Around the state: Bills banning students’ use of cell phones during school hours, repealing a law that mandates later start times for middle and high school students, and requiring instruction in cursive writing all won approval from legislative committees on Tuesday, Marion County’s superintendent announces she is resigning at the end of the school year, the Pinellas school board supports the superintendent’s decision to end block scheduling at four high schools, and Broward school board members agree to negotiate a contract extension with Superintendent Howard Hepburn. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: School bus stop-arm violations are on hold for drivers who contest tickets they’ve received for allegedly driving past buses that were stopped, Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz has announced. The appeal puts the violations on hold until a hearing is held. The Tributary. WTVJ.
Broward: School board members agreed Tuesday to negotiate a contract extension for Superintendent Howard Hepburn, who was hired last April and signed a contract through June 30, 2027. “Given Dr. Hepburn’s strong performance and the need to continue the stability that we have and the forward momentum, I think it’s in the best interest of our students, staff and our community to discuss a longer-term contract right now,” board chair Debbi Hixon said. Sun Sentinel.
Polk: A substitute teacher at Kathleen Middle School in Lakeland has been arrested and accused of allowing students to fight during class. Deputies said Kelan Durn, 24, has been charged with negligent child abuse. School officials have barred Durn from working in the district. WFLA.
Pinellas: School board members decided Tuesday to back Superintendent Kevin Hendrick’s proposal to end the eight-period alternating day block schedule at Gibbs, Hollins, Boca Ciega and Lakewood high schools. Students had lobbied to keep the schedule because it allows them to take to take core, specialty and advanced coursework. Tampa Bay Times. District police chief Luke Williams told school board members Tuesday that he followed the chain of command when signing a federal immigration enforcement agreement committing the district to having employees learn about the federal immigration database to assist future enforcement, but not to using officers for immigration sweeps in schools. He said after a discussion with Pinellas Sheriff Bob Gualtieri that “there was no other alternative but to comply,” but in hindsight said he should have also talked to Hendrick. Tampa Bay Times.
Marion: School Superintendent Diane Gullett announced this week that she’s resigning at the end of the school year. The first appointed superintendent in the district’s 150-year history, Gullett has been superintendent for five years. She gave no reason for leaving, and said her last day will be July 11. Ocala Star-Banner. Spectrum News 13. WKMG. WFTV. WESH. WCJB.
Leon: A district investigation alleges that former Griffin Middle School principal Zelena O’Banner deposited money from a school fund-raiser into her personal account, borrowed thousands of dollars from a teacher who said it wasn’t paid back, and had another teacher do “personal favors” for her during the school day. O’Banner says she did nothing wrong, but resigned Feb. 25 after the district said it intended to fire her. Tallahassee Democrat.
Bay: An ongoing shortage of teachers has prompted the school board to approve a contract with the TPG agency to provide up to 10 qualified international teachers for district schools. The teachers would be on J1 visas, allowing them to stay for three to five years. WJHG.
Putnam: The county’s fire and emergency medical services departments are partnering with the school district to offer Palatka Junior-Senior High School students practical training over three years that could help them get into first responder careers. Students would receive 191 hours of training over their sophomore, junior and senior years, setting them up to move into live training that could lead to certification. Palatka Daily News.
Colleges and universities: A college for artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and computing will be created at the University of South Florida in Tampa with a $40 million donation from tech entrepreneur Arnie Bellini. It’s the largest gift in the history of the school. Tampa Bay Times.
Cell phone restrictions: Student cellphones would be banned from use during school hours under a bill that won the backing of the House Education Administration Subcommittee on Tuesday. No companion bill has been filed in the Senate, which instead is weighing a proposal to create a pilot program in six school districts to study the effects of bell-to-bell restrictions. Politico Florida. Florida Phoenix. Orlando Sentinel. WUSF.
Repealing later start times: A requirement for later start times for middle and high schools that is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2026 would be eliminated by SB 296, which was approved in an 8-1 vote Tuesday by the Senate Pre-K-12 Education Appropriations Committee. It needs to clear one more committee before being put to a vote by the full Senate. News Service of Florida. Central Florida Public Media. WUSF.
Cursive instruction: A proposal that students in grades 2-5 receive instruction in cursive handwriting won the approval Tuesday of a House subcommittee. Children “must demonstrate proficiency in cursive writing through an evaluation of written work” by the end of 5th grade, according to the bill. WUSF.
Also in the Legislature: Schools and state agencies would be required to buy only geographic materials that recognize the name change of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America under a bill approved by a Senate committee Tuesday. USA Today Florida Network. News Service of Florida. Parents whose children benefit from the state’s Family Empowerment Scholarship would receive more information in writing to help them choose a school under a bill cleared by a House panel. Florida Politics. A revision to a school safety law would allow school doors to remain unlocked during school hours if they are actively being watched. The bill won the approval of a House subcommittee. Florida Phoenix.
Around the nation: Half the U.S. Education Department’s workforce is being fired and some office leases around the country are being terminated, an agency official said Tuesday. The 1,300 dismissed workers will get 90 days of pay and benefits, plus severance pay. Politico. Associated Press. K-12 Dive. Chalkbeat.
Opinions on schools: Once parents have an educational choice, teachers unions lose a virtual monopoly over many families. They are no longer a captive audience. If public unions want to maintain funding, they will have to actually improve educational results for these families. Jonathan Turley. Policymakers around the country should adopt equitable policies and funding for concurrent enrollment. This will accelerate the efficiencies, economic mobility and work readiness that postsecondary learning provides. Amy McGrath, The 74.
