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TALLAHASSEE, Fla., November 13, 2025 — The Florida State Board of Education has officially approved a new set of History of Communism standards that will be implemented statewide beginning in the 2026 to 2027 school year. State officials say the new curriculum marks a major expansion of existing social studies requirements and is designed to give students a deeper understanding of how communist governments have operated around the world.
The standards were created by Florida educators and state content experts. According to the Department of Education, the curriculum will focus heavily on the documented human rights abuses committed under communist regimes, including suppression of freedoms, state-sanctioned violence, economic failures, forced migration, and widespread suffering.
Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas said the new lessons reflect the growing need for students to understand the realities of authoritarian systems. He stated that communist ideologies have resurged globally, and that it is important for students to learn the catastrophic consequences that followed in countries ruled under communist regimes. Kamoutsas said the standards will help students develop a greater appreciation for the liberties that define the United States.
State Board of Education Member Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie also supported the adoption, saying the curriculum will provide students with an honest examination of how communist governments abused authority and caused generational harm. Christie said the goal is to ensure that the next generation becomes better informed and more prepared to safeguard constitutional freedoms.
Governor Ron DeSantis praised the board’s decision and linked the new curriculum to previous legislation requiring instruction on the victims of communism. In 2022, the governor signed a law that established Victims of Communism Day and required schools to provide at least 45 minutes of instruction on the subject. That law included topics such as political persecution, starvation, suppression of religion, forced labor, and the experiences of refugees fleeing communist countries.
In 2024, DeSantis signed another measure expanding those requirements to include a more comprehensive exploration of the global history of communism. The governor said the new statewide standards ensure students will learn what he described as the brutal truth of Marxism and Leninism and the impact communist governments have had on populations around the world.
Kamoutsas echoed that message on social media, stating he was proud of the work behind the new standards and what they represent for the future of Florida education.
The new curriculum will be phased into classrooms over the next two years, with full statewide implementation beginning in the 2026 to 2027 school year.
