Commissioner Diaz ‘incredibly proud’ of top education rank: ‘Testament to the work that’s being done’

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. said he is “incredibly proud” of multiple recent reports ranking Florida #1 in education.

U.S. News & World Report announced for a second year in a row, Florida has been ranked #1 in the nation for education. The rankings are based on a combination of “strong performances in higher education and K-12 metrics.”

In an interview with Florida’s Voice, Diaz said the news is “a testament to the work that’s being done here in Florida, the leadership of Governor DeSantis, and our partners over at the State University System.”

Additionally, Florida ranked #1 in the Parent Power Index by the Center for Education Reform. The assessment focuses on alternative pathways and educational choices including school choice programs, charter schools, and innovation. 

Diaz also expressed pride in the work of teachers, education personnel, professors, college presidents, university presidents, and others who contribute to Florida’s education system.

“Just incredible work, and we’re very proud of it,” Diaz said.

Diaz attributed part of the success to DeSantis’ leadership over the years.

“I think you’ve seen with the leadership of Governor DeSantis – is that we have focused on the core of education, not indoctrination, not all this other nonsense and noise – but getting our students focused on reading, mathematics, civics, keeping our college and university tuition low, making sure that our universities, as well, are focused in on the core mission of education,” Diaz explained.

Diaz said having the strong support of the governor “makes all of our jobs easier and allow us to push forward as a state both the legislative leaders and agency heads.”

Since taking office, Gov. Ron DeSantis has been a huge supporter of parental rights in education, teacher’s rights, school choice, removing CRT, DEI, and gender teachings from schools, strengthening workforce education, and many other initiatives to bolster education.

Before his appointment as commissioner, Diaz, previously served in the Florida House and Senate. He notably championed legislation to ban schools from teaching that anyone is “inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.” 

Diaz called the Parent Power Index results a “powerful rating – because of the fact that you have parent rights, and you have school choice and transparency.”

“We have transparency in the state, we continue to pass policies that continue to give parent rights, transparency, so that our parents know what’s going on in our schools and they can make decisions on on the programming as well – that’s going on in our schools. It’s just incredible,” Diaz said.

“Again, this is a product of us focusing in on our mission, not allowing indoctrination or other nonsense into our schools and really going forward and pushing for excellence and having those opportunities here,” Diaz said.

In April, Diaz announced Florida plans to fight the U.S. Department of Education’s new Title IX rules.

The letter noted the U.S. Department of Education released rulemaking changes to the regulations implementing Title IX on April 19. Florida and several other states filed a lawsuit challenging the overhaul.

The rule “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance.”

Diaz told Florida’s Voice the move is “absurd.”

“Title IX was a monumental piece of legislation passed by a duly elected Congress, and signed by the president of the United States in 1972 to protect women and to protect girls, and what you’ve seen here is their attempt to use the rule making process by unelected bureaucrats to try to change a law that was passed by Congress,” Diaz said.

“On top of that, in the state of Florida, we have very clear laws that have been passed by duly elected legislatures and signed by this governor, that protect those girls and women and do those same things, whether it be the locker room bathrooms, privacy situation, whether it be sports and scholarship opportunities, whether it be college, university dormitories, I mean, these things are protected,” Diaz explained.

Diaz noted many other states have launched litigation to “stop this” and they believe the move is “unconstitutional.”

The lawsuit includes Florida, Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, along with the Independent Women’s Law Center, the Independent Women’s Network, Parents Defending Education and Speech First Inc.

“We believe it also violates the Administrative Procedures Act, and also violates duly passed laws in the state of Florida, and I’m sure other states,” Diaz said.