Around the state: An appeals court rules that Escambia County School Board members have no "legislative privilege" and must testify in a lawsuit over their decision to restrict books in school libraries, Pinellas County's school superintendent warns that the budget he'll present at the end of the month will "directly impact student achievement," Miami-Dade schools are ending naturalization classes for immigrants that they've offered since the 1970s, and New College is being sued for not awarding a scholarship for students of color and not returning the money to the donor. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: School district officials say they are ending the citizenship courses that helped immigrants pass the naturalization exam because federal funding for the program is drying up. The courses have been taught in the district since the 1970s and have helped thousands learn about American history and culture. Miami Herald. SLAM Miami and other charter schools say they will raise $50 million to restore the Olympia Theater for academic purposes and art performances if the city approves turning over ownership. City commissioners are expected to vote on the proposal July 24. WFOR.
Broward: School board members are being asked today to start the firing process for a teacher recently arrested on child pornography charges. If the school board approves the recommendation from Superintendent Howard Hepburn, Craig Rogers, 60, a physical education teacher at Westchester Elementary in Coral Springs, would be suspended for 60 days without pay. Rogers could then request a due process hearing before a state judge. Sun Sentinel.
Orange: A Winter Park elementary school was one of just 19 in the state that dropped from an A grade last year to a C this year. Brookshire Elementary has been mostly an A school since 2000, with a few B's sprinkled in. But this year its students had across-the-board learning losses, which is a key component in determining a school grade. District officials declined to make school officials available to speak about the results. Orlando Sentinel.
Duval: Background check requirements are increasing for certain school district volunteers, according to a recently revised policy. Level 2 volunteers, who sometimes work directly with students, are now subject to fingerprint-based background checks, a sex offender registry check, and a review of their criminal histories. Volunteers are responsible for the fees, which range from $80 to $100. WJAX. A former music teacher at two county schools has been arrested and accused of molesting students. Deputies said Gregg Gafford, 42, was working at St. Matthew’s Catholic School in Jacksonville in 2023 when he was alleged to have groped a student in an after-school program. He subsequently resigned. Deputies also said an adult who was a student at Normandy Village Elementary School in 2011 accused Gafford of molesting him. Jacksonville Today. WJXT. WJAX. WTLV.
Pinellas: The financial hits are adding up for the school district. Superintendent Kevin Hendrick said the most recent cuts are $1.4 million by the state as the number of students taking school scholarships grows, $300,000 in Title I federal funds, and $9 million in federal funds frozen by the Trump administration. Hendrick said the budget he'll present to the school board July 29 will reflect those changes, and will require "real and actual cuts to services that directly impact student achievement." Tampa Bay Times.
Brevard: Vacant school district positions won't be filled, additional jobs that open up might not be, and money set aside for capital projects could be used for operations, district officials warned the school board Tuesday during a budget discussion. Federal spending cuts and a freeze on funds that were being counted on have put a hole in the budget. Superintendent Mark Rendell said the district is reviewing when it can get "leaner." Florida Today.
St. Lucie, Martin, Indian River: Almost $315 million in construction projects are underway at schools in the three Treasure Coast counties. "We only have two months," said Indian River schools director of facilities Nick Westenberger. "It's a lot — a lot — of work to pack into two months. It takes a lot of coordination." TCPalm.
Escambia: School board members are not protected by "legislative privilege" and must testify in a lawsuit challenging the district's book restrictions policy, a three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this week. The decision upheld a district judge's ruling in November requiring board members to answer questions about their decision-making process in restricting books. News Service of Florida.
Alachua: Free meals will be offered to students at 32 district schools during the 2025-2026 school year under the federal Community Eligibility Provision designation, school officials have announced. Students who attend one of the other 19 must apply to see if their children are eligible for reduced or free meals. Mainstreet Daily News.
Bay: District officials say they have 40 fewer teaching positions open this year than they did at the same time last year, though they are still trying to hire 46 teachers. Since June, the district has hired 110 teachers. "We do have a couple of military temporary certificates," said human resources director Holly Buchanan. "We have also partnered with TPG, which is our cultural exchange teachers; we have nine cultural exchange teachers." WJHG.
Holmes: Students in the 6th through 8th grade at Ponce de Leon Middle/High School will have the option of storing their cell phones in special lockers when schools reopen Aug. 13. District policy is that phones need to be silent and out of sight during school hours. Offenders will face a series of escalating sanctions. WMBB.
Colleges and universities: A family that created a scholarship fund for students of color at New College of Florida is suing the school because it hasn't given out the money and won't refund it. John J. Lentini and his children, Julia K.L. Marquis and Jerald Lentini, who endowed the scholarship in 2021, want their $156,000 donation back, plus interest and court costs. An attorney for New College declined the request, saying the school hadn't violated the terms of the scholarship and that Florida law doesn't provide an "automatic right of revocability." WUSF.
Opinions on schools: Every state in the union remains entirely free to adopt tough accountability practices, but apparently few if any have chosen to do so. The next something to try in my opinion are enhanced private rating systems and robust choice programs. Matthew Ladner, NextSteps. Programs we value — like arts and athletics, academic interventionists, counselors, social workers and the 21st-century after-school program — are at serious risk because of our district's financial crisis. Leon Superintendent Rocky Hanna, Tallahassee Democrat. Determining the best grade configuration to meet the unique needs of 11– to 14-year-olds has been an ongoing problem in American education. Charles Robinson, TCPalm.
