Gov. DeSantis to award $3,000 bonuses to teachers for civics education training

ORLANDO, Fla. - Governor Ron DeSantis said the state will be investing $106 million dollars to create a new civics education initiative.

He made the announcement at a charter school in Orlando Tuesday.

"I think 100 percent of the time the results come back and they’re pretty doggone dismal," DeSantis said. "You’ll have huge percentages of the population that will not be able to identify the number of branches for the government, for the federal government."

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$65 million of that money will go to the creation of the "Florida Civics Seal of Excellence." Teachers who go through training to get that seal will receive $3,000 bonuses.

"We’ve got to do better as a society, but, certainly in Florida, we’ve got to do better," DeSantis said.

The governor also discussed how the state will also be creating more speech and debate programs for students across the state to encourage interest in civics.

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If you give teachers resources and you give students resources, they’re going to thrive," FL Department of Education Senior Chancellor Eric Hall said. "They’re going to grow. And, the eyes of the nation, again, are looking on Florida."

Governor DeSantis hopes the state will start awarding these bonuses for the civics training during this upcoming school year.