JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New teachers, new schedules, new curriculum.
As students get back in the classroom, they may find some of the learning materials have changed.
After more than a decade, Common Core has officially been phased out.
Districts across the state have spent years getting ready for the transition, hoping the new standards will be even better for families.
"He was ready to come back to school," said Jacksonville mom Kathy Williams, while waiting in the carline at Ribault High.
Williams' son set off for his last first day as a a senior at Ribault High.
Which means Common Core took effect when he was in kindergarten. His entire education was defined by that curriculum.
"It was like, 'Ok, I've never seen it like this before, but we'll figure it out,'" said Williams.
Just in time for his senior year, Williams son will have to get used to BEST, or Benchmarks for Excellent Student Thinking.
The Florida legislature decided to make the switch in 2020, taking two years to phase out Common Core for good.
The Florida Department of Education reports the new math standards will focus more on the answer than the method, allowing more problem solving creativity, while eliminating the "crazy math" parents may have found challenging to help with at home.
One of the biggest changes coming is that Florida public schools will no longer have one, massive end of year standardized test.
For years, that was the FCAT, recently, it's been Florida Statewide Assessment.
"He'd get kind of nervous at times, wondering how he was going to do," said Tyrone Townsend, while waiting to pick up his god son. "I'd have to tell him, 'be yourself, don't worry too much about it. If you know you need to pass, you're going to pass it."
Now, it'll be FAST - Florida's Assessment of Student Thinking.
There will be three benchmarks throughout the year to check on student progress.
"It makes it easier for kids now-a-days," said Townsend. "They can relax and not stress on it too much."
Williams is relieved her son is old enough now that she won't have to stress as much about helping with his homework under the new curriculum.
But, she has a message for all the parents just embarking on the journey.
"Be patient, very patient," said Williams. "There's a lot to learn. It's a lot different than when we went to school years ago."
Duval County Public Schools Superintendent Diana Greene addressed the new curriculum during a news conference about the first day of school.
"I expect that we're going to have a great school year," said Greene. "We have a lot of new initiatives in progress, such as new curriculum for BEST standards for ELA and mathematics."
Many districts made the switch to the new English standards last year, but the new math standards just took effect for this brand new school year.