DeSantis Signs Florida Law Mandating Communism Education

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1264 into law on Wednesday, establishing a mandate for Florida schools to incorporate the history of communism into their curricula starting as early as elementary grades.

Supporters of President Donald Trump protest against Cuba's government in Miami, Florida, on Feb. 28, 2026. (Marco Bello/Reuters)

SB 1264 expands ideological history requirements in Florida classrooms

The new legislation requires the Florida Department of Education to develop "age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate" standards for teaching the history of communism. According to details of the bill, the instruction will begin in the 2026-2027 school year and will cover the history of the movement in the United States as well as its global implementation.

The mandate specifically emphasizes the "increasingly authoritarian" nature of communist regimes and aims to provide students with a historical framework of the ideology's practical application. This move builds upon previous Florida laws that established "Victims of Communism Day" in schools, shifting the state from elective commemorative activities to a required instructional component.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis delivers his State of the State address during the first day of the legislative session at the Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee on Jan. 13, 2026. (Matias J. Ocner/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service)

Strategic focus on the Cuban regime and Latin American impacts

DeSantis signed the bill at the Brigade 2506 Museum and Library in Hialeah Gardens, a site dedicated to the veterans of the Bay of Pigs invasion. The choice of venue underscores the legislative focus on the Cuban government, which the Governor described as a dictatorship that should be "put out to pasture."

The law specifically mentions the history of communism in Latin America and the Caribbean. For Florida’s significant exile communities, this inclusion is an operational shift in how the state documents the regional history that led to various waves of immigration to South Florida. The Governor’s rhetoric during the signing linked the educational mandate to current geopolitical tensions, framing the classroom instruction as a tool for "telling the truth" about the failures of the Cuban revolutionary model.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis praised the Justice Department for dismissing a complaint tied to the Hope Florida scandal, calling the investigation a politically motivated "witch hunt" and asserting the initiative’s actions were legal and appropriate. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Implementation remains subject to Department of Education standards

While the bill mandates the subject matter, the specific pedagogical implementation remains unconfirmed. The Florida Department of Education is tasked with preparing the curriculum, which must address the "dangers" of communism and its conflict with the founding principles of the United States.

Critics and educational observers have noted that the effectiveness and neutrality of the curriculum will depend on the specific historical documents and sources selected by state officials. Beyond the classroom, SB 1264 also authorizes the creation of a "Institute for Freedom in the Americas" at Miami Dade College, intended to promote the ideals of free markets and democracy, further institutionalizing the state's anti-communist policy framework.