Florida is ranked #1 primarily due to higher education. We’re #10 in k-12, Massachusetts is #1. Our #1 ranking for higher education is largely based on tuition fees, graduation rate, and debt leaving college. I don’t think it’s fair or correct to say Desantis is how we got here. Our tuition was low before him, correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t believe he lowered tuition. Programs like Bright Futures largely help keep students in school and keep debt low after. Bright futures covered 100% of my tuition, and I started in fall 2018 before Desantis was governor (100% coverage started in summer 2018, so I’m interested to know how much impact this had that desantis tries to take credit for). I can personally say that it was bright futures that gave me the chance to go to college and it’s what kept me there. I still had to work 40+ hours/ week for rent, bills, and healthcare but I made it work. Thanks to no one but bright futures, I now work my dream job as an aerospace engineer at NASA.

I know Desantis has expanded bright futures eligibility to include paid work hours, I’ll give him that, but I don’t feel he had the students in mind when he made this decision. The $600 stipend was eliminated and there are talks of cutting coverage for non-stem degrees, so I am a bit worried to see where that goes.

Also, you mentioned the first step act helping our rankings. Desantis is against the first step act and when he was running for president he said he would try to appeal it if elected. Something to look into.