By: Xavier Garay

As Florida students are returning to school for the 2026-2027 school year, many will find a new course that doesn’t fall under the AP, honors, or standard label, but a course that was created by the Florida Department of Education. FACT, short for Florida Advanced Courses and Tests, is a new school course only available to students in Florida that reflects not only an academic shift, but a political one.

The introduction of FACT is more than a curriculum update; it’s a change for Florida’s education. For many years, Florida has been trying to assert more control over what is taught in its classrooms, and FACT represents its latest efforts. As the Florida Department of Education’s website states, “These courses are designed to provide alternatives to existing options like Advanced Placement that consistently embed Critical Race Theory and DEI into materials.” The FACT program was created under House Bill 1537, passed in 2023. The bill emerged from a broader political movement to increase the state’s control over school’s curriculum and ensure that advanced coursework aligned with what lawmakers described as “Florida’s standards, not someone else’s.”

The first FACT course, college algebra, debuted in the 2025-2026 school year to 32 traditional charter schools in Florida, expanding to statewide availability for the 2026-2027 school year. Although not currently available at Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS), the new FACT algebra course might be available for the 2027-2028 school year. As Dr. Oberkehr, the principle at PVHS, said, “We were going to offer it this year, but didn’t have too much knowledge about it. We might be offering it next year.” While the state made FACT College Algebra fully available to the schools of Florida, the state launched a limited pilot program for its second course, FACT U.S History. While not yet fully available, FACT U.S History is scheduled for a full statewide release for the 2027-2028 school year.

Unlike any AP, IB, or dual enrollment courses, FACT credit will only be recognized by Florida public colleges and universities. While taking an AP course, students have to take and pass the AP exam to earn college credit. Each exam is written by committees of college and university professors under the direction of the college board. However, FACT exams are written by Florida educators and scored by Florida institutions. Meaning, colleges and universities outside of Florida won’t recognize the classes for college credit. Due to FACT classes being relatively new and specifically designed for the state of Florida, as of right now, FACT classes won’t be offered in other states anytime soon.

What’s clear is that FACT is more than a curriculum change; it’s a political statement. As Steven Walker, a reporter for the Orlando Sentinel newspaper, states, “But several critics said the framework outlined a poor-quality class, with a history professor at Princeton University calling it a “Florida Man Version of AP” on social media.” Historians argue that FACT history is delivering a distorted version of national history, while organizations like the American Historical Association (AHA) are saying that the FACT framework pushes a certain conservative agenda and minimizes the lines between slavery and other labor. As David Beasley, a The Center Square contributor, states, “Abandoning critical race theory and diversity, equity and inclusion in course materials.” FACT classes, specifically FACT history, are excluding frameworks that analyze systemic racism or emphasize diversity, equity, and inclusion. This reflects Florida’s growing emphasis on state-designed academic pathways. Whether FACT becomes a staple in Florida’s education system or simply another option for students to take account for, is dependent on how students, teachers, and colleges respond in years to come.