Around the state: The House and Senate have reached a consensus on a $29.5 billion K-12 education budget, a teacher initiative plan was approved in Lee, a teacher was arrested in Manatee, budget woes in Gilchrist and a win for the state teacher's union. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Broward: A new initiative in this school district is bringing artificial intelligence into the classroom. Broward schools announced a collaboration with Microsoft that brings the company's AI platform, Copilot, to teachers across grade levels. WLRN. As Broward braces for state budget decisions and declining enrollment, district leaders say they are working to preserve the arts. “We totally understand the thoughts of the parents,” said Angela Fulton, Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning." WPLG.
Orange: Cypress Creek High School students and alumni rallied outside of the Orange County School Board meeting earlier this week, urging district leaders to save the college-level International Baccalaureate magnet program, which is set to be cut. Orlando Sentinel. Meanwhile, Orange County Public Schools say they hope to expand on an initiative that will give eligible school district employees access to affordable housing units. Spectrum News.
Lee: The school board in Lee approved a teacher incentive plan offering bonuses of up to $9,000 for teachers in high-need schools or in critical subject areas. The plan, called Honoring our Educations: Teacher Incentive Initiative, is designed to attract and retain teachers and to ensure that every classroom is staffed on the first day of school. But the move has drawn criticism from the district's teacher's union who says the board bypassed collective bargaining. Fort Myers News-Press.
Manatee: A teacher was fired a week after her arrest for sending a lewd photo to a middle school student. On Tuesday, the School Board of Manatee County voted unanimously to terminate the teacher from her position as an ESE teacher, calling the details of the case "alarming and contemptible for anyone serving as a school teacher." WTSP. WWSB.
Gilchrist: Officials in Gilchrist County schools say they are facing financial challenges in the district, facing a shortfall of about $1.6 million. School leaders say they are looking at their budget to make adjustments. WCJB.
Legislative update: The House and Senate have reached a consensus on a $29.5 billion K-12 education budget — a 3% increase from the current fiscal year. The budget will fund $9,130 per student. Lawmakers are also using property taxes to help fund the K-12 budget. The budget fully funds accelerated courses, such as Advanced Placement, that help high school students get college credit. The program is funded with about $597 million. “This Legislature has shown a deep commitment, not only to public education, but education as a whole," said House Appropriations Chair Lawrence McClure. Meanwhile, districts like Pinellas unexpectedly had to spend more than $50 million this school year because of hurricanes Helene and Milton, and the Legislature did not provide relief, putting additional financial pressure on the district. “If it wasn’t for the referendum, it would be a really difficult year,” Hendrick said, referring to the district’s voter-approved property tax increase in support of added teacher pay and arts initiatives. Pinellas' school board is scheduled to unveil its preliminary budget at a June 24 workshop. Public hearings are set for July 29 and Sept. 9. Florida Politics. Yahoo News. Tampa Bay Times.
Teacher's unions: The Florida Education Association, a statewide teachers union, announced earlier this week that 100 of its local unions throughout the state had successfully re-certified. That means teachers represented by those unions had voted to keep their existing union alive. Under Senate Bill 256, most public sector unions in the state must hold annual recertification elections if less than 60% of the workers they represent are full, dues-paying members. State records show that so far, more than 69,000 public employees in Florida — including blue-collar workers such as school bus drivers and state-employed nurses — have seen their unions decertified and their union contracts nullified as a result of unions failing to petition for recertification. Orlando Weekly. Creative Loafing.
Homeless students: A federal law that helps homeless students get an education could be in jeopardy. NPR.
Opinions on schools: As educators, it’s our job to provide that education — to inspire students, support their growth and give them our very best. But that doesn’t happen in a vacuum, and it doesn’t happen through educators alone. It takes communities that support children and families, schools that are properly funded, and classrooms led by highly trained professionals. Rob Kriete, Tampa Bay Times. School attendance is critical for success in the classroom, and success in school is core to health across a lifespan. Children who attend school regularly are far more likely to achieve academically and graduate from high school than those who are chronically absent. Joshua Sharfstein and Bechara Choucair, The 74th. Education savings accounts, tax-credit scholarships, vouchers, charter schools, hybrid home-schooling, tutoring, course choice, dual degrees, and microschools are transforming K–12 in profound ways. Rick Hess, Education Week.
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.
Hurricane Helene aftermath: On Wednesday, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that school districts in every county are now operational after Hurricane Helene made landfall last week and ravaged parts of the state. WESH. Meanwhile, the Florida Department of Education sent a memo to superintendents letting them know that they may use an alternative window for their fall enrollment counts, which are set to begin next week. Those counts are key in establishing funding levels for the first semester. The state also extended the testing window for the first round of progress monitoring. Tampa Bay Times.
Palm Beach: After seeing record-high raises fueled by pandemic recovery money last year, Palm Beach County teachers will get a smaller bump in salary this year, according to a proposed union contract between the school district and the county's Classroom Teachers Association. The annual contract, approved on Wednesday by the school board, includes a raise of 4% for teachers. Palm Beach Post.
Pinellas: Eight years after adopting the latest version of a plan aimed at improving academic outcomes for Black students, the Pinellas County school district hasn’t met many of its goals and is looking for new approaches. School board member Caprice Edmond, the board’s lone Black member, said after reviewing the latest data that “a lot of improvement” is needed. Tampa Bay Times.
Sarasota: The Sarasota School Board handled business at a Tuesday meeting by taking steps to approve new policies regarding artificial intelligence and curriculum guidelines. The district’s new artificial intelligence guidelines, which the board passed unanimously, “emphasize the role of AI as a tool to support learning while ensuring the platforms aren’t used as a replacement for student or employee work.” The guidelines allow for the use of AI with teacher approval but say that programs may not be used as “a substitute for human creativity, judgement and creation” and warn that AI can present information that is not correct. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Escambia: Northwest Florida has seen a rise in dual-enrolled students aiming for early degrees. WEAR. Meanwhile, West Pensacola Elementary School students are collecting socks for the homeless as part of their Socktober drive. Over 3,500 pairs of socks have been collected. This year, the school along with community partners plan to collect at least 2,000 more pairs of new socks for the homeless. The new socks will be donated to Opening Doors Northwest Florida, an agency that aims to end homelessness in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, for distribution. Pensacola News Journal.
Alachua: The school board here delayed approval again on the annual improvement plan portion of the strategic plan for Alachua County Public Schools during a regular meeting earlier this week. Main Street Daily News.
Levy: Cedar Key residents weren’t willing to suffer the loss of their school. School board officials announced that students will stay on their campus after talks of busing them elsewhere. WCJB.
Blue Ribbon honors: The U.S. Department of Education recognized 356 schools with 2024 National Blue Ribbons. Of those, 15 were in Florida. National Blue Ribbon awards several hundred public and private schools for overall high academic performance, according to the federal education department. Patch.
Colleges and universities: Florida International University’s Board of Trustees voted last week to drop almost two dozen courses from the core curriculum, including Anthropology of Race & Ethnicity, Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies, and Sociology of Gender. The move follows last year’s passage of SB 266, a higher ed bill that limits the scope of general education courses permitted at public universities. Inside Higher Ed. With a $1.64 million foundation grant, the University of Central Florida is giving college scholarships to 46 students from Orange County’s poorest high schools. “We are incredibly grateful for the leadership and generosity of the DeLuca Foundation,” said Rod Grabowski, senior vice president for Advancement and Partnerships and CEO of the UCF Foundation. The scholarships will be given out during the 2024-25 school year to students from Jones, Evans, Oak Ridge, Colonial and Wekiva public high schools. Florida Politics. To address the shortage of teachers in the state, the University of Florida (UF) is launching a new degree program that could help fill some of those 5,000 vacant posts in schools. UF is offering a new online program designed to help develop teachers in the early education curriculum. The program began in August and already has its first group of students working toward degrees and certifications in the field of early childhood learning. Florida Politics.
Around the state: Relief efforts continue after Hurricane Helene, Duval approves a five-year plan that suggests closing schools and building new ones, a bus driver was fired in Palm Beach and Hillsborough officials are still dealing with issues related to a new software system. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Hillsborough: Following a disastrous rollout of a new software system, which caused headaches for teachers and other staff handling some of the district's most important student records, the system is currently here to stay. As the school district tries to make Synergy work, it will also look for other options. Tampa Bay Times.
Palm Beach: School leaders voted to fire a bus driver who left a 15-year-old Suncoast High School student alone at a park 4 miles from the student's home after he missed his stop. The March incident was infuriating and concerning to the parents of the student, who was forced to exit the bus in an area he didn't know. Palm Beach Post.
Duval: The school board here approved a five-year plan on Tuesday that suggests closing schools and building new ones in that time period. The vote was 6-1. Tuesday’s vote triggered a review process that includes a public hearing on Oct. 29, followed by a final vote on Nov. 4. The board will continue to revisit the Capital Plan each year, according to Superintendent Chris Bernier. Jax Today. WJXT.
Manatee: The school district here has unveiled opening plans for a K-8 school. The school will be the first K-8 school the district will construct from the ground up. “We know there’s a lot of interest and excitement for this project,” said Jason Wysong, the superintendent of the school district. Your Observer.
Leon: Student government leaders at Lincoln High told Superintendent Rocky Hanna that they felt safe, for now, regarding the district's safety measures. Tallahassee Democrat.
Alachua: Newberry High is collecting non-perishable items for students at Cedar Key School who were impacted by Hurricane Helene. Headed by the Student Government Association, Newberry has made Cedar Key School part of its community support efforts and will collect the supplies. The school asks for basic toiletries and hygiene supplies, socks, ready-to-eat food and cleaning supplies. Main Street Daily News.
Martin: Officials here are looking into naming rights as a new revenue stream. Tebo Partnerships, which works with school districts across the state, has pitched the idea of selling naming rights to Martin County school facilities. It's a concept school districts have used since the company began in 2014, said managing partner Brian Siatkowski. TC Palm.
Citrus: After Hurricane Helene's wrath last week, a sense of normalcy returned to students and staff in this district on Tuesday. Lecanto Primary and Crystal River High opened their doors to their neighboring schools and made Crystal River Primary School and Crystal River Middle School students and staff feel at home. Crystal River middle and high schools sustained damage during Hurricane Helene. The primary school had significant water damage and remains unable to house its Pre-K through fifth grade students. The middle school campus was deemed not safe due to damage. To help with the recovery efforts, the Citrus County Education Foundation has also established a Hurricane Helene Disaster Relief Fund. BayNews 9.
School emergencies: A trio of lawmakers in South Florida are collaborating to set new federal standards for notifying parents and guardians about school emergencies, ranging from shootings to natural disasters. The bipartisan School Safety Notification System Act — introduced by U.S. Reps. Jared Moskowitz, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick and Mario Díaz-Balart of Florida, along with Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania — is meant to streamline school emergency alert procedures. It would require districts to develop processes to provide “timely notification of covered threats and emergencies” that happen on school grounds, during school transportation or school-sponsored activities. Florida Politics.
Colleges and universities: A lecture today at Florida Southern College in Lakeland will cover a book on Spanish influence on Florida's formation. The lecture is free and open to the public. Lakeland Ledger. Florida Atlantic University's interim president will get a $100,000 bonus and contract extension. South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Opinions on schools: As technology plays an increasingly important role in Americans’ daily lives, STEM is a fundamental driver of economic success. Beyond that, learning about STEM topics prepares students to thrive in any career. It helps them see the world differently and become highly adept at solving problems and thinking critically. For these reasons and many more, it’s essential that all students — and especially those of color — receive a high-quality STEM education and learn about career options in these critical fields. Carlos Romero, The 74th.
Hurricane Helene aftermath: Days after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, some educational institutions are still preparing to open for students and staff. According to the Department of Education, eight state colleges reopened Monday. Florida Gateway College in Lake City will reopen Tuesday, and North Florida College in Madison will reopen Wednesday. Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, and Jefferson counties reopened their schools on Tuesday and Taylor, Lafayette, Hamilton, and Suwannee counties will reopen today. Florida Phoenix. For some students in Pinellas, plans to return to class after Helene is offering some normalcy for students at storm-ravaged schools in this district. The district held family meetings on Monday evening. Along with Gulf Beaches, Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 remained closed on Monday due to storm damage. Disston Academy wasn’t impacted by Helene, but was also closed to prepare the building for Gulf Beaches students. Beginning today, that’s where they’ll report for class. Disston students will share space at Lealman Innovation Academy. Also today, elementary students at the Madeira Beach K-8 will attend class at Walsingham Elementary, and middle schoolers will report to Osceola Fundamental High School starting Thursday. A final family meeting is scheduled for Tuesday for parents of middle schoolers at the Madeira Beach K-8. Baynews 9. Meanwhile, in Citrus, the temporary relocation of Crystal River Middle School (CRMS) and Crystal River Primary School (CRPS) students will continue until further notice. Both schools sustained flood damage during the storm surge that Hurricane Helene caused. “Unfortunately, we do not have a timeline as to when CRMS or CRPS will be fully open, but we’re hoping that it will be just temporary,” said district spokeswoman Lindsay Blair. Citrus County Chronicle.
Pasco: Libraries in this county have "suppressed" more than 100 children's books with LGBTQ+ themes. The county’s public library system has pulled 130 books off its shelves after Commissioner Seth Weightman called for an audit of titles that he said have “disturbing” content. The decision to pull and review the books is the most recent example of a debate that has been playing out across Florida in recent years, usually in public schools. Suncoast News. Meanwhile, some of the students of Pasco County’s sole school shuttered by Hurricane Helene are on track to resume classes in their building on Monday, as repairs to the water damage are moving more quickly than initially expected. West Pasco Education Academy, an alternative school in Hudson, took on 18 inches of water in several of its buildings.“We got in there Sunday and were able to take care of some of it,” assistant superintendent Betsy Kuhn said. “We felt we could bring part of the student population back even with the damages.” Tampa Bay Times.
Lake: A middle school in Lake County saw a 67% decrease in violent behaviors. Cecil E. Gray Middle School in Groveland was named the 2023-2024 Bronze-Level Florida Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports System Model School. It’s a program they started three years ago. Spectrum News.
Hernando: A school board member has called on her colleagues to delete certain terms from district rules. Tampa Bay Times. Suncoast News.
Upcoming days off: Some school districts are issuing reminders regarding upcoming major holidays where school will not be in session. Palm Beach Post.
Teacher spending: The National Teacher and Principal Survey reported that 95% of public school teachers reported spending their own money to buy supplies for the classroom in the most recent data available — without getting reimbursed. Many teachers can deduct up to $300 in classroom expenses from their taxes — but they often spend way more than that. Chalkbeat.
Opinions on schools: The Florida State University System (SUS) is currently in the grips of a deeply politicized and monumentally counterproductive antisemitism scare, in which an ill-informed social media response to a few screen-captured test questions threatens to permanently alter teaching and learning at Florida’s universities. South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Recently, the Arizona blob has tried to slime the ESA program, but ESA parents are fighting back in court. Matthew Ladner, NextSteps.
Hurrricane Helene aftermath: In Pasco county, dozens of school employees, students and residents came out on Sunday to provide donations in Gulf High School's cafeteria. Neighbors came by with loaded boxes and bags of clothing, bedding and toiletries for anyone in need. Gulf High plans to send some of the items to Hudson High, which is planning a similar event for Wednesday evening. Anclote High School also plans to collect and distribute donations at its football games Monday and Friday, and Sunray Elementary was planning to open its clothes closet to the community. “Never did we dream that we would have this kind of outpouring,” said Gulf High Principal Jeff Morgenstein. Tampa Bay Times. ABC Action News. In Citrus County, some schools changed locations on Monday. Citrus County Chronicle. Meanwhile, North Central Florida schools' schedules have been affected this week due to Hurricane Helene. WCJB.
Orange: Traffic has created dangerous conditions near a Windermere area school during dropoff and pickup times. Orange County government and the sheriff’s office said they would look into the issue. “That’s my worst fear is one of my children or somebody else’s kid getting severely injured, if not worse,” said parent Chris Dyer. Spectrum News.
Duval: The School Board will vote today to finalize its updated master facility plan, which determines where to locate new schools and when to consolidate or close older or underutilized schools. Built as Public School No. 21, Annie R. Morgan is one of nine Duval schools that could close at the end of the school year, and one of about two dozen schools that could close over the next 15 years. Jax Today.
Pasco: Students in this county are learning both English and social studies at once. “Social studies content is often at the back when literacy is at the forefront,” said Cassie Hernandez, a district humanities curriculum senior supervisor. “This will turn it up.” Suncoast News.
Pinellas: Storm surge caused major damage to two Pinellas schools — Gulf Beaches Elementary and Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8. WFLA. At an assessment on Sunday, only eight schools remained without power out of the 40 schools without power on Friday. WFLA.
Seminole: With the general election about a month away, attention is shifting to the contest for Seminole County's District 3 school board seat. Recent school safety threats have placed the spotlight on this race, as candidates outline their platforms to address these pressing issues. Spectrum News.
Cellphone bans: More than half of U.S. states have taken steps to ban or restrict cellphone usage in K-12 schools, according to a new analysis. But the jury's still out on whether cellphone bans actually make life better for students. Axios.
Colleges and universities: A list recently came out that ranks the 10 best online Florida colleges offering bachelor's programs. Forbes. University of South Florida's campuses are bouncing back after Hurricane Helene despite some damage to some facilities. USF shut down operations as the hurricane approached and made landfall as a Category 4 on Thursday. Florida Politics. The University of Central Florida Board of Trustees on Friday updated policies governing campus protests to address people who conceal their identity or restrict the movements of others. Trustees voted to add new language prohibiting people protesting on UCF campuses from wearing something that conceals their identity, including masks and hoods, while violating a law, regulation or policy or attempting to intimidate someone. Orlando Sentinel. Some historically Black colleges and universities are seeing an enrollment boost. NPR. Meanwhile, New College of Florida’s national stock took a hit for the second year in a row, with another drop in U.S. News and World Report’s ranking of the top liberal arts schools in the county — though New College representatives say the ranking doesn't accurately reflect the school's status. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
School updates after Hurricane Helene: On Saturday, officials announced that most Pinellas county schools and offices will reopen and resume normal operations today after Hurricane Helene. The only ones that won't: Gulf Beaches Elementary, Madeira Beach Fundamental K-8 and Disston Academy. WUSF. Tampa Bay Times. Schools in Hillsborough are reopening today because there was only minor damage during Helene. Meanwhile, students at West Pasco Education Academy will not be at their campus due to flooding. District officials said they would contact families to discuss plans for the alternative school. Tampa Bay Times. In Citrus, the district plans to resume school today with some location changes for schools that were damaged during Helene. Citrus County Chronicle. Schools in Manatee and Sarasota counties plan to be open today. WWSB.
Polk: In the first five weeks of this school year, Polk County could have issued 3,888 fines of $225 to drivers for illegally passing stopped school buses that were picking up or letting off children, according to figures recently released. Drivers instead received warnings. But starting Wednesday, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office is authorized to send citations that carry a $225 fine to violating drivers. LKLD Now.
Volusia: Sheriff Mike Chitwood is tired of school threats in central Florida and is weighing in on the consequences. "Why are we allowing 1% of the knuckleheads to control the lives of the other 99%?" he said. WESH.
Escambia: A federal judge last week shielded Escambia County School Board members from having to testify in a legal battle about the removal of a children's book from school libraries. A U.S. District Judge issued a 10-page order agreeing with the school board that members do not have to give depositions because of what is known as “legislative privilege.” Tallahassee Democrat.
Okaloosa: A group of students at Niceville High need help getting to Japan. Of the 100 students in the school's gifted program, eight are part of a marine biodiversity study initiative called Natural Geography In-Shore Areas. They will represent Okaloosa and be the only high school in the United States to present at the 2nd World Congress of Marine Stations conference this November in Japan. NWF Daily News.
Education accessibility: A local man is helping make education more accessible to the Hispanic community. Brian Serrano is on the mayor of Tampa’s Hispanic Advisory Council and was chair from 2020 to 2024. During his tenure, they raised more than a million dollars in scholarships for students and created a mentorship program called DALE, which stands for Development Accelerated for Latinos Education. ABC Action News.
Pandemic aid: Schools are exhausting pandemic aid as federal help winds down. Schools have to say by the end of this month how they plan to spend the last of their $123 billion from the American Rescue Plan, the third and final batch of schools’ COVID aid from the federal government. Then they have until Jan. 28, 2025 to spend the money. The 74th.
History report: The American Historical Association's new report discusses how U.S. history is taught in middle and high schools across America. NPR.
Colleges and universities: A new study from University of Florida's College of Design, Construction and Planning focuses on electric vehicle charging in relation to extreme weather events. During emergencies marked by high winds and flooding, the interconnected challenges of supply and demand become more pronounced. Electric vehicle charging services face big challenges at these times due to infrastructure damages and restricted access. Main Street Daily News.
Opinions on schools: Nothing shapes a community's future more than the health of its public schools. That's why voters in Hillsborough County should approved a supplemental tax to increase teacher pay. Tampa Bay Times Editorial Board. Through books, young people can learn how others have responded to the dark side of our nature. Exposure to the full range of human experience will help empower them to make ethical lifestyle choices - to mature into decent people. Amy Handlin, Miami Herald. The latest early education stats are out. And once again, they show that few places in America do a sorrier job preparing kids for kindergarten than Florida. Basically, we serve a lot of kids, but serve them poorly … making us like the Taco Bell of early education. Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel. It is essential that Amendment 1 is defeated. Bill Korson, Ft. Myers News-Press. If Floridians are not worried about what’s happening at our state universities, they should be. Charles B. Dew, Tampa Bay Times. The use of artificial intelligence can increase teacher creativity and provide classroom advice. Samantha Keppler and Clare Snyder, the 74th.
Hurricane Helene: School officials called off classes on Thursday in Palm Beach in anticipation of Hurricane Helene. Palm Beach joined nearby Martin and St. Lucie counties, who also called off classes. School buses can't operate safely once winds reach higher than 35 mph, according to the Florida Department of Education. Of this county's nearly 189,000 students, more than 54,000 take buses that run along 500 routes daily. School officials said normal operations should resume today, and that the district will not add a day to the year's calendar to make up for the closure on Thursday. Palm Beach Post. The state's Department of Education issued a news release with a list of school districts, colleges and universities that will temporarily close due to Helene. The agency said it "works closely with school districts before, during and after natural disasters to ensure they have the resources necessary to resume normal operations as quickly as possible. It will continue collaborating with district leadership to address questions as they arise." Florida Department of Education. TC Palm. Patch. In north Florida, both Escambia and Santa Rosa County school districts announced schools would be closed on Thursday due to Helene. “We anticipate normal district operations will resume on Friday, Sept. 27,” stated Superintendent Keith Leonard. “Of course, we'll continue to work closely with local emergency operations officials to determine what is safest for our families and staff. We will always err on the side of caution when it comes to the safety of our students and employees." Pensacola News Journal. Along the Treasure Coast, Palm Beaches and Okeechobee, school plans varied. WPBF. In Polk County, schools will be closed today as they were Thursday. LKLD Now.
Legislature updates: The state Board of Education voted to ask the Legislature for $27.2 billion, up about $167 million from this fiscal year, for the 2025-26 education operating and fixed outlay budget. "The education budget — it’s one of the largest budget items where we have discretion,” Chair Ben Gibson said during the meeting. The Board unanimously approved the upcoming legislative request at a virtual meeting that lasted less than 30 minutes. Florida Trend. Politico. Tampa Bay Times. Florida Phoenix.
Court ruling: A court ruling in Disney's favor could force Orange County Public Schools to refund millions in property taxes to the company. The decision, handed down earlier this week, followed an eight-year legal battle over claims that the Orange County Property Appraiser's Office improperly calculated the taxable value of the Yacht & Beach Club, a 1,200-room Disney-owned resort and convention hotel near the Epcot theme park. Yahoo News. Orlando Sentinel.
Banned books: As Banned Books Week comes to a close, book publishers, authors and parents are continuing to fight back about the state's book bans. WMNF.
Broward: A high school counselor was told he was under investigation one day after he criticized the Broward Teachers Union president. But district administrators said it was all a misunderstanding. South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Sarasota: Security efforts are being enhanced with AI gun detection in Sarasota schools. Tampa Bay Business Journal.
Lake: School speed camera tickets in Eustis decreased after months of increasing. The Eustis Police Department became the first law enforcement agency in Florida to install and then activate school-zone speed cameras. “Everybody seems to be going pretty good right now. I’m very proud of this, I think the word is getting out," said Chief Craig Capri. WKMG.
College fair: A college fair that began in 2009 will again be held in partnership with the Martin Luther King Jr. Commission of Florida. Educating students and families about the college admissions and financial aid process and helping athletes connect with prospective colleges, especially historically Black colleges and universities, is the main purpose of the fair, said Mike Powell, the main organizer of the event. The Gainesville Sun.
Colleges and universities: For the eighth year in a row, Florida was named the top state for higher education by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings take into account various factors that include graduation rates, social mobility, student debt, retention rates and academic reputation. Flagler Live. A University of Florida professor-turned-astronaut continues to work on his research collected in space during his Aug. 29 flight. Dr. Robert Ferl flew on Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket for a 15-minute suborbital journey – the same flight time of first American astronaut Alan B. Shepard in 1961. But Ferl had some extra baggage in tow. WUFT. College students are facing poverty and homelessness. A U.S. Department of Education survey found that around 8% of college students are unhoused, and more suffer food insecurity. WUSF.
Around the state: Hurricane Helene closures continue across the state as the storm heads toward Florida, fathers are honored in Miami-Dade, a transportation issue has been solved in Collier and a charter school in Leon is allowing elementary aged kids to play sports. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Helene-related closures: University, college and public school closures and cancellations abound this week as Hurricane Helene heads toward Florida. Some institutions opted for a half day on Wednesday with plans to remain closed until Monday. Tampa Bay Times. Florida Department of Education. WFLA. Citrus County Chronicle. WBBH. Main Street Daily News.
Miami-Dade: Officials in this school district are focusing on fathers who play a major role for schools and students. On Tuesday, the school board kicked off a special celebration of "Fathers in Education Day" at Pinecrest Elementary School. The event was founded 10 years ago by the Fatherhood Task Force of South Florida. WSVN.
Hillsborough: The rate of students receiving high school diplomas instead of a certificate of completion has improved by 75%, according to the Hillsborough County school district. A certificate of completion is given when all course requirements for a diploma are fulfilled but the student lacks the requirements for graduation. Spectrum News.
Pasco: School officials were under fire on Tuesday soon after they announced classes would take place on Wednesday, despite Tropical Storm Helene. Some asked why the district didn't follow the lead of its neighboring counties and close schools to allow time for preparation. Superintendent Kurt Browning said it didn't make sense to cancel classes and lose a day of instructional time. “Why would I want to close schools when today is going to look like yesterday?” Browning said. “If parents are concerned about a bright sunny day, then keep your children home.” Tampa Bay Times. Meanwhile, a telehealth program implemented in Polk public schools more than two years ago has been used 11,308 times, with mental health therapy sessions rising in the second year and physical health visits declining in year two. LKLD Now.
Brevard: The principal of a Palm Bay Christian school and his wife are accused of stealing almost $50,000 that was supposed to be spent on students. WKMG.
Collier: Students at Marco Island Charter Middle School will have a school bus again after weeks without public transportation. In June, Collier County Public Schools stopped providing bus service to them, so the school has opted to purchase two brand new buses of their own. “I think this is a great step forward for the school and for our families here,” said Principal Margo Heidenreich. Fox 4 Now.
Leon: A charter school in Tallahassee is allowing elementary aged students to play sports. Renaissance Academy is a free K-8 public charter school and the only public school, charter or not, to offer the chance for elementary school students to play school-sanctioned sports. “A lot of parents were proud and happy and were like, hey finally, my child can do something other than the typical after school programs,” said Desirae Edmonds, a coach for Renaissance Academy. WCTV.
Indian River: School board members are putting into motion a raise for Superintendent David Moore. The school board voted 4-1 on Monday to start salary negotiations with Moore, who has been in the job nearly five years. The board could vote on a raise in October. TC Palm.
Opinions on schools: AmeriCorps has been a critical asset that has provided committed and engaged citizens willing to serve their schools and communities in a times of enormous need. If Congress does not act, though, AmeriCorps’s participation could drop significantly — or even go away altogether. This would impact hundreds of thousands of students at a critical time. Robert Balfanz and Kevin Huffman, the 74th.
Tropical Storm Helene closures and cancellations: Ahead of Tropical Storm Helene, officials across the state have announced public school closures, and Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency in many of the state's 67 counties. Some schools are closing today and Thursday and will make decisions regarding what to do about Friday at a later time, while others have already decided to close on Friday. After school activities in many counties are canceled until further notice. The Florida Department of Education says it works closely with school districts before, during and after natural disasters to provide resources and resume normal operations. In the Panhandle, school officials are still making decisions on when school will be open. In Tampa Bay, school districts began to announce cancellations on Tuesday. Regarding colleges and universities, Florida State University's Tallahassee campus is closed today due to T.S. Helene. Other institutions, including Florida A&M University, are following suit. ABC Action News. Florida Department of Education. Tallahassee Democrat. WJHG. BayNews9. Suncoast News. Tallahassee Democrat.
Hillsborough: Members of the school board in this county have asked leaders of D- and F-rated charter schools to present improvement plans. “We’ve had a lot of conversation around — can the school board even do anything about a D and F school?” said School Board Vice Chair Jessica Vaughn. “And over the last several years, the legislation has pretty much tied our hands from doing anything around charter schools.” Bay News 9.
Pasco: Two veteran educators are vying to be superintendent of schools in this county. Tampa Bay Times.
Seminole: A mental health services provider in this county is trying to expand its presence in the school district after finding success on eight campuses. WKMG.
Hernando: School board member Shannon Rodriguez said the board will return to removing challenged books from the shelves once it has a new majority. Suncoast News.
Best states for teachers: Wallethub released its 2024 ranking of the best states for U.S. teachers. Florida ranked No., 8 overall. WKMG.
Home education rising: More parents are opting for home education. The Florida Department of Education reported that home education jumped 58% over the last five years. Also important for parents is finding alternative ways to build necessary skills while not in a traditional classroom. CBS 12.
Student arrested: An Englewood High student was arrested on Monday after multiple guns, including an assault rifle, were found in their vehicle on campus, the principal said. Jax Today.
Colleges and universities: South Florida's three major universities surged this year in the U.S. News & World Report's annual ranking of the country's best national universities. The University of Miami rose four places to 63rd nationwide, while Florida International University and Florida Atlantic University rocketed 20 or more spots each. Meanwhile, Florida's highest-ranked schools, University of Florida and Florida State University, dropped slightly in the rankings released Tuesday. “The impressive rankings achieved by our 12 universities this year reaffirm Florida’s status as the top state for higher education,” state university system chancellor Ray Rodrigues said in a statement. “The State University System of Florida remains committed to maintaining academic excellence and delivering a high-quality education. The recognition from U.S. News & World Report highlights the successful results of our efforts.” Palm Beach Post. Tampa Bay Times. Main Street Daily News. Miami Herald. Meanwhile, more light has been shed on the many issues that plagued the FAFSA. NPR. Also, Tallahassee was named one of the best college towns in the United States, according to travel website Thrillist. GulfLive.
Opinions on schools: American military aviation strategy can teach the ESA movement a few things. Matthew Ladner, NextSteps. Home-based teaching can support student learning and reduce teacher burnout. Chad Aldeman, The 74th.
