Around the state: Contract negotiations move forward in Duval, discussion about new schools in St. Johns, state officials are set to remove the vaccine mandate and non-lethal drones could be used in schools. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Duval: The School Board in this county has officially given officials the green light to move ahead with contract negotiations surrounding the relocation of the district's headquarters. During a meeting on Tuesday night, the school board voted 6-1 to allow DCPS Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier to proceed with negotiations. A local nonprofit has a $20 million offer on the table to buy the current riverfront property that houses the headquarters. Board members are scheduled to vote on the headquarters sale during their Oct. 7 regular meeting. The School Board must approval all major decisions regarding real estate. News4Jax. Meanwhile, a nonprofit organization offering Bible classes to students sparked a debate during the meeting. The superintendent and school board chair both confirmed that the school district does not have a partnership with LifeWise, the nonprofit that will offer Bible classes to students. Parents have the right to allow their children to take part in the off-campus classes because of a state law. First Coast News.
St. Johns: The school district here held the first of two town halls Tuesday to address updating attendance zones to accommodate two new K–8 schools set to open in the 2026–27 school year. During the town halls, the district is bringing together School Board members, staff and the public to answer questions and hear feedback. The schools are currently under construction, and the district needs the new schools to keep up with the county’s rapid growth. News4Jax.
Escambia: The second highest number of school shootings in the nation's history was in 2024, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database. Now, the company Campus Guardian Angel is targeting the threat with non-lethal drones for schools. The program is taking flight in Florida. The drones will not replace physical officers and are designed to take down active threats in schools. WEAR.
Alachua: The School Board in this county unanimously approved the second reading of several policy amendments on Tuesday, which included discussions on the use of personally owned wireless communication devices by students. During Tuesday’s regular meeting, the policy that arguably drew the most discussion amongst the board was regarding student use of WCDs. “This amendment aligns with House Bill 1105, which amends Florida Statue 1006.07 and sets forth the prohibitions for student’s use of personally owned wireless communication devices – or WCDs – for elementary, middle and high school students,” Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources Deborah Terry said. Main Street Daily News.
Indian River: Schools in this county are not seeing a significant decline in student enrollment. The total enrollment for the district is down just 1.2% from the previous year. The official count for this school year is 14,073 students — down 174 kids from September of last year. WPEC.
Vaccine mandates: Florida is set to end all state vaccine mandates, state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced during a news conference on Wednesday. The state for decades required vaccines for kids attending school, including shots that protect against measles, mumps, rubella, polio, chickenpox and Hepatitis B. The state Health Department, Ladapo said, can scrap its own rules for some vaccine mandates, but others would require action by the Florida Legislature. Miami Herald. WFLX. CBS Miami. ABC News.
AI success: Florida Virtual School joined the University of Florida and the Concord Consortium to launch a pilot course called AI in Math this summer. The goal is to introduce middle and high school students to AI concepts using interactive lessons. Tampa Bay Times.
Opinions on schools: The school board’s decision to close six schools didn’t buy Hillsborough another five years to confront its glut of empty classrooms. It didn’t even buy three. In fact, in 2024, the first year the full closure plan took effect, Hillsborough had the same number of schools (83) operating at or below 70% capacity as it did in 2022, when discussions about closings first got underway. John Hill, Tampa Bay Times.
Around the state: Funding was cut at four schools Gov. Ron DeSantis alleges have communist ties, a high school marching band in Venice is headed overseas to perform, the state of Florida leads the nation in book bans and a data breach occurred in Hillsborough. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Palm Beach: Students aren't the only ones who receive report cards in this county. The school district's leaders do, too. Palm Beach Post.
Hillsborough: The protected information on 254 students has been accessed improperly as a result of a cybersecurity breach, according to a letter sent to families recently by the Hillsborough County school district. The information may include names, Social Security numbers and details about school nurse visits, among other information. Tampa Bay Times.
Sarasota: The Venice High Marching Band will perform in London for a New Year's Day parade in January 2025, the school announced recently in a press release. About 100 band students will travel to London for about a week during the district’s winter break and will perform alongside more than 8,000 performers. The event will also stream on PBS with a street audience of about half a million people, according to the release. “The kids are really excited about this. The families are excited. Our school is excited. I'm excited, as you can tell,” said Band Director David Wing. Sarasota Herald Tribune.
Bathroom rule: The governing body of the state University System of Florida is moving forward with a proposed rule that prohibits faculty from using restrooms that don't correspond to their assigned gender at birth. Gov. DeSantis signed the law in May, and the Board of Governors approved moving forward with a notice of intent to adopt a new regulation about the designation of restrooms or having unisex restrooms. “University employees who violate (the law), are subject to their university’s established disciplinary procedures, which must include disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal,” the proposed regulation said. Universities are required to provide documentation certifying their compliance with the law by April 1. Amanda Phalin, a member of the Board of Governors who also is a professor at the University of Florida, voted against moving forward with the regulation. Orlando Weekly. CBS 47. WCJB. CBS Miami. Florida Phoenix.
Book bans: Florida leads the nation in book bans according to a new report by national free speech group PEN America. The report found 3,362 instances of books banned across the nation in the 2022-23 school year, which is up 33% from the previous one. School districts in Palm Beach and Okeechobee counties have not banned any books. Jonathan Friedman, the director of education programs for the nonprofit group, calls the escalation of book bans "alarming." Tallahassee Democrat. WUSF. WPTV. WFSU.
Funding cuts: Gov. Ron DeSantis said he ordered the Florida Department of Education to suspend the availability of school choice scholarships to four private schools he says have alleged ties to the Chinese Communist Party. The schools are: Lower Sagemont Preparatory School in Weston; Upper Sagemont Preparatory School in Weston; Parke House Academy in Winter Park; Park Maitland School in Maitland. In the release, DeSantis said the four schools have "direct ties to the CCP (Chinese Community Party) and their connections constitute an imminent threat to the health, safety, and welfare of these school’s students and the public." Fox 35. WKMG. WESH. Tampa Bay Times.
University and college news: The Florida Board of Governors voted to close three University of Central Florida campuses. WMFE. New College of Florida Interim President Richard Corcoran made his case to students and employees to keep his job on a permanent basis. The Board of Trustees is expected to make a decision on the president during an Oct. 3 meeting. Tampa Bay Times. WUSF. University of Florida's Rob Ferl is leading a national panel on space research. Main Street Daily News.
Opinions on schools: In a recent survey, The Wall Street Journal named University of Florida the best public college in the United States and No. 15 among all schools, both public and private. Several other state universities are also doing well, according to the WSJ, which said its rankings reject the assumption that education quality is largely dictated by how expensive it is to produce. Editorial Board, Tampa Bay Times. Young people are more active and less informed. Cortney Stewart, Citrus County Chronicle. District officials say frustration is mounting as they try to enforce new education laws championed by Florida's Republican-run government regarding race, sex, gender issues and books. Editorial Board, Tampa Bay Times.
Around the state: Mentors are needed for a program in Citrus, history standards stir controversy nationwide, a change in plans at the newest high school in Palm Beach, back-to-school giveaways in Duval and Orange and new leadership in Lee. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state's districts, private schools, colleges and universities:
Broward: The new schools superintendent here is no stranger to South Florida public schools. Dr. Peter Licata grew up in Pompano Beach and spent three decades as a teacher, principal and administrator in Palm Beach County. WLRN.
Palm Beach: A change in plans for this county's newest high school will result in a new artificial turf football field for about $1.4 million. Dr. Joaquín García High will be just the fourth public high school in the district with a turf field. When the district staff made the change just six weeks before the football team's home opener, they didn't allow the normal bidding process to keep the price competitive, saying that they did not have time. Crews from Pirtle Construction were installing the base for a natural sod football field at the school — the district's first new high school in 18 years — when the school board approved the artificial turf on Wednesday. Palm Beach Post.
Orange: With school starting in a few weeks in this county, events and giveaways abound to make sure students are all set for their first day. This weekend, hundreds of families showed up at Eccleston Elementary for a literacy and book giveaway that was hosted in part by Need to Read Inc., a nonprofit that regularly hosts literacy events to emphasize the importance of reading at a young age. “We have to start early with our children because low literacy leads to all kinds of detrimental outcomes,” said Pastor Roderick Zak. WKMG.
Duval: One mother who lost her son is making sure kids have what they need to have a good school year. For the second year in a row, there will be a back-to-school giveaway in honor of Rashaud Fields, set for noon on July 29 at The Legends Center on Soutel Drive. At least 200 backpacks will be given away, as well as school supplies. There will also be food, drinks, games and a chance for kids to participate in flag football and a basketball tournament. News 4 Jax.
Lee: There are 14 new principals in Lee county schools. Ft. Myers News-Press.
Citrus: Mentors are needed for the 2023-24 school year for a program called Men Building Men and Women Building Women. The goal is to provide young men and women in Citrus with positive, influential role models who are willing and committed to giving them leadership, guidance and direction to become successful in life. “You know they’re going through a rough time, and a lot of them have poor attendance and poor grades … and for some, school just isn’t their priority because of other things that are going on,” said mentor Curtis Lewis. Citrus Chronicle.
Controversial history standards: In the wake of the Florida Department of Education's new standards on African American history that suggest slaves benefited from skills they learned while enslaved, the department issued a statement that offered examples of 16 historic figures they said fit that description. But Vice President Kamala Harris said extremists want to "replace history with lies" as she traveled to Florida on Friday. Meanwhile, the American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten and her colleague Leo Casey on Saturday issued a joint statement. Tampa Bay Times. Miami Herald. WFTV. NPR.
Shelter bill: The U.S. House last week passed a bill to bar the use of public K-12 school facilities to provide shelter for migrants seeking asylum in the United States. The bill is known as the "School Not Shelters Act," and if enacted into law, public schools and public higher education institutions would risk losing federal funding if they provide shelter to migrants who have not been admitted into the country. Florida Phoenix.
University and college news: Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Friday that Michael White was appointed to the Board of Trustees at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, or FAMU. White's confirmation is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate. White is set to replace Michael Dubose, whose term expired in January. “As a proud Rattler, I am honored to have received this distinguished appointment by Governor DeSantis. I look forward to contributing to developing the University’s policies and programs to ensure they build upon the legacy of FAMU,” said White. WXTL. University of Florida Researcher Felipe Ferrao says Florida could become a global hub for coffee research. That's why he's leading studies into the caffeinated beverage and the plants that produce it. Main Street Daily News.
Opinions on schools: Should the state's political leaders care what people in other states think of our education culture debates? Yes, and here's why. Paul Cottle, Bridge to Tomorrow.
Across the state: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a financial literacy bill, the school board in Escambia is meeting about weapons policies, reading level disparities in Alachua and funding woes in Leon. Here are details about those stories and other developments from the state's districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Brevard: The Brevard chapter of Moms for Liberty sent Brevard Public Schools a second list of books that the group deemed pornographic. The chapter has been reading books from high school and middle school libraries to find materials that members think violate pornography laws. Florida Today.
Pasco: Kirkland Ranch Academy of Innovation will be opening this fall in Wesley Chapel. Students at the school will have the chance to get certified in one of 10 programs. They can then continue on to college or into the workforce. The $70 million campus will be state of the art. ABC Action News.
Escambia: County school board members are meeting about changing a policy that allows 18-year-old students to legally have a gun in their vehicle on school campuses. The school district is calling the policy a "loophole." WEAR TV.
Leon: Leon County Schools will miss out on millions in education funding due to an increase in students taking advantage of new state laws that allow district funds to go to private schools. The district will finish the 2021-22 budget year with a $11.5 million deficit. Tallahassee Democrat. A beloved former Leon High School teacher named Sara Lamar passed away, leaving behind a legacy of literacy. Tallahassee Democrat.
Alachua: The public school system here has the largest disparity of reading levels between Black and white students in the state, according to data from the Florida Department of Education. The data shows a gap of 47 percentage points between reading levels of white and Black students in Alachua, which are 72 % and 25%, respectively. The reading gap here is larger than the statewide average of 29 percentage points. WUFT. Meanwhile, school officials at Littlewood Elementary School want faculty members to complete online security training to combat online security risks. WUFT.
St. Johns: Schools in this district teamed up for hands-on activities to learn about the ecosystem and how to be better stewards of the environment by doing activities like planting their own vegetables. CBS 47.
Citrus: The Citrus High School concert band is preparing to compete at the state level for the second time in about 30 years. In April, they will travel to the University of Florida's Phillips Center for the State Concert Music Performance Assessment (MPA). Citrus County Chronicle.
Flagler: The Flagler County Commission is considering ending a long-standing smart-growth rule that there would no longer have to be sufficient school capacity for new developments to move forward. The change involves a proposed revision of the county's Comprehensive Plan, eliminating the "school concurrency" requirement. Flagler Live. The Flagler County Commission also voted 5-0 this week to approve the first increase in school impact fees in 17 years. The move ended a seven-month confrontation between the commission and the school board as the commission refused to approved the board's initial request for an increase and pushed for concessions favoring home builders that the school board was not willing to make. Flagler Live.
Monroe: A Catholic high school will return to Key West in 2023, answering the requests of local parents and families who wanted their child's Catholic-school education at The Basilica School of St. Mary's Star of the Sea to continue beyond eighth grade. Keys Weekly.
Financial literacy: Gov. DeSantis signed a bill Tuesday that would require high schools students to know financial literacy. He announced the signing of the bill during a news conference Tuesday with Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran and Senate President Wilton Simpson at the Innovation Preparatory Academy in Wesley Chapel. The bill would require all Florida high school students to meet a financial literacy one half credit requirement in order to graduate. The requirement would begin sometime between the 2023 and 2024 school year. WXTL. WESH. Fox 13. WPLG.
Education degrees: Colleges of education say enrollment has been steadily declining for the past decade as teacher dissatisfaction rates rise and concerns about teacher shortages intensify. The pandemic has likely made things even worse. Education Week.
Supreme Court news: Ketanji Brown Jackson is making history as the first Black woman to be nominated to the nation's highest court, changing the way some students see themselves. WLRN.
University and college news: University of South Florida has chosen Rhea Law as their new president. Law will become the eighth person to hold the job. The nomination is pending approval by the state Board of Governors next week. Law is an attorney who has been interim president since August after former President Steven Currall stepped down. Tampa Bay Times. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Theater and engineering students at the University of West Florida recently joined forces to design and fabricate a giant mechanical lion to be used on stage in the upcoming performance of "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe." Pensacola News Journal.
Opinions on schools: Opponents of school choice such as the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers argue that vouchers, education savings accounts and other parent-centered reforms would "drain resources" from public schools. But this reasoning should finally be put to bed. Dan Lips, reimaginED. Chronic absenteeism skyrocketed during the pandemic. Even when absences are for "excused" reasons, like health or transportation issues, families can experience a lack of support that feels like pain in addition to punishment. Joanna Smith-Griffin, The 74th.
