Around the state: A state senator says the House has made a budget proposal that does not include a reduction in the sales tax, the state approves a plan for Broward schools to offer sex education lessons next week, Manatee school board members meet today to reportedly consider firing the superintendent, Miami-Dade’s school district is seen as a national leader in AI teaching, and some parents are urging Palm Beach County’s school board to reconsider its decision to repeal DEI policies. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: The nation’s third-largest school district has been a leader in the use of generative artificial intelligence technologies in teaching and learning. In the past year, the district has trained 1,000 educators on AI tools and more than 105,000 high school students have been introduced to Google chatbots. The advances are a sharp departure from two years ago when educators worried about students receiving misinformation from the technology or using it to cheat. New York Times. A 17-year-old student has been arrested and accused of having a gun at the Dr. Marvin Dunn Academy for Community Education in El Portal. When the gun was discovered, the student fled the school but was arrested soon after. WPLG.
Broward: District officials have gotten approval from the state to teach age-appropriate sex education lessons next week to students in 4th-12th grades. Broward will use the same curriculum that has been used in the Collier County School District. “Collier checked a couple of boxes for us by offering comprehensive sex ed, and also the number of lessons matched the time constraints we had,” said district spokesman John Sullivan. Parents may opt their children out of the lessons. Sun Sentinel.
Palm Beach: Some parents and activists are urging the school board to reconsider its decision earlier this month to repeal the district’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Superintendent Michael Burke recommended eliminating DEI policies after Trump administration officials threatened to withhold $300 million in federal funding if the policies continued. “If we agree to this now, how much more will we submit to later?” asked Laura Stemle, who teaches special needs students. Palm Beach Post. Students from Dreyfoos School of the Arts and Park Vista and Forest Hill community high schools received diplomas Monday. Palm Beach Post.
Polk: Lakeland officials say they plan to install speed-detection cameras in school zones because of the deaths of 13 students in driving accidents during the 2023-2024 school year. The ordinance has been tentatively approved by city commissioners. WTVT.
Lee: District officials are asking for $17 million in federal funds to improve school security as part of a $50 million infrastructure upgrade. Fort Myers News-Press. Students from Estero and Lehigh high schools were presented with diplomas in graduation ceremonies Monday. Fort Myers News-Press. A private alternative school will open this fall at the Quality Life Center of Southwest Florida that is located at Dunbar High School in Fort Myers. “We’re calling it Quality Life Academy,” said executive director Julian Ramirez. “It’s going to be a leadership and arts school. … We’re going to primarily focus on grades K-8, and we’ll make exceptions for 9-12.” WGCU.
Brevard: A school district investigation into the contract nonrenewal for a veteran teacher who used a student’s preferred name without a parent’s permission concluded with a recommendation that Melissa Calhoun be reprimanded. Instead, Superintendent Mark Rendell decided to fire her. Florida Today. Church of Satanology and Perpetual Soiree founder Timothy Stevens is asking school officials for permission to place banners for Satanology at Viera, Melbourne, Heritage, Palm Bay Magnet and Rockledge high schools. Stevens said a religious banner now hanging at Palm Bay High “clearly establishes a precedent for religious expression within Brevard County schools.” Florida Today. WKMG.
Manatee: School board members are meeting in an emergency session at 9 a.m. today to reportedly consider firing Superintendent Jason Wysong. He has led the district for less than a year, has had no formal evaluation from the board, and his contract doesn’t expire until June 2026. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. WFLA. WWSB. Southeast High School seniors received diplomas at a graduation ceremony Monday. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Escambia: Students from the Escambia Westgate School received diplomas in a ceremony last week. Pensacola News Journal.
Leon: Cecily Dean of Tallahassee is one of the 12 Florida students competing for the Scripps National Spelling Bee championship next week. The 13-year-old is a 7th-grader who is home-schooled. Tallahassee Democrat.
Alachua: A special education teacher at Oak View Middle School in Newberry has been arrested and charged with DUI manslaughter in the 2024 deaths of a Newberry woman and her unborn child. Troopers said Carrie Russell, 46, was over the center line and drove her SUV into the path of 29-year-old Amanda Lee Jansen. Russell has been placed on administrative leave. Gainesville Sun. WCJB.
Hernando: School board members have reaffirmed a decision to not give give siblings preference for openings at the district’s three magnet schools. “We’ve been at it with this policy at least eight years, nine years, and I think this is a system that works,” said board member Susan Duval. “It’s not perfect, but it works well and it’s fair.” Hernando Sun. Hernando Today. A teacher and football coach at Hernando High School has been arrested and accused of supplying a kratom-based supplement to a 17-year-old student that led to a medical emergency and the boy’s hospitalization. Deputies said Terry Kennedy, 47, gave the student two packets of the supplement. It’s illegal for juveniles to possess or consume kratom in Florida. Hernando Sun. Hernando Today. WFLA. A math teacher at the Explorer K-8 School in Spring Hills was arrested Monday and accused of distributing obscene material to a minor. District officials said Jonathan Rowe, 45, was fired last week. WFLA.
Gulf: A welding teacher at Wewahitchka High School was arrested May 1 earlier this month and accused of having a sexual relationship with a student. Parker Eugene Harris Ottoson, 34, was still in his probationary period when he was arrested, and has been fired. Port St. Joe Star.
Budget discussions: Some movement was reported Monday on budget discussions between Senate and House lawmakers. State Senate budget chair Ed Hooper said he’s received an offer from the House that does not include a reduction in the sales tax, a source of contention between House Speaker Daniel Perez, who called for it, and Gov. Ron DeSantis, who said he would veto any bill that included a sales tax reduction. Republican Rep. Lawrence McClure, who is leading budget negotiations in the House, said the focus is on cutting recurring spending. “We think the cleanest way to do it is via a sales tax cut, but what we’re after is reducing the recurring spending,” he said. “It’s out of control. If the Senate is uncomfortable with the sales tax, no problem.” Budget conferences between the chambers are expected to resume next week. Florida Politics.
State workforce grants: Eight school districts have received $12 million in state grants to expand to their workforce education programs. Baker, Clay, Dixie, Hendry, Hernando, Levy and Sumter districts each received $1.7 million, and the Florida State University Lab School received $455,792. Florida Department of Education.
Around the nation: The Trump administration’s education agenda closely parallels Florida’s, with a push to spend federal funds on private education, declaring war on “woke” practices such as diversity, equity and inclusion in schools, barring transgender females from playing on girls sports teams, and more. New York Times.
Opinions on schools: Some recent state school choice laws have requirements attached that unfortunately focus on limiting competition. Matthew Ladner, NextSteps. Despite the overwhelming demand for educational choice, some Florida lawmakers are now floating the idea of capping a portion of the state’s universal education savings account program and putting more requirements on parents. That would be a mistake. Skylar Zander, Florida Politics.
