The Florida Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has now reportedly criticized the University of West Florida (UWF) for its use of $800,000 in federal funding from the National Science Foundation.
The funding is part of a grant titled “Educating Science and Mathematics Majors to Teach with Social Justice Models in High-Needs Schools,” which aims to train math and science teachers to promote social justice and cultural responsiveness in their classrooms.
Governor Ron DeSantis responded to the situation, asserting that the funds should be refunded. He stated, “No Florida college or university should be focused on social justice or woke ideology over classical education.”
Attorney General James Uthmeier also weighed in, emphasizing that allowing the grant to continue could result in nearly $1.5 million in taxpayer funds being allocated to this initiative, which he argues detracts from essential educational focus.
In a statement, UWF clarified that while the grant references social justice in its title, the actual implementation of the program does not focus on this theme.
The Noyce program, which provides scholarships to students in a UWF teaching program, aims to increase the number of qualified math and science teachers in local school districts. UWF stated that scholarship recipients complete citizen science projects, which are later turned into lesson plans for grades 6–12.
As of May 4, 2025, UWF has utilized about 25% of the grant total, which stands at $871,573.
In response to the controversy, Representative Alex Andrade criticized the DeSantis administration’s handling of the issue, suggesting they are more concerned with buzzwords than substantive educational reform.
This story is still developing, and updates will follow as more information becomes available.
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