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The Trump administration has published new details of its plans to wind down the U.S. Department of Education, revealing how the agency will support students with disabilities, and those from low-income families, while also cutting federal bureaucracy. The more comprehensive budget released on Friday recommends a total of $66.7bn for all Education Department activities, 15.3% down on its current funding level. “Our goal is clear: to make education better, fairer, and more accountable by ending Federal overreach and empowering families, schools, and States who best know the needs of their students,” the budget document said. Funding for Title I, Part A grants to low-income school communities is maintained at $18.4bn, while $14.9bn is budgeted for Part B state grants under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a $677.5m increase. Additionally, the budget consolidates 18 smaller programs including teacher training, school safety, and students experiencing homelessness, into one grant, cutting funding from approximately $6.5bn to $2bn. U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon will appear before a Senate Appropriations subcommittee panel today to discuss the funding requests.

 

K-12 Dive

NPR / National Public Radio

Stay Compliant: Your State’s K-12 Training Requirements

State training mandates can change rapidly, making it complicated for K-12 schools and districts to stay current on mandates and state compliance. Download your state's compliance guide for compliance requirements, links to related legislation or policy documentation, details on training requirements for staff and students, and more.

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Anastasios I. Kamoutsas, a deputy chief of staff to Gov. Ron DeSantis, is emerging as a leading candidate to succeed Manny Diaz Jr. as Florida's education commissioner. Diaz is set to become the interim president of the University of West Florida in July.

 

Tampa Bay Times

Nathalie Lynch-Walsh, a long-serving volunteer and critic of the Broward School District, has been removed from her positions on three district committees following allegations of bullying a police officer. Lynch-Walsh, who has been involved with the district for 13 years, claims her removal is retaliation for her criticisms of district operations, particularly regarding the arrest of another volunteer, Debbie Espinoza. An internal investigation concluded that Lynch-Walsh violated the district's bullying and civility policies, citing a power imbalance in her role.

 

Sun Sentinel

Larry Ferlazzo, an English and social studies teacher at Luther Burbank High School in Sacramento, is retiring and has shared valuable advice for new teachers. He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with students, stating, “students tend to learn more from teachers they like.” Ferlazzo encourages educators to show care, use humor, and be flexible in their approach. He advises against taking things personally and suggests that new teachers should seek help from colleagues, as asking for assistance is a sign of strength. He concludes with a reminder that “losing a teacher hurts everyone,” highlighting the collective interest in teacher success. For more insights, Ferlazzo invites readers to explore his previous posts on teaching advice.

 

Education Week News

On May 20, the Hernando County School Board conducted a workshop to discuss the 2025 annual engagement survey results. With a projected population growth of over 15,000 in the next decade, the feedback from these surveys is crucial for enhancing the academic experience. The employee engagement survey had an 81% participation rate, with over 90% agreement in 12 out of 24 categories. Parents also expressed satisfaction, with 90% feeling their school was safe. The student survey revealed that 91% of students believe their teachers want them to succeed, although only 78% felt safe.

 

Hernando Sun

Student homelessness in Florida surged by 21% during the 2022-23 school year, with St. Lucie County reporting 5.5% of its students experiencing homelessness, significantly higher than the statewide average of 3%. Kylee Fuhr, the district's liaison for homeless students, noted: “Every family has a different story and reason for why they're in that situation.” The increase is attributed to factors such as natural disasters and a lack of affordable housing. Over 69,000 students are "doubling up" with friends or relatives, often in overcrowded conditions. The St. Lucie County school district is proactive in identifying homeless students, training staff to recognize signs of homelessness. Fuhr emphasized “We focus on providing stability and doing everything we can to get them through to graduation,” highlighting the district's commitment to supporting these vulnerable students.

 

TCPalm

Kristin Bozeman, the Principal of Matanzas High School and Flagler Schools’ Principal of the Year, is stepping down after three years in the role. Superintendent LaShakia Moore announced the news during a meeting with faculty and staff, stating that the search for Bozeman's successor is underway, with plans to appoint a new principal before the 2025-26 school year. Bozeman, who previously served as the director of Instructional Personnel in St. Johns County, expressed her gratitude, saying: “It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve the students, families, faculty and staff of Matanzas.”

 

Daytona Beach News Journal

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is inviting public comments on proposed amendments to the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 213 regarding child restraint systems (CRSs) by June 30. Key proposals include exempting school bus CRSs from side impact requirements if they meet specific labeling standards, delaying the compliance date to December 5, 2026, to avoid market disruption, and changing testing procedures for forward-facing CRSs. The NHTSA aims to address concerns raised by CRS manufacturers, stating that the amendments will "prevent market disruption resulting in reduced availability of CRSs."

 

School Bus Fleet

The Florida International University Board of Trustees has unanimously appointed Jeanette Nuñez as the university's president, following her role as interim president since February. Nuñez, who has a strong academic background with both bachelor's and master's degrees from FIU, is set to receive a five-year contract with a base salary of $925,000 and potential performance bonuses of up to $400,000. She emphasized the need for the university's reputation to reflect its academic excellence, stating, “We need to make sure that our reputation matches our reality.”

 

The St. Augustine Record

The Florida Board of Governors is set to vote today regarding the confirmation of Dr. Santa Ono as the University of Florida's 14th president. The decision follows the unanimous approval from UF's Board of Trustees and comes amid significant political pushback, particularly concerning Ono's past support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. U.S. Rep. Greg Steube expressed his discontent, stating: "His dubious record throughout his career makes it clear that Dr. Ono is unfit to lead our state's flagship university." Despite the controversy, Ono has stated that he believes DEI initiatives do more harm than good and has committed to not reinstating them at UF.

 

The Gainesville Sun

Students in Quebec are calling for changes to the weighting of their ministerial exams. The province is the only one in Canada where some final exams account for 50%of high school students' final grades. While it has standardized Grade 10 and 11 exams in French, English, mathematics, history and science, all worth 25%-35% of final grades, other subjects, including basic French as a second language, count for 50%. Grade 11 student Luca Di Fiore, said the final exam feels like a judgment, adding: "To hear that one test that you do at the end of the year, irrespective of everything you've accomplished throughout the entire year, could just change everything for you [is unfortunate]." Paul Berry, a Grade 10 and 11 mathematics and history teacher at Options High School, is also advocating for a reduction in the final exam's weight. "[The government treats] these exams like they're sacred texts and like they're the be-all and end-all," he said, adding: "There's nothing really in life where you're going to be facing that type of situation … It's just not the way the real world works." However, Education Minister Bernard Drainville said that there are no plans to change the system. "Fifty percent to ensure equality, to ensure that we can compare results from one school to the next, from one region to the next," he told reporters last week.

 

CBC News