NewsWUSF (NPR Tampa Bay)August 20, 2026Hillsborough County
Florida Department of Education requests changes to science textbooks to reduce climate change content
Photo: WUSF (NPR Tampa Bay)
Florida education officials directed textbook publishers to remove or soften references to climate change and human-caused environmental impacts in materials for the 2024 school year. These edits, which were not required by state science standards, include removing specific statistics on climate-related deaths and altering terminology regarding fossil fuel pollution.
Read the full story at WUSF (NPR Tampa Bay)Why It Matters
The changes directly impact the information available to Florida's 3 million public school students regarding climate science, potentially altering their understanding of environmental issues.
Key Facts
- Florida education officials requested publishers to remove or weaken climate change content in textbooks during the summer of 2024.
- A McGraw Hill textbook removed a statistic stating climate change kills 150,000 people annually.
- The term 'climate change' was replaced with 'changes in the environment' in some materials.
- Cengage removed the word 'polluting' when referring to coal-burning power plants.
- Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation in May 2024 removing references to climate change from state statutes.
- Florida is currently updating its science standards for the first time since 2008.
- Textbook authors report that demands for citations were uniquely applied to climate change chapters, not other biological topics.
- The Florida Department of Education states its review process is guided by state law and academic standards.
Who's Mentioned
PersonRon DeSantis“Governor of Florida who signed legislation removing climate change references fr”OrganizationSavvas Learning Company“Publisher of the Florida Miller & Levine Experience Biology textbook.”OrganizationMcGraw Hill“Textbook publisher that edited its Marine Science book for Florida.”OrganizationCengage“Textbook publisher that removed references to coal power plant pollution.”OrganizationFlorida Department of Education“State agency responsible for reviewing and approving instructional materials.”PersonKen Miller“Professor emeritus of biology at Brown University and textbook author.”PersonMichael Huber“Author of McGraw Hill’s Marine Science textbook.”PersonGlenn Branch“Deputy director of the National Center for Science Education.”