Around the state: Students are being rewarded for volunteer service in Polk, student loan uncertainty looms and a superintendent is retiring in St. Johns. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
In the Legislature: Leadership is coming together for the Florida Legislature’s upcoming session. Committee’s start meeting in December. Tampa Bay Times.
Polk: Since 1976, the Silver Garland program has rewarded students for their volunteer service to the Polk County community. Applications are being taken until Dec. 1. “For many students, this may be their first true interview,” said Mark Jackson, director of Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing. “By treating the interview like a professional job interview, we aim to hone their interview and interpersonal skills. Plus, it’s a thrill for the interviewers to experience just how special Polk County students are.” Lakeland Ledger.
St. Johns: The school superintendent in this county recently announced he plans to retire in June. Tom Forson has had a 40-year career with the St. Johns School District that ranged from teacher to coach. “I’m proud that I served as superintendent through the pandemic. Our performance stayed high between 2020 and 2022 even though it was challenging for students, families and employees to work through a hybrid learning process,” he said. The Florida Times-Union.
Book removals: During the 2023-24 school year, Florida schools removed nearly twice as many books than the year before after challenges from parents and members of the community. Schools removed 732 titles during the 2023-24 school year on top of 386 removed the year before. Twenty-three districts contributed to the list. Creative Loafing. CBS News. Tallahassee Democrat. WPBF.
Teen pleads: A California teen pleaded guilty in a Florida federal court to making threats of violence against schools. The Associated Press. CNN.
Next administration: Elon Musk’s new role as chief architect of President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to remake the federal government may have big implications for school usage of technology and what STEM programs may look like. Education Week.
Food removal: Consumer Reports said it “applauds” Kraft Heinz for removing Lunchables from the National School Lunch Program and is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to adopt stricter standards for school lunches. “Lunchables and other lunch kits with concerning levels of sodium and harmful chemicals have no place on the school lunch menu,” said Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports. ABC Action News.
Colleges and universities: Over $1 million in grants from the Florida Department of Education will place FAMU and TSC education students in classroom apprenticeships. WXTL. Meanwhile, millions of federal student loan borrowers are facing uncertainty as President Biden leaves office with must of his student loan agenda tied up in the courts. NPR. The man behind the Lemony Snicket pseudonym will be at the University of Florida on Monday, Nov. 25. In a Facebook post, Daniel Handler highlighted some of the topics that he and fellow author Lauren Groff will talk about, including his new memoir, the writing process, Lemony Snicket, television and film and censorship. Main Street Daily News.
Opinions on schools: There is glaring student achievement inequality in America’s public schools. Rigorous evidence suggests that “a substantial portion of the unequal education outcomes that we see between richer and poor students is related not to home, but to what happens in school.” Charter schools are reducing that inequality by closing achievement gaps between groups and improving outcomes for all students. Bruno Manno, Philanthropy Daily. There hasn’t been much talk about Florida in recent years, at least not regarding K–12 education. The spotlight has shifted to other states, particularly Mississippi, whose remarkable progress in literacy on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) captivated the attention of reform enthusiasts. But a new paper published by AEI’s Conservative Education Reform Network (CERN), Grading Florida’s Schools: A for Achievement and Return on Investment, suggests that even as ed reform’s attention was diverted elsewhere, Florida has kept its eye on the ball and delivered good results. Robert Pondiscio, Thomas B. Fordham Institute.
