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On Friday, President Donald Trump signed a sweeping tax and spending bill into law in a high-profile White House ceremony. Celebrated as a major legislative win, the "Big Beautiful Bill" extends most of Trump's 2017 tax cuts and adds deductions for tips, overtime, and seniors. The bill, which the Congressional Budget Office estimates will aid $3.4tn to federal deficits over the next 10 years, is being partially paid for by significant cuts to health care and nutrition programs, including Medicaid, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to over 13m children and makes kids automatically eligible for free meals at school. It also largely terminates numerous tax incentives from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act for clean energy, electric vehicles, and energy efficiency programs, ending tax credits for new and used electric vehicles, the installation of home EV charging equipment, and for insulation and energy efficient heating and cooling systems. It creates a new voucher-like program that will pay for private school scholarships, although states will be allowed to opt out if they wish. Individuals can subtract $1,700 off their tax bill if they donate that amount to an organization that awards scholarships to kids who attend private school. The cuts to Medicaid, the fourth-largest source of federal funding for schools, have caused alarm; Jessie Mandle, the national program director at the nonprofit Healthy Schools Campaign, said it is the equivalent of cutting district budgets, adding: “School districts are very much aware of how important Medicaid dollars are to serve students with disabilities, address the youth mental crisis, [and] address students’ behavioral health needs.”  

 

CBS News

Chalkbeat

About 7,000 educators gathered in Portland for the National Education Association's (NEA) annual meeting, which took place in Portland from July 1-7. NEA President Becky Pringle emphasized the importance of educators' involvement in decision-making, stating, "Educators must be at the core of all decisions that are made." The meeting served as a platform for setting the union's agenda, electing officers, and discussing education policies. Pringle also addressed the impact of the Trump administration's withholding of $7bn in federal funding, calling it "unconscionable" and highlighting the need for accountability in the upcoming elections. Congress had already appropriated that money. A part of our challenge and our responsibility is to take this very example and say that now our kids will be going back to school, some of them in a couple of weeks, in the middle of chaos, because that money that was promised was taken, and now they have to prepare for all these other cuts. And so our job is to make sure that people know it and understand that the people they elected, the people who were elected, did this to them, their children, and their community. That's our job right now," she added.

 

The Oregonian

Last Thursday, the Supreme Court announced that it will hear two cases testing the constitutionality of state laws that bar transgender athletes from girls’ and women’s sports teams. The cases, one from West Virginia and the other from Idaho, involve transgender athletes who at least initially competed in track and field and cross country. An appeals court ruled that Idaho’s law violates the Constitution’s equal protection cause by targeting transgender people, while another appeals court concluded that the West Virginia law violates Title IX, the federal law banning most sex discrimination by schools. The West Virginia case, West Virginia v. B.P.J., was filed by a then-middle school student who told the Supreme Court she was “devastated at the prospect” of not being able to compete after the state passed a law banning trans women athletes’ participation in public school sports. The Idaho case, Little v. Hecox, was filed on behalf of several plaintiffs, including a 17-year-old girl who was a junior at Boise High School and concerned about be being subjected to invasive “sex verification” testing under a new law. Arguments in the cases are likely to take place in the fall with decisions expected from the high court by June 2026.

 

CNN

New York Times

Politico

Wall Street Journal

Miami-Dade County Public Schools could lose $45m and Broward Schools $30m if federal funding is canceled due to a hold by the Trump Administration. The U.S. Department of Education stated the funds are “under review,” impacting essential programs for vulnerable student populations. Dr. Steve Gallon from Miami-Dade emphasized, “If it's cut, they will be left behind,” referring to 83,000 ESOL students in his district. Dr. Allen Zeman from Broward noted that 14,000 teachers rely on these funds for professional development. The Florida Department of Education warned that the state could lose $396m, stating their commitment to minimize impacts on students.

 

NBC Miami

Orlando has become a beacon of educational innovation with the establishment of Florida's first Community Partnership School in 2012, a collaboration between Evans High School, Children's Home Society of Florida, and the University of Central Florida. This initiative has significantly transformed the local educational landscape, fostering a supportive environment for students. As noted: "What started as an innovative idea has become a transformative model." The success of this partnership demonstrates the potential for community-driven educational reform in Central Florida.

 

Orlando Sentinel

Florida ranks last in the nation for average teacher salaries, with public school teachers earning an average of $54,875, according to the National Education Association. This marks the second consecutive year Florida has been at the bottom. Despite efforts by Gov. Ron DeSantis to increase salaries, the changes have been insufficient. Local initiatives in Charlotte and Sarasota counties have helped boost teacher pay through referendums, with Charlotte County now offering starting salaries over $58,000. However, Sarasota County School Board member Liz Barker emphasized the ongoing struggle, stating: “Florida has historically underfunded public education for decades.” The latest budget reflects a slight increase in per-student spending, but many believe it is not enough to address the challenges faced by teachers and schools in the state.

 

Keys News

Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) officials are urging parents and students to nominate exceptional science and mathematics teachers for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching. Michael Kestner, branch chief for mathematics at DoDEA, emphasized the award's prestige, stating, “It puts [recipients] in a network of other master teachers across the country.” Open to teachers with at least five years of experience, the award offers recognition, a trip for two to Washington, a citation signed by the president, and a $10,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.

 

DVIDS

Taste! Central Florida is set to return on July 12 at the Orlando World Center Marriott, featuring over 100 food and beverage partners. This annual event, which began in partnership with No Kid Hungry, aims to combat childhood hunger in Central Florida. Dan Samuels, director of philanthropy for Second Harvest, stated:, “It was a model that was being put on across the country where food banks and food-related charities were working to showcase great restaurants.” Last year, the event raised over $260,000, and this year, organizers hope to surpass that amount.

 

Orlando Sentinel

At the 2025 SkillsUSA Championships in Atlanta, a Florida student, William Oser from Robert Morgan Technical College, earned a silver medal in Employment Application Process. The event showcased over 6,500 students competing in 114 hands-on competitions, evaluated by more than 1,200 industry judges. The championships serve as a vital platform for students to gain recognition and skills, contributing to a skilled workforce in America.

 

Miami's Community Newspapers

New York City charter school network Success Academies is expanding to Florida, and hopes to open 40 schools in a 10-year period, starting in the 2027-28 school year. Founder and chief executive Eva Moskowitz said she will decide on initial locations over the next two months. The plan is being put into motion just days after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed legislation allowing high-performing charter schools to co-locate, or operate within public schools that have unused space. Success’ expansion comes as Florida deals with a persistent shortage of teachers. The state ranks 43rd in the country when it comes to education funding per student, according to Leslie Miller Saiontz, founder and president of education nonprofit Achieve Miami.

 

Bloomberg

Summer classes are in session in South Florida, with Miami-Dade and Broward counties enforcing speed limits in school zones. In Miami-Dade, schools are open from June 20 to July 25, with 63 schools operating and speed zone cameras installed at 11 locations. Drivers exceeding the speed limit by 10 mph or more will face a $100 ticket. Speed zone hours vary by school level, with enforcement starting 30 minutes before classes and ending 30 minutes after. Broward County's active school zones run from June 23 to July 17, covering 36 schools. Only schools offering summer classes will have enforceable speed zones.

 

The Miami Herald

The Pentagon recently hosted its 3rd annual IT Job Shadow Day, engaging around 100 high school students in a unique opportunity to explore federal IT careers. Joyce France, director of the Defense Department's Chief Information Officer Management Services, emphasized the importance of attracting future IT talent, noting that “over a third of the IT work force is over age 50.” Students learned about various IT roles, including cyber security and forensics, while expressing their aspirations to serve their country through government work.

 

DVIDS