Florida no longer uses Common Core standards. Governor Ron DeSantis ordered their removal in 2019, and on February 12, 2020, the state replaced them with the Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking, known as the B.E.S.T. Standards. Every traditional public school and public charter school in Florida now teaches to B.E.S.T., and students are measured against it through a three-times-a-year assessment system called F.A.S.T.
When Florida Dropped Common Core
Florida had adopted the Common Core State Standards in 2014 under the name “Florida Standards.” On January 31, 2019, Governor DeSantis signed Executive Order 19-32, directing the Commissioner of Education to “eliminate Common Core” and recommend a full replacement by January 2020. The order called for a return to foundational reading, writing, and arithmetic, plus stronger civics instruction so graduates understood the U.S. Constitution and the responsibilities of citizenship.1State of Florida Office of the Governor. Executive Order Number 19-32
The Florida Department of Education then assembled groups of Florida teachers to draft new standards from scratch. The resulting B.E.S.T. Standards were adopted on February 12, 2020, and were the first state standards in the country to weave civic literacy into every grade level.2Executive Office of the Governor. Governor Ron DeSantis Announces Florida’s New B.E.S.T. K-12 Standards
What B.E.S.T. Changed in Classrooms
B.E.S.T. is organized by grade level and course, with specific clarifications attached to each benchmark. Compared to the Common Core-based standards it replaced, the emphasis shifted toward mastering foundational skills before layering on complexity.
In English Language Arts, that means heavier phonics instruction in early grades and a reading program built around what the official standards document calls “knowledge-rich curricula” organized around “great works of literature, history, and the arts.”3Florida Department of Education. ELA B.E.S.T. Standards Florida also became the first state to include a Kâ12 Civic Literacy Reading List as part of its ELA standards, with dedicated funding for schools to buy the listed books.4Florida Department of Education. High Quality Curriculum for Reading and Civics
In mathematics, B.E.S.T. prioritizes computational fluency so students can perform basic arithmetic accurately before moving into abstract concepts. The framework includes a dedicated financial literacy strand, and the high school course “Math for Data and Financial Literacy” gives students practical money skills before graduation.5Florida Department of Education. B.E.S.T Mathematics Resources
How Students Are Tested Now
Progress under B.E.S.T. is measured through the Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (F.A.S.T.), a screening and progress monitoring system required by section 1008.25 of the Florida Statutes. F.A.S.T. fully replaced the old Florida Standards Assessment starting in the 2022â2023 school year.6Florida Department of Education. 2025-26 FAST 3-10 Fact Sheet
Instead of one end-of-year test, students sit for three progress monitoring checks:
- PM1 at the beginning of the year sets a baseline score.
- PM2 in the middle of the year measures growth against that baseline.
- PM3 at the end of the year is the summative assessment. PM3 scores drive student promotion decisions and school accountability grades.
The three-checkpoint design gives teachers real-time data to catch struggling students early rather than at the end of the year.6Florida Department of Education. 2025-26 FAST 3-10 Fact Sheet
Third-Grade Reading and Retention
B.E.S.T. and F.A.S.T. have their highest-stakes effect in third grade. Under Florida law, a third grader must score at Level 2 or higher on the statewide ELA assessment to be promoted to fourth grade. A student who falls short must be retained, and the law explicitly prohibits promoting students based solely on age.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 1008.25 – Public School Student Progression
There are narrow good-cause exemptions. They cover English learners with less than two years of ESOL instruction, certain students with disabilities, students who pass a state-approved alternative reading assessment, students who demonstrate Level 2 performance through a portfolio, and students who were already retained once and have received two or more years of intensive reading intervention. A student cannot be retained in third grade more than once. Children promoted through an exemption still receive intensive reading support in fourth grade.7Florida Senate. Florida Code 1008.25 – Public School Student Progression
Which Schools Have to Follow B.E.S.T.
All traditional public schools and public charter schools in Florida must teach to the B.E.S.T. Standards and give the F.A.S.T. assessments. Charter schools operate under the same accountability rules as district schools.
Private schools are not covered. The Florida Department of Education has no jurisdiction over private schools, and state law avoids regulating, approving, or accrediting them. Private school owners are responsible for their own curriculum, teacher qualifications, assessments, and promotion requirements.8Florida Department of Education. General Requirements A private school can voluntarily align with B.E.S.T., but nothing in Florida law requires it.
Home education programs also operate independently. Homeschooled students must be evaluated annually, either through a portfolio review by a certified teacher or a standardized test, but the family chooses the curriculum. The evaluation confirms adequate progress; it does not require the student to follow B.E.S.T.