Governor Ron DeSantis has announced legal action against textbook publishers McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning, alleging that the companies overcharged Florida school districts for instructional materials. The lawsuit, filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, claims that these publishers violated state law by failing to reduce prices in Florida when offering discounts elsewhere in the United States.
“Florida continues to lead in education because we stand up for schools, students, and taxpayers,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “Textbook publishers that exploit Florida school districts must be held accountable, and I commend Attorney General Uthmeier for bringing this action.”
According to the complaint, there have been at least 5,900 instances where the publishers allegedly overcharged school districts. In one case, Osceola County School District was reportedly overcharged by more than $279,000. Another cited example involved a textbook sold at a discount to Miami-Dade County Public Schools but at higher prices in nine other districts, resulting in an aggregate overcharge of more than $250,000.
“Our lawsuit exposes a textbook case of corporate greed—companies charging Florida schools more than law allows, pocketing the difference, and sticking taxpayers with the bill,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “Florida will not be a playground for deceitful profiteers who think they can cheat our students and teachers. We will make sure they pay back every dime and face the full consequences under the law.”
The state’s legal action aims to ensure fair pricing on textbooks and recover funds for both schools and taxpayers. It also seeks to strengthen protections for students across Florida.
“Florida districts, teachers and students deserve better than textbooks filled with ideological content sold at inflated costs,” said Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas. “That’s why we’re building an English language arts curriculum developed in Florida, for Florida’s students with a focus on lower costs, foundational learning, academic integrity, and factual content.”
The state recently invested $3 million to develop a new English Language Arts curriculum for elementary schools. This initiative is intended to align classroom materials with Florida’s State Academic Standards while avoiding ideological bias.
