Around the state: Florida’s college and universities are facing an upcoming deadline, a budget shortfall in Volusia, an early education center is closing in Pasco, families rally in Osceola about proposed special education changes and concerns abound regarding the closure of a school in Brevard. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Pasco: This district’s first dedicated early learning center will shut its doors after two years of operation. Mittye P. Locke Early Learning Academy opened in 2023. The district spent $2 million converting the former elementary school into a 10-classroom center aimed at providing services that were in short supply in the area. Principal Jomary Schulz, who helped open the early learning center, took to social media to say what an honor it was to lead the school. “Relationships have been built and we will stay strong through this transition!” Tampa Bay Times.
Osceola: More than 60 people spoke out against the district’s proposed changes to its special education program on Tuesday. They held signs like “special needs deserve special care” and called on the district to pause or reverse its plans to consolidate the district’s special education program into hubs. The move would push some students into general education classrooms and could force others to move schools. Central Florida Public Media.
Brevard: A meeting was held earlier this week to discuss concerns about McNair Magnet Middle School potentially being closed or consolidated with John F. Kennedy Middle in Rockledge. The school, named after late astronaut Ronald McNair, who died in the Challenger explosion, is one of the most underutilized middle schools in the county, according to data from an outside consultant. During a work session held Tuesday prior to the board meeting, potential options were discussed on how to best utilize resources. “If you close McNair, you just don’t close a school, you close a community, a lifeline, a place full of opportunity and hope,” said Consuelo Ramos-DeYesso, the school’s 2024 Teacher of the Year. Florida Today.
Volusia: Board members met on Tuesday morning for a workshop, where they listened to a presentation by the district’s chief financial officer that outlined some budget concerns. Chief among them: A $25.8 million deficit in their general operating fund. Leaders said one of the factors contributing to the budget shortage is a reduction in the money allocated to public schools by the Florida Legislature. Another factor is that student enrollment numbers are down in the county, which results in a higher per-student fixed cost — making it more pricey to run some schools. “There’s no cause for panic or fear right now. We want to hear from the community, hear from our stakeholders about ways that we can increase our enrollments, ways that we can make our schools more efficient and optimize the size of them,” said Krista Goodrich, District 2 school board member. Spectrum News. WKMG.
In the Legislature: A bill that would make it easier for public schools to be converted into charter schools is one vote from passing in the House after it cleared its first committee hurdle. Members of the House Education and Employment Committee voted 11-4 for an amended version of HB 123, which would change the standard by which municipalities can turn over public school property to private education companies. Rep. Alex Andrade sponsored the bill. It would exclude school boards, teachers and school administrators from voting on the issue. The decision would fall to parents of a given school, provided that their children were enrolled there for at least two years. Florida Politics. Meanwhile, the Senate convened on Wednesday. The special order calendar includes budget proposals and bills related to Bright Futures scholarships and student sports participation. The House also convened. Tampa Bay Times.
Colleges and universities: Florida’s public colleges and universities have two weeks to turn over six years’ worth of records on staffing, research and grant funding as part of their first formal information request under Gov. Ron DeSantis’ newly mandated Department of Government Efficiency. In a letter to university presidents, the DOGE team outlined the first phase of its audit. Institutions were told to submit a vast set of documents: Every awarded grant application and agreement, all publicly available research or academic drafts and a full accounting of all non-instructional staff positions – including job titles, salaries and whether the roles are in-person, remote or hybrid. WUSF. Parents planning to send their kids to college may have questions about navigating student loans and tuition savings. NPR. Meanwhile, a new poll says Americans without a degree still believe in the value of college. NPR.
Opinions on schools: The march to dismantle public education continues unabated in the Florida Legislature. The push to monetize and privatize schooling advances, including several bills that lower academic standards and reduce protections for children’s welfare. Sally Butzin, Tallahassee Democrat. As an arts educator and a mother of a K-12 student, I see firsthand how arts integration provides students with a space to express themselves, collaborate with peers, and engage more deeply in other subjects. The arts deepen my students’ learning, helping them apply skills within new contexts. Teisha Holloway, The 74th.
