Districts could opt out of later school start times in bill change, 4-day week in Franklin, and more

Around the state: Later school start times would stay in place under a revised House bill but districts would be allowed to opt out, the Senate approves the “rural renaissance” bill, a House subcommittee approves a constitutional amendment to impose eight-year term limits on local school board members, a four-day school week is under consideration for students and teachers in Franklin County, and Miami-Dade’s school board approves asking the Trump administration to shield immigrants who are about to lose their temporary protected status. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:

Miami-Dade: School board members approved a resolution Wednesday urging the Trump administration to provide new protections for law-abiding Venezuelan and Haitian immigrants who are about to lose their temporary protected status. “The elimination of TPS without alternative safeguards unfortunately may jeopardize the legal status of many law-abiding students and their families in our community,” the resolution reads. Miami Herald.

Brevard: U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said Wednesday that Florida schools “are doing some amazing things” during a tour of the Pineapple Cove Classical Academy, a charter school in Palm Bay. She said she loved the interchange between a group of 6th-graders reviewing J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic The Hobbit. “It was just the most impressive thing, and I said, ‘Well, no wonder Florida scores are up and what they’re doing teaching kids to think.’ ” Florida Today.

Lake: A Eustis Middle School administrator is under investigation after a 12-year-old student alleges that she choked him during an altercation over his use of a cell phone during school hours. Police have declined to file charges, but the employee has been reassigned during the investigation. WOFL.

Leon: A resource officer at the Woodville preK-8 School in Tallahassee has been arrested and accused of helping run a drug operation out of his son’s home. Bill Culpepper Jr., 56, faces multiple charges of public order crimes, and also was arrested in Gadsden County for possession of a short barrel rifle and of a machine gun. Tallahassee Democrat. WTXL. WCTV

Franklin: District officials are looking into the possibility of switching to a four-day school week next fall, with days an extra 30 to 45 minutes longer than they are now. Superintendent Steve Lanier has appointed a committee to get feedback from parents and members of the community. “We think it will improve our graduation rate,” said Lanier. “We think it will improve our absentee rate.” He also believes the shortened week, along with a boost in starting teacher pay from $44,000 to $53,000, will help with teacher recruitment and retention. Town hall meetings on the proposal will begin next month. WBBM. WJHG.

Start times reversal: A change made Wednesday in a bill requiring later start times for middle and high schools by 2026 would exempt school districts from the 2023 law if they can show proof that they can’t meet its requirements. The House Education Administration Subcommittee added and approved the amendment offered by sponsor Rep. Anne Gerwig, R-Wellington, instead of deleting the mandate as called for in a bill that has strong support in the Senate. “We all understand the science (of later start times for older students), and the science makes sense,” said Rep. Jeff Holcomb, R-Spring Hill. “But it’s a logistics nightmare. At the end of the day, are we going to send our elementary school students to school at 7 a.m.? There really isn’t a good answer.” The Senate companion, SB 296, gets a hearing today in the Senate Fiscal Policy Committee. Tampa Bay Times. News Service of Florida. WKMG.

University presidency searches: A bill to make the process of selecting a university president the domain of university trustees instead of the Board of Governors and Board of Education was approved Wednesday by the House Education Administration Subcommittee. It would also end the secrecy of those searches, and impose term limits on BOE and BOG members, and college and university trustees. “This bill is all about accountability and transparency,” said Rep. Marie Woodson, D-Hollywood. “I think it was overdue.” Florida Phoenix. News Service of Florida.

‘Rural renaissance’ bill: Senators unanimously approved the “rural renaissance” bill that would set aside almost $201 million to help rural counties recruit and retain teachers, build and improve schools, expand broadband Internet service and more. The bill, which now moves to the House, was a priority for Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, who said, “This is about quality of life. It’s about making sure that rural communities know, it’s been said, that we hear them, that we see them, that they show value. That they mean something to us.” Politico Florida. Florida Phoenix. News Service of Florida. Florida Politics.

Also in the Legislature: A proposed constitutional amendment that would impose eight-year term limits on local school board members was approved Wednesday by a House subcommittee. News Service of Florida. Florida Politics. Fees for agents representing high school and college athletes in name, image and likeness deals would be capped at 5% under a bill approved by a House subcommittee. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. Students would learn “life skills” about financial literacy and more under a bill that won the approval of a House subcommittee Wednesday. Florida Politics. A House subcommittee approved a bill this week that would require students studying to become elementary school teachers to take six credit hours of math content courses instead of the current three. Bridge to Tomorrow. A Pasco County man who suffered life-changing injuries in a 2006 crash caused by a school bus driver would receive $1.2 million under a bill approved by a Senate committee. Florida Politics.

Teacher training rules: Members of the state’s Board of Governors will consider proposed rules for a 2024 law setting requirements for a 2024 law

teacher-preparation programs. The intent of that law is to end “indoctrination” in those college programs, including forbidding the denial or minimization of the Holocaust and the teaching of critical race theory. The meeting is scheduled April 9. News Service of Florida.

Around the nation: President Trump is expected to sign an executive order today instructing U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate” the closure of her department “and return education authority to the states.” Politico. Associated Press.

Opinions on schools: Florida has a lot to celebrate regarding school choice, but it still has some work to do with online learning policies. Ed Dean, Florida Daily. Proposed restrictions would make Florida’s ballot initiative process all but impossible. Bill Cotterell, News Service of Florida.

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