TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis has put a big bullseye on school boards in 2023.
Not only is he pushing a new stable of candidates for the upcoming election cycle, but he's also eyeing major changes to the rules. However, DeSantis will need public backing to make some of it happen.
Changes to school boards were one of the governor's initial priorities of the year.
In January, along with his education reform package, he announced plans to shorten board member term limits from 12 to eight years and do away with nonpartisan races.
"You have like counties, you know, in like Southwest Florida — voted for me by like 40 points," DeSantis said. "Yet, they're electing people to school boards who are like totally the opposite philosophy."
Enter Rep. Spencer Roach, R-North Fort Myers, and Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill. The two Republicans are tapped to carry versions of the bills this year.
Ingoglia is working on term limits and throwing in county commissioners. They, too, would be locked out of office after eight years.
"We want to force communities to create the next generation of leaders," the senator said. "I think term limits are good. Everyone calls for it for Congress. We have them in the state. Why shouldn't we have them back at home?"
Roach is taking on the loftier goal of ending nonpartisan races starting in 2026. A change, he said, that seeks transparency, not Republican benefit.
"I think the goal should be for us to provide as much information as possible to any voter about candidates they may or may not be voting for, so the voters can make that decision," Roach said. "Why should the law allow people to hide their political party affiliations?"
While term limits could become law with a stroke of the governor's pen, getting his sign-off on partisan races would only put the issue on the next ballot. Support from at least 60% of voters is then needed to make the change official.
Many Democrats are already saying "no" to the policies, criticizing Republicans for bringing politics to the classroom.
"It has nothing to do with students," Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, said. "It all has to do with an agenda."
House Minority Leader Rep. Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa, went further. She said the GOP was losing touch with the most critical aspect of education — educating.
"We just need to keep our eye on the ball — which is focusing on providing quality education to our school students," Driskell said. "That doesn't require partisan elections. ... It's taking Florida in a more partisan direction. Hopefully, the public will stand up."
With a GOP supermajority in both chambers and blessings from the governor, it seems likely the bills will continue to advance when the gavel drops next Tuesday.