Around the state: NAEP tests show a widening gap between the highest and lowest performing students in Florida and in every other state, Florida has the 3rd-most K-12 students and is 6th in K-12 education spending among the states, identical bills are filed requiring private schools that accept K-12 school choice scholarships from the state to tell parents in writing what specialized services they offer, suspensions and disciplinary issues soar in Marion County, and the Broward, Manatee, Nassau and Bradford school districts announce their teachers of the year. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: A 24-year-old middle school science teacher for the district has been deported to Honduras. District officials said the man came to the country at age 13 and was able to stay because of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. He was detained during a routine immigration appointment in early January. WTVJ. Miami Herald. WSVN.
Broward: Richard Lamarre, a chemistry and science teacher at Miramar High School, has been named the school district’s teacher of the year. Also honored were Sheneka Blue of Oriole Elementary as principal of the year, Shenee Rowe of Blanche Ely High as assistant principal of the year, and top school-related employee Tracy-Ann Smith of Boyd H. Anderson High. WSVN. Coral Springs Connection. A security specialist at Blanche Ely High School in Pompano Beach was arrested last week and accused of striking a student. Ronald Lamar Thurston, 48, is a former sheriff’s deputy who was fired in 2022 after allegations that he used excessive force during an arrest. WFOR. WTVJ.
Hillsborough: About 55,000 drivers have received $225 tickets in the mail for illegally passing a stopped district school bus. About 1,500 of them are contesting the ticket, but they’ve found the process to do so has not yet been set up in the county. A school official said, “The court system is finalizing their part of the process,” and that drivers contesting their tickets “are not required to pay for the violation at this time.” WFTS.
Orange: A woman who sued the school district after it banned her from volunteering when it discovered that she modeled for the OnlyFans adult website has lost in county court. A judge ruled that while Victoria Triece does have the right to privacy as spelled out in the state constitution, specifically when it comes to protecting the right to raise children, she could not cite any “authority to support her position that her constitutional right to privacy guarantees her the right to volunteer in a public school.” WKMG.
Duval: Travel requests for school board members and other district officials to attend conferences of professional organizations that used to be routinely approved are now getting closer scrutiny from the conservative-leaning board. Jacksonville Today. A 1st-grade teacher at Dinsmore Elementary School in Jacksonville was arrested last week and accused of robbery involving assault and battery, battery on a pregnant woman and child abuse. District officials said Malinda Aderhold, 59, has been reassigned duties that have no contact with students. WJXT.
Polk: Teachers union officials are urging the school board to ask voters in 2026 to approve a special property tax that would teacher salaries. Board members rejected a similar request last year. Union president Stephanie Yocum, a certified math teacher, says the district is going to lose educators if salaries aren’t raised. “A person with my years of experience — I have 16 years of experience — I can jump over to Hillsborough, make $10,000 more on my base salary right now,” she said. Lakeland Ledger.
Lee: Denise Carlson, who was elected as superintendent last November, says she plans to hire more teachers and add a half-hour to the high school day to help improve student test scores, and simplify bus schedules to ensure students arrive at schools on time. WBBH.
Manatee: Stacy Freeman, a 3rd-grade teacher at McNeal Elementary School in Lakewood Ranch, has been named the school district’s teacher of the year. Also honored as support employee of the year was Suzanne Theiss, a secretary at Bradenton Southeast High. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Your Observer.
Marion: Student expulsions and other disciplinary actions skyrocketed during the 2023-2024 school year, and in the first 80 days of this school year the district averaged more than one expulsion and two alternative placements per day. Last year’s 3,000-plus incidents reported to the state were more than the previous two years combined, according to state data. WUFT. Wyomina Park Elementary School’s test of year-round schooling is drawing positive feedback from educators, parents and students. And test scores are up over last year, says principal Victoria Hunt. WKMG.
Nassau: Florida’s Department of Education is recommending that the school district merge West Nassau High and Callahan Middle because of declining enrollment in both. Nassau County Record. Fernandina Beach News-Leader. Nassau County Record. Kayla Hooper, a 4th-grade teacher at Callahan Intermediate School, has been named the school district’s teacher of the year. Nassau County School District.
Walton: The school district is one of just two in the state that has not seen test scores decline in the past 20 years. Officials credit high expectations and innovative ideas, such as an after-school dropoff program that allow educators extra time with students. Mid Bay News.
Bradford: Audrey Murphy of Bradford High School has been named the school district’s teacher of the year. Bradford County School District.
Colleges and universities: The National Institutes of Health announced Friday that it would cap funding for “indirect costs” to 15% of the grants it issues to universities, hospitals, medical schools and other scientific foundations. Indirect costs are used to maintain buildings and equipment and pay support staff and other overhead expenses, and the new rate is well below what those institutions have been getting. For example, it’s being reported that the change will cost eight Florida universities $165 million. They received $673 million in 2023, with $231 million going toward indirect costs. That drops to $66 million under the new indirect rate. NPR.
In the Legislature: Identical bills have been filed for the legislative session requiring private schools that accept K-12 school choice scholarships from the state to tell parents, in writing, what specialized services and therapies the school offers. SB 508 was filed by state Sen. Shevrin Jones, D-Miami Gardens, and HB 423 is sponsored by state Rep. Robin Bartleman, D-Weston. Florida Phoenix.
Around the nation: The latest NAEP test scores show a widening achievement gap between the highest and lowest performing students. In 8th-grade math, for example, scores for the top 10% of students rose 3 points while the bottom 10% fell 5 points. In Florida, the higher performing 8th-graders declined 7 points, while the median performers dipped 14.4 points and the lowest performers declined 19 points from 2013 to 2024. The 74. During the 2023 fiscal year, Florida was 3rd in population with 23.3 million people, 3rd in K-12 students with about 2.9 million, 6th in total K-12 spending at $23.35 billion, and 35th in spending as a percentage of total state expenditures, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Visual Capitalist.
Opinions on schools: The state’s NAEP scores were disturbing, yet precisely what you’d expect in a state where politicians spend more time talking about bathroom usage and supposedly “woke” math lessons than American lit and algebra. Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel. It’s true that Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. does not seem interested in responding to recent NAEP and SAT results by proposing strategies to improve math and reading learning by Florida students. But the state’s legislators don’t seem interested, either. Paul Cottle, Bridge to Tomorrow. Literacy is the single most powerful tool we have to change the world, but recent data remains discouraging. Sally Bradshaw, Tallahassee Democrat. The future of education isn’t in banning generative artificial intelligence but in harnessing its potential to create more engaging, relevant, and equitable learning experiences. Bruce Fraser and Sid Dobrin, Tampa Bay Times. School choice opens doors and breaks down racial and economic barriers that have existed for generations. Just ask the more than half million Florida families who are using the array of private school choice programs to access educational opportunity their kids have always deserved. Nathan Hoffman, Orlando Sentinel.
