progressing throughout the school year."
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2070556284391391562?s=20
Seventy-six percent of Florida students now score at or above grade level in civics – up six points from last year.
U.S. History proficiency hit 73%.
Science proficiency reached 60% for fifth graders, with 74% demonstrating biology proficiency.
Polk County School Board Member Kate Wallace noted that local adjustments have completely eliminated F-graded schools in the district over five years – and they're now closing in on eliminating D-graded schools entirely.
Cutting Spending While Every Other State Raises It
He's cutting spending.
DeSantis said the budget he signs next week will mark the fourth consecutive year of reduced state spending.
New York's budget this year: $268 billion.
Florida's budget: $117 billion.
Florida has more than half as many people as New York.
Florida is paying for all of this while paying down 51% of its total state debt since DeSantis took office – giving the state the lowest per capita debt in the country.
Since 2019, DeSantis has delivered nearly $9.7 billion in tax relief for Florida families and businesses.
https://twitter.com/GovRonDeSantis/status/2070512464912073079?s=20
The Rainy Day Fund has tripled, now sitting at its constitutional maximum of $5 billion.
"How many other states are actually reducing spending and doing it in a four-year period, in the face, mind you, of persistent inflation?" DeSantis asked Friday.
The answer is zero.
Gavin Newsom is borrowing his way through California.
Kathy Hochul just signed a budget that still can't get nine out of ten New York kids across the graduation line.
Both of them will give speeches this fall about how much they care about children.
Florida just showed what caring about children actually looks like – and the unions who fought it tooth and nail don't have a single thing left to say.
Sources:
- Florida Department of Education, "Florida Sets Highest Graduation Rate in State's History at 92.2%," fldoe.org, January 13, 2026.
- Executive Office of the Governor, "Governor Ron DeSantis Announces the Floridians First 2026-2027 Budget," flgov.com, December 10, 2025.
- Executive Office of the Governor, "Governor Ron DeSantis Signs Florida Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget," flgov.com, 2025.
- Fox 13 Tampa Bay, "Florida school testing: DeSantis announces majority of students hit grade level benchmarks," fox13news.com, June 26, 2026.
- Executive Office of the Governor, "Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Florida Ranks #1 for Higher Education for 10th Consecutive Year," flgov.com, 2025.
