History of Communism in Florida Schools: New Standards From 2026

Instruction on the history of communism will become a mandatory part of the curriculum in Florida schools starting in the 2026/27 academic year. The State Board of Education approved the new educational standards on November 13, 2025. The requirements cover public school students from 6th to 12th grade. The state’s Department of Education is integrating these topics into existing history and social studies courses.

Students will examine the history of communist movements in the United States, political revolutions, and the economic consequences of centralized planning. The program requires a detailed review of political repression, censorship, restrictions on free speech, and state violence. Learners will also compare totalitarian regimes with the principles of democracy and individual freedom.

High school students will receive an in-depth program covering the origins of socialist thought and the impact of the French Revolution. Schools will examine the Great Leap Forward in China, the structure of the Soviet system, the activities of state security agencies, and the Cuban Revolution. The authors of the standards devoted special attention to the political history of Venezuela under Hugo Chavez and Nicolas Maduro.

State authorities are not introducing a separate subject, but rather distributing the new standards across existing subjects. Lawmakers passed Senate Bill 1264, which establishes these requirements, back in 2024. Florida also continues to annually observe Victims of Communism Day on November 7, during which high school students complete a mandatory 45-minute thematic module.