Around the state: A just-signed law adding restrictions to groups trying to get citizens initiatives on the ballot has been challenged in court by progressive groups, the state DOGE and Gov. Ron DeSantis are criticizing how the University of West Florida is using an $800,000 federal grant to train teachers, Duval school board members are voting today to settle a lawsuit for $300,000, the Monroe County School Board is expected to choose a new superintendent today, and the pros and cons of a four-day school week are debated in Franklin County. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: A former school district substitute teacher was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of human trafficking of a minor, lewd and lascivious activity with a victim under 16 and lewd and lascivious battery. Enreeka Nalasco, 35, was arrested in 2022 for providing drugs to female students in exchange for sex. WPLG.
Duval: School board members are expected to vote today on a proposed $300,000 settlement of a lawsuit over the sexual assault of a 6-year-old by an older child at an elementary school summer camp in 2023. The defendants are the school district and Bright Minds Youth Development Inc., a nonprofit that organized the camp at Bartram Springs Elementary School. Bright Minds is scheduled to go on trial next February. Florida Times-Union. A Duval school bus driver has been fired by Student Transportation of America for leaving a student unattended in a bus last month. The driver “failed to follow mandatory sleeping-child check procedure,” according to company officials. WTLV.
Lee: District officials have partnered with the local organization Valerie’s House to launch a mental health and wellness portal for students and their families. “We realized that families may not always have needs during school hours, and as a service to the community, we wanted to build out a portal that students, parents, and the community at large could access 24/7, on a variety of mental health and wellness topics,” said the district’s Lori Brooks. WINK.
St. Johns: Improvements are underway at a 100-year-old school that was once where black students were educated and now is home to school district offices. The old Excelsior High School in Lincolnville also houses the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center. Renovations are expected to be completed in June. Jacksonville Today. Parents whose children ride a school bus now have a way to track their movements. The district has launched an online transportation portal notifying parents about pick-up and drop-off times, locations, delays and more. WJAX.
St. Lucie: A student at the Fort Pierce Westwood Academy magnet school was arrested Monday and accused of having a loaded firearm in a backpack. Two students were pulled into the office for a “school administrative investigation” and search conducted by a dean who found the gun. TCPalm. WPTV. WPEC.
Bay: Construction has begun on a 23-classroom addition at Deane Bozeman High School in Panama City. The $14.5 million project is expected to be completed in 18 months. WMBB. WJHG.
Monroe: A new superintendent is expected to be named today by the school board to replace the retiring Theresa Axford. The finalists are district deputy superintendent Amber Archer Acevedo, Coral Shores High principal Laura Lietaert, Collier County deputy superintendent Darren Burkett and Palm Beach County deputy superintendent Edward Tierney. Key West Citizen.
Franklin: Benefits and drawbacks of Superintendent Steve Lanier’s proposal for a four-day school week were discussed during three town hall meetings last week. Lanier said the primary motivation for the change is teacher recruitment and retention. Opponents say the idea will cause costly child-care issues for families. “We don’t need to be the guinea pig for this,” said St. George Island businessman Walter Armistead. Apalachicola Times.
Colleges and universities: Florida’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is criticizing the University of West Florida’s use of an $800,000 federal grant to train math and science teachers. DOGE claims the funding will be used to promote social justice and “cultural responsiveness.” Gov. Ron DeSantis wants UWF to return the money, saying, “No Florida college or university should be focused on social justice or woke ideology over classical education.” Politico Florida. Florida Politics. Pensacola News Journal. WEAR. University of Florida students and staff will hear from the sole finalist for the presidency, Santa Ono, during a series of meetings today on campus. Ono is the president at the University of Michigan, and has been at the center of several controversies at UM. Mainstreet Daily News. Tampa Bay Times. Students in Florida and around the country are having their visas revoked by the federal government for such things as participating in protests and committing minor traffic infractions. Tampa Bay Times.
Education legislation: Plans for later school times were scrapped but prohibitions on cell phone use by elementary and middle school students were approved during the now-paused legislative session. Also not surviving the process was a bill making it easier to challenge books in public schools, another eliminating a high school graduation requirement to pass algebra 1 and English exams, and one that would have relaxed restrictions on hours worked by teens. Still undecided is whether funding will be cut for schools to offer Advanced Placement and other college level courses in public high schools. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida. WUSF. Florida Phoenix.
Trustee requirements: Gov. DeSantis has said he will veto a bill that was passed by both the Senate and House that would require appointees to colleges’ boards of trustees to live in the state or have graduated from the school they serve. The governor’s objection to the bill centers on provisions that require heads of agencies to live in Tallahassee and prohibits state employees from participating in political campaigns during working hours. Florida Phoenix.
Citizens initiatives: Several progressive advocacy groups have filed a lawsuit against a new law that adds further restrictions to the citizens initiative process. Those groups argue the changes will make it prohibitively expensive to get citizens initiatives onto the Florida ballot. Legislators approved the bill and Gov. DeSantis signed it into law last week. Associated Press. Politico Florida.
Social media lawsuit: Forty-five Florida school districts have now joined a lawsuit filed by school systems around the country against the social media companies Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Google and YouTube for allegedly contributing to a mental health crisis among students. Districts will receive a share if a settlement is reached. WPEC.
Around the nation: Monday, for the first time since 2020, the U.S. Department of Education resumed collections on federal student loans that are in default. Fox Business. CNN.
Opinions on schools: Bills repealing gun laws enacted after the 2018 Parkland school shooting and erasing restrictions on how much Florida students can work failed during the legislative session, and the state is better for it. Miami Herald.
