Around the state: Broward's school board will consider a plan to close seven more schools because of declining enrollment, tentative teacher contract agreements are reached in Orange, Leon and Martin counties, Lee County's superintendent is recommending firing three teachers because of their comments after the death of Charlie Kirk, and a report by a free speech advocacy group says the Hillsborough County School District was second in the nation in book removals during the last school year. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: Some school board members are working to reinstate the school bus camera program that ticketed drivers who passed the extended stop arms of buses transporting students. It was suspended six months ago by the sheriff after repeated complaints that drivers had no way to challenge tickets, and can't be restarted without the approval of the sheriff. Miami Herald.
Broward: At least seven schools would close under the latest district proposal to deal with declining enrollment. Five schools would get additional grade levels, with four elementaries and one high school adding middle school grades, and some schools would get new programming. If approved, the changes would begin for the 2026-2027 school year. Sun Sentinel. Former school attorney Barbara Myrick was wrongly charged with illegally disclosing confidential grand jury information, a panel of the 4th District Court of Appeal ruled last week. Prosecutors say they are reviewing the ruling to decide if they will appeal. Sun Sentinel.
Hillsborough: The school district ranks second in the nation in removing books from schools, according to the annual PEN America report. It found 608 books taken out of libraries and classrooms during the last school year, second only to a San Antonio, Texas, district that removed 752. Tampa Bay Times. School board members voted last week to comply with state law by ending the practice of issuing certifications of completion. Students had been able to get the certificate even if they didn't pass the required state tests by achieving a 2.0 grade point average or meeting all other graduation requirements. Tampa Bay Times. Creative Loafing.
Orange: Most teachers will receive 4% raises this year under a tentative contract agreement with the district that was announced Friday. About 90% of teachers are rated highly effective and are eligible. Other items in the deal include a guaranteed 30-minute paid lunch break, up from 25, $2 million "to address pay compression for veteran teachers, and supplements for critical, hard-to-fill positions," and a 12-month pay option for teachers. Ratification votes by teachers and the school board are required. Orlando Sentinel. WFTV.
Palm Beach: Students at three new or reopened charter schools won't automatically be receiving free meals like the rest of the district's students. Not enough of the total of 387 students at BridgePrep Academy in West Palm Beach, Somerset Academy Avenir in Palm Beach Gardens and Palmetto Park High in Boca Raton qualify, said a district spokesman. Those students will have to pay or apply individually for free or reduced meals. Palm Beach Post.
Lee: Superintendent Denise Carlin is recommending that three teachers be fired for their social media comments after the Sept. 10 killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The teachers have not been named, but reportedly work at Three Oaks Middle School in Fort Myers, Diplomat Elementary in Cape Coral and Lemuel Teal Middle in Lehigh Acres. Findings from the district investigation are also being sent to the Florida Department of Education, which can issue sanctions against teaching certificates. WFTX. WINK. WBBH. Fort Myers News-Press.
Brevard: A Palm Bay City Council member has been removed from the Odyssey Charter School board of directors after a social media posting calling for the deportation of Indian Americans. The council subsequently voted 4-1 to ask Gov. Ron DeSantis to remove Chandler Langevin. Florida Today.
Volusia: Of the 110 school administrative employees asked by the district to sign non-disclosure agreements, three refused but are facing no discipline, says school attorney Gilbert Evans. He defends the forms, saying they are legal and protect sensitive information without violating public records laws. An outside attorney asked by school board member Donna Brosemer to review the NDA says it is likely "void, illegal and unenforceable under Florida law." Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Sarasota: A proposal to close Wilkinson Elementary School in Sarasota because of declining enrollment will be discussed at Tuesday's school board meeting. Parents are fighting to keep the C-rated school open, and some school board members are receptive to their argument. WWSB.
Escambia: The authors of a book removed from district schools are appealing a federal judge's ruling last week that their free speech rights were not violated. Chief U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor wrote that "the Escambia County School Board has simply decided students wanting this particular book will have to get it elsewhere." News Service of Florida.
Leon: Teachers have tentatively agreed to the school district's offer of a $40 pay raise in their every-other-week paychecks. All the money for the raises comes from the state; district officials have said they're in a financial crisis and have no extra money to add. The raise will be offset by increases in health insurance premiums. Teachers and the school board will have to ratify the deal. Tallahassee Democrat. WCTV. WTXL.
Alachua: A teacher accused of bullying a student and facing the loss of her teaching certificate is appealing the Florida Department of Education's decision. Lauren Watts, a Gainesville High School history teacher, issued a class "superlative" to a student declaring him "most likely to become a dictator." She was removed from the classroom, and is appealing to the state Department of Administrative Hearings. WCJB.
Martin: A tentative contract agreement has been reached between the school district and the teachers union. Starting salaries will increase by $266, further raises will be based on experience, and performance incentives have been added that are worth hundreds of dollars. WPTV. School board members are expected to decide Tuesday whether to place a teacher suspended for remarks made after Charlie Kirk's murder on unpaid suspension until his termination hearing. Matt Theobald, a Spectrum Academy teacher and president of the teachers union, was removed from his classroom and reassigned Sept. 12 after posting on social media that Kirk was a racist, misogynistic, fear-mongering, xenophobic neo-Nazi "who used religion to justify all of the evil things he's said and done." TCPalm.
Putnam: A 10-year-old student at Browning Pearce Elementary in San Mateo was arrested last week and accused of threatening a classmate with a pocket knife. WJXT.
Colleges and universities: Polk State College in Lakeland is investigating the legality of President Angela Garcia Falconetti's request that the Polk State College Foundation use up to $125,000 in scholarship funds to pay student fees that are in arrears. Falconetti says she complied with state law, but trustee Ashley Bell Barnett says Falconetti violated the rules to help select students and inflate enrollment numbers. Lakeland Ledger.
In the Legislature: A joint resolution to cut the cap on annual property tax assessment increases for homesteaded properties in half has been introduced in the Florida House for the 60-day legislative session that begins Jan. 13. The constitutional amendment would cut the cap from the current 3% to 1.5%, and would have to be approved by the Legislature and then receive at least 60% support from voters. Florida's Voice.
Part-time district students: More than half of the state's 67 school districts have either approved or are applying to provide contracted educational services to students who receive state scholarships. Those students can use their scholarship funding to buy courses at public schools. NextSteps.
Kirk debate trophy: The championship trophy for the state's 330 civics and debate team has been named after conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who rose to prominence by debating college students and was assassinated in September at one of those events in Utah. The state championship is in April at New College of Florida. Florida Phoenix.
Around the nation: Florida earned a grade of B-plus from a survey of states' school open enrollment policies. Six states received an A, seven a B, two a C, two a D and 33 flunked. Reason Foundation. Ongoing shortages of school bus drivers have pushed some school districts and parents to look for alternatives, such as ride-sharing in smaller vehicles and private services to transport children to and from school. Tribune News Service.
Opinions on schools: Moaz Limayem's appointment to the University of South Florida presidency is a fresh break from the state awarding these jobs to former legislators. But the point is that a more open, deliberative and inclusive search process would yield more people like Limayem as university presidents. Why are our state leaders so afraid of promoting competition? John Hill, Tampa Bay Times. Closing schools will produce a political backlash, and every month that passes brings the Broward County School Board closer to the 2026 election, when five of its nine members are up for re-election. The inevitable will become harder, not easier. Steve Bousquet, Sun Sentinel.
