Florida sues textbook publishers over alleged overcharges to schools

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — Governor Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday that Florida has filed a lawsuit against two major textbook publishers, accusing them of systematically overcharging school districts and depriving classrooms of valuable resources.

At the governor’s direction, Attorney General James Uthmeier filed suit against McGraw Hill and Savvas Learning, alleging the companies violated state law by failing to honor agreements to reduce textbook prices in Florida when lower prices were offered elsewhere in the country.

“Florida continues to lead in education because we stand up for schools, students, and taxpayers,” DeSantis said in a statement. “Textbook publishers that exploit Florida school districts must be held accountable, and I commend Attorney General Uthmeier for bringing this action.”

WATCH: Florida sues textbook publishers over alleged overcharges to schools

According to the complaint, there have been at least 5,900 instances of overcharges across the state. One cited example included more than $279,000 in extra costs billed to Osceola County Schools. Another involved a textbook sold at a discount to Miami-Dade but charged at higher prices in nine other districts, amounting to over $250,000 in inflated costs.

“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,” Uthmeier said. “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.”

State officials said the lawsuit aims to guarantee fair pricing, return millions of dollars to schools and taxpayers, and strengthen protections for students. Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas added that the move underscores Florida’s broader effort to develop a state-created English language arts curriculum.

“Florida districts, teachers, and students deserve better than textbooks filled with ideological content sold at inflated costs,” Kamoutsas said. “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.”

Both companies denied wrongdoing.

Savvas Learning Company said it has always complied with state laws governing textbook procurement and disputed the allegations. “We never charged Florida school districts more than the state contract price,” the company said in a statement, adding it would not comment further but would “defend our company vigorously.”

McGraw Hill offered a similar response, rejecting the state’s claims. “We believe the AG’s claims lack factual and legal merit on multiple grounds,” said Tyler Reed, Senior Director of Communications for McGraw Hill. “We plan to defend our position vigorously.”

The lawsuit marks the latest in a series of education-related actions from DeSantis’ administration, which has clashed with publishers in the past over both costs and content.