Around the state: Several district school boards approve tentative district budgets for the 2025-2026 fiscal year and new policies on cell phone use during the school day, Pasco says it will accept state scholarship students in select classes for a fee, Lee schools are adjusting elementary start times because of transportation problems, St. Lucie proposes merging three schools into a K-8 school, and Seminole schools recover $1.3 million lost to hackers in 2023. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Broward: A majority of school board members said Tuesday they want to relax the high school cell phone ban, which is part of the student code of conduct, but not before October. Five of the nine board members say they want those students to be allowed to use their phones during lunch, but demurred when general counsel Marylin Batista told them such a change required public notice and a discussion in a board workshop meeting. The code of conduct was approved by board members, who will consider making the changes they discussed during their August workshop meeting. Sun Sentinel. WPLG.
Orange: Two-term District 1 school board member Angie Gallo has announced she will run for the board chair seat in the 2026 election. It's currently held by Teresa Jacobs, who has yet to say if she's running for re-election. Florida Politics.
Palm Beach: A former English teacher at South Tech Academy in Boynton Beach was sentenced to 35 years in prison after he was convicted for unlawful sexual activity with a 16-year-old student. Damian Conti, 37, had acknowledged he had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with the girl, but said they didn't have sex. Palm Beach Post. WPEC.
Lee: School start times have been adjusted in an attempt to cut down on the number of late school buses. Elementary school start times are now nearly an hour later, at 8:40 a.m., while middle and high schools times changed little. Because of the shortage of bus drivers, free training is being offered to prospective drivers. WINK.
Pasco: Thirty-four Advanced Placement courses are being offered, for a fee of $1,882 per class, to students who use state scholarships for their education. Those students can take up to three of the AP classes under the district's new flex education program. "There is interest from the families," said Samantha Del Valle, the district’s Office of Leading and Learning director. She says as schools become more familiar with the process, they may expand into other areas. "We’re putting it in place, and we can expand later," said school board member Al Hernandez. "That’s the whole point, isn’t it?" Tampa Bay Times.
Brevard: A tentative district budget of $1.64 billion was approved by school board members Tuesday. Another public hearing is scheduled before a final vote is taken Sept. 9. The student code of conduct, which bans the use of cell phones during the school day for all students, was also endorsed by the board. Florida Today. Florida Department of Education's Education Practices Commission is expected to decide today if Melissa Calhoun can keep her teaching certificate. Her contract was not renewed by the school district after she used a student's chosen name without parental permission, as required by a BOE rule. Calhoun was an AP literature teacher at Satellite High School. Florida Today.
Seminole: The school district has recovered $1.3 million it lost to hackers in 2023, officials said this week. The hackers impersonated vendors and persuaded the district to direct payments to a new account. WFTV.
Volusia: A new cell phone policy was unanimously adopted by the school board Tuesday that bans the use of phones during the school day, including lunch, for elementary and middle school students. High school students are prohibited from using their phones during classes without authorization from a teacher. WESH.
St. Lucie, Indian River: St. Lucie school district officials are proposing to merge Lawnwood Elementary School, St Lucie Elementary and Dan McCarty Middle into a single K-8 school at the current site of McCarty, adjacent to the Dale Cassens alternative school. The estimated cost is up to $74 million, the projected completion date is 2028, and the school would also be the home of a gifted program. WPEC. Even after federal grants for schools were unfrozen by the Trump administration, St. Lucie and Indian River schools lost some Title I funding that is used to help low-income families and those with special needs. About $2 million less is going to St. Lucie, and Indian River lost $275,000, according to officials from the districts. TCPalm.
St. Johns: District officials say they expect another 1,000 students will take state scholarships in the fall to attend private schools or be home-schooled. A total of 5,300 St. Johns families are now receiving scholarships. WJAX.
Leon: School board members approved a tentative $649 million district budget on Tuesday, which is down from last year's $666 million but still required the use of $7.5 million in capital funds to balance the books. A final vote is scheduled Sept. 9. The district also backed off a threat to sue Renaissance Charter School Inc. to recover assets after the school closed. Tallahassee Democrat. WTXL.
Martin: The school district's revised deal with the sheriff to provide school resource officers was approved Tuesday by the school board. It's for three years at a cost of $15 million. Superintendent Michael Maine says he fully supported the deal, but warned that future budget problems could force the district to consider a different approach. WPEC.
Citrus: County commissioners have approved a 157% increase in school impact fees for new single-family homes, raising them from $2,059 to $5,298. The fees go into effect in 90 days. Citrus County Chronicle.
Flagler: School board members tentatively approved a $163 million budget at Tuesday's meeting, as well as a $5.349 tax rate per $1,000 of taxable property value. Flagler Live.
Monroe: A tentative budget of $235.6 million was approved this week by the school board. It's an increase of about 2.6% over last year's. Key West Citizen.
Madison: Madison County High School and Madison Central School have passed inspections after being treated for mold, according to health department inspectors. The school year begins Aug. 11. WCTV.
Colleges and universities: Interim University of Florida president Kent Fuchs has agreed to a one-month contract extension to Sept. 1. Fuchs has been in the role since Ben Sasse resigned in July 2024. A UF spokesperson said a new interim leader will be announced before Fuchs steps down, and a search for a permanent president will start early in 2026. Gainesville Sun. WCJB. Fresh Take Florida.
Charter school issues: Just 7% of the state's 700-plus charter schools have problems with finances, transparency or governance, according to a report by the Florida auditor general. There were 67 findings in 46 of the audit reports for the fiscal year 2023-2024, with about a third being repeat problems. The Center Square.
Around the nation: U.S. schools with a majority of black students have made improvements in reading and math on a widely used national assessment, i-Ready. The percentage of 8th-graders reading at grade level or above rose from 36% last year to 39% this year, and in math the gain was from 36% to almost 40%. Kristen Huff, head of measurement at Curriculum Associates, says the results were the "bright spots" in an otherwise stagnant performance. The 74.
Opinions on schools: Florida, Mississippi and Texas stand out as states showing strong student test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress assessment without high levels of spending. It shows that the relationship between school spending and student outcomes is weaker than you might imagine. Chad Aldeman, The 74.
