Governor Ron DeSantis has announced legal action against textbook publishers McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning, accusing them of overcharging Florida school districts for instructional materials. The lawsuit, filed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, alleges that these companies violated state law and deprived schools of resources.
“Florida continues to lead in education because we stand up for schools, students, and taxpayers,” Governor DeSantis said. “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, the two publishers failed to honor written agreements requiring them to reduce prices in Florida when they lower prices elsewhere in the United States. The Attorney General’s office identified at least 5,900 instances of overcharges. One cited example involved Osceola County School District being overcharged by more than $279,000. Another case saw a textbook sold at a discount to Miami-Dade County Public Schools but offered at higher prices in nine other districts, resulting in aggregate overcharges exceeding $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 aims through this lawsuit to ensure fair pricing for textbooks, recover millions of dollars for schools and taxpayers, and implement stronger protections for students.
Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas commented on broader efforts to improve educational content: “Florida districts, teachers and students deserve better than textbooks filled with ideological content sold at inflated costs. 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.”
Florida recently invested $3 million in developing a new English Language Arts curriculum aligned with state standards and designed to avoid ideological bias.
