Around the state: School rankings were released from U.S. News & World Report, winners have been announced in a cybersecurity competition, a career night will be held this week in Clay, virtual school enrollment is underway and teacher raises are on the horizon in Hillsborough. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: The State Board of Education included the Key Biscayne K-8 Center and MAST Academy on its list of Schools of Excellence in Florida. According to state statutes, a School of Excellence is defined as a school whose possible points earned in its school grade calculation are in the 80th percentile or higher for schools of the same grade groupings for at least two of the past three school years. Islander News. Hialeah’s Planning and Zoning board has approved a proposal to allow a charter school to expand further into a public park in a move that some residents who live near the park have opposed. The Miami Herald.
Hillsborough: New rankings from U.S. News & World Report say 16 middle and high schools in this county were recognized for being among the top 100 in Florida. “We are extremely proud of the hard work our schools, students, and staff have put in to achieve these rankings from U.S. News & World Report,” Hillsborough Superintendent Van Ayres said. WFLA. Meanwhile, teachers in Hillsborough are due for a raise, and with a voter-approved tax in place now, the money is on the horizon. Axios.
Palm Beach: Five Palm Beach county middle schools are among the best 50 in the state, including one that made the top five, according to rankings from U.S. News & World Report. Bak Middle School of the Arts earned the No. 4 spot in the list of the best public middle schools in Florida, up from 12th last year. The Palm Beach Post.
Manatee: Cassandra “Cassie” D’Addeo was named the Florida School Counselor of the Year by the Florida School Counselor Association. School District of Manatee County.
Clay: The school district in this county is hosting its first Fine Arts College and Career Night this week for students and their families. The purpose of the event is to inspire students who are interested in learning more about college programs and careers in fine arts. Action News Jax.
Walton: Two schools will be expanded in this county to provide more education opportunities to increase opportunities across the Panhandle. WJHG.
Department of Education: The possible closure of the Department of Education could mean various things for the state of Florida. Tallahassee Democrat. Since 1979, the federal department has overseen everything from college student loans to aid for public school special education. WUSF.
Cybersecurity competition: The Florida Department of Education announced the winners of the 2nd Annual Cybersecurity Competition. During the competition, FCS students demonstrated their expertise in detecting and mitigating cyberthreats using a cyber range virtual-protected platform. The students worked in teams to navigate real-world scenarios. “I am FCS-proud to celebrate our students’ accomplishments and congratulate them for the excellence they have demonstrated today,” said FCS Chancellor Kathy Hebda. First place went to Northwest Florida State College, second place went to Palm Beach State College and third place went to Daytona State College. Florida Department of Education. News4Jax.
Virtual school: Enrollment for Florida Virtual Full Time Public School is now open for the second semester. FLVS has extended the application deadline for the full-time option for students in grades K-8 until Nov. 22. The deadline was on Friday for students in the 9th through 12th grades. “Our FLVS Full Time teachers and instructional support teams ensure that every student has the resources, guidance, and opportunities they need to thrive,” said Katie Santana, senior director of instruction for FLVS Full Time. With FLVS Full Time, students in K-12th grade have access to more than 200 online courses, 80 clubs and the structure of a traditional 180-day school calendar. Alachua Chronicle.
Book bans: Acclaimed classic “The Handmaid’s Tale” is one of the most-removed books in Florida’s schools. The book was removed in five Florida school district’s last year. The Florida Times-Union. The author with the most removed books was Stephen King. The Florida Times-Union.
School threats: The state of Florida has made improvements to school safety since the 2018 mass shooting in Parkland, but school threats can still create panic for parents, prompt a law enforcement response and disrupt learning for students. “The state of Florida had five times the amount of threats they had the first month in 2023,” Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood said, citing statistics from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. WESH.
Colleges and universities: The Indian River State College Foundation Board of Directors voted unanimously to continue funding for the Indian River State College Promise Program. The program will now include eligibility to graduates of in-district, accredited private high schools. WPTV.
