In this episode of Swimming Upstream, host and Strategos Partner Tom Luna sits down with former Florida Education Commissioner and current University of West Florida Interim President Manny Diaz Jr. to discuss the state's bold strides in education reform. Recorded at the ExcelinEd conference in Oklahoma City, this conversation highlights Florida’s leadership in school choice, civics education, early literacy, and teacher recruitment.Commissioner Diaz shares how Florida has expanded school choice options, with over 500,000 students now benefiting from education savings accounts, charter schools, private school scholarships, and hybrid learning models. He explains how Florida’s innovative "a la carte" approach allows families to tailor education to their children’s unique needs, driving a national movement toward greater parental choice.The discussion also delves into Florida’s comprehensive civics education initiatives, including the Civic Seal of Excellence program and debate championships aimed at preparing students to be informed citizens. Commissioner Diaz emphasizes the importance of early literacy, citing Florida’s investments in progress monitoring and curriculum reforms to ensure students are reading at grade level by third grade.Addressing the teacher shortage, Diaz outlines Florida’s alternative certification pathways, teacher apprenticeship programs, and professional development investments, all designed to elevate and retain educators. He also highlights Florida’s new transparency initiatives, ensuring parents and taxpayers have full access to classroom materials.Key Moments03:35 Homeschooling Challenges and Solutions07:49 DeSantis Boosts Civics Education Initiatives11:45 Early Learning Investment Focus13:55 Florida's Strategy for Teacher Shortage18:04 Classroom Transparency and Curriculum Shift21:21 Tallahassee's Origin as Florida's Capital23:20 Disappointment Over Florida's Capitol BuildingConnect with Manny Diaz Jr.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/manny-diaz-jr-47463b55/Website: https://www.flbog.edu/

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