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The White House has announced a plan to dismantle the Education Department by transferring its core responsibilities to other federal agencies, aligning with President Donald Trump’s long-term goal of closing the department. Duties for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education will shift to the Labor Department, while child care grants and foreign medical school accreditation will move to Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, Fulbright and international education programmes will go to the State Department, and the Office of Indian Education to the Interior Department. “The Trump Administration is taking bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement Tuesday. “Cutting through layers of red tape in Washington is one essential piece of our final mission.” Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) responded by calling the proposals "outright illegal," adding that the Education Department's programs are being spun off "to agenices with little to no relevant expertise." She also noted that federal law requires an act of Congress to close the department.

 

Education Week News

New York Times

Politico

Washington Post

Starting next year, Florida will implement state-mandated instruction on the “history of communism” for middle and high school students. The State Board of Education approved this new curriculum, which will cover communist and socialist ideologies, as well as the historical impacts of regimes in the Soviet Union, Cuba, and China. Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas emphasized the importance of this education, stating: “With the resurgence of communist ideologies across the United States and throughout the world, it is more important than ever for students to understand the catastrophic failures and human suffering caused by communist regimes.” This initiative follows previous legislation, including House Bill 395, which established Victims of Communism Day, and aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the consequences of communism.

 

Keys News

In Florida, the Legislature is actively considering proposals to reduce or eliminate property taxes, a move that could significantly enhance housing affordability but also disrupt funding for essential local services. Gov. Ron DeSantis criticized the current proposals as insufficient, stating: "The reality is, he's not been someone who's been supportive of these efforts." The most drastic proposal could slash over $10bn from local budgets, raising concerns among local leaders about the potential impact on services like fire departments and parks. The proposals aim to protect school and law enforcement budgets, but other essential services may face severe cuts. Local government officials, including Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey, have expressed worries about the detrimental effects on community resources. The outcome of these discussions could lead to multiple ballot measures for voters next year, with significant implications for local governance and community welfare.

 

Midfloridanewspapers

Orange County school board members have expressed serious concerns over a state initiative that allows "Schools of Hope" charter operators to utilize unused classrooms in public schools. The board discussed the proposal for two hours, highlighting that local districts would bear the costs of maintaining these classrooms, despite them being operated by charter staff. Currently, three "Schools of Hope" operators have applied to run classes in 54 Orange County schools, but all applications have been denied thus far.

 

Fox 35 Orlando

The Lee County School District has identified seven teachers under investigation for their social media posts regarding the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Among them are Brian Brown, Jennifer Chalker, and Morgan Wright, who have faced disciplinary actions, including suspensions. The district's actions have led to federal lawsuits from some teachers, alleging violations of their rights. The investigations were prompted by community complaints and have resulted in significant disruptions at schools, including parent withdrawals and student complaints. The outcomes of these cases could impact teachers' free speech rights and their state teaching licenses.

 

Naplesnews

News-Press.com

A Brevard County father and daughter have initiated a federal lawsuit against the Brevard School Board and Eau Gallie High School Assistant Principal Carrie Humphrys, alleging a series of serious offenses, including racial discrimination, retaliation, and multiple strip searches. The lawsuit claims that the harassment began in 2023 and involved the 14-year-old girl facing racial slurs and false accusations of molestation. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as systemic reforms to ensure compliance with student-protection policies. Brevard Public Schools has denied the allegations of strip searches, emphasizing their commitment to student safety and dignity.

 

Florida Today

The proposal to make the Hillsborough County Public Schools Superintendent a partisan elected position is igniting a political battle between Republicans and Democrats. Proposed by Rep. Michael Owen, the measure aims to enhance parental control over education, with Owen stating: “I believe that the parents should decide who the chief executive of their children’s education is, not four members.” However, Democratic lawmakers, including House Democratic Leader Fentrice Driskell, argue that there is no public support for this change, suggesting it serves special interests. Rep. Michele Rayner criticized the proposal as a “power grab” by Republicans, advocating for a Superintendent selected based on competency rather than political affiliation. The proposal will be considered by the Hillsborough legislative delegation, with potential for a referendum in 2026 if approved.

 

Florida Politics

The Manatee County School District is set to implement new zoning maps for elementary, middle, and K-8 schools in the 2026-2027 school year, with high school rezoning starting in 2027-2028. The district is open to feedback and will hold public meetings for parents to voice their opinions. New provisions, including the Legacy Provision and the Founders Provision, allow students to remain at their current schools under certain conditions, although transportation will not be provided. Derek Jensen, deputy superintendent of instructional services, acknowledged the emotional impact of the changes, saying: "We know this can be a very emotional, disruptive process." The district aims to balance school populations while accommodating families' needs.

 

Sarasota Observer

Indian River County Schools plans to relocate Osceola and Rosewood magnet K-8 schools to existing middle schools due to declining middle school enrollment. A public hearing is scheduled for December 17, allowing the community to voice opinions on the changes. The proposal includes moving Vero Beach ninth graders to the main high school campus and rebranding Oslo Middle as Vero Beach Middle School. Additionally, boundaries for several elementary and middle schools will be redrawn, and staff job descriptions will be updated to reflect current needs. 

 

TCPalm

In Osceola County, parents are being surveyed by the School District regarding potential changes to school start times for the upcoming year. This initiative is in response to Senate Bill 296, which mandates that middle schools cannot start before 8 a.m. and high schools before 8:30 a.m. The proposed changes could significantly impact the school budget due to additional operating costs.

 

News 13

Tyler Fulton, the computer technician at Roberts Elementary School, has been named the 2025-26 School Related Employee of the Year for Leon County Schools. Colleagues commended him for exceeding his job responsibilities, which include running the morning news show and assisting with student pickup.

 

Tallahassee.com

Half of U.S. teachers have now received at least one professional development session on using AI, up from 42% in 2024 and 13% in 2023, per a new EdWeek Research Center survey. Pat Yongpradit of Code.org noted: “We’re getting out of the early-adopter phase.” Despite progress, most sessions are still one-time events, and experts stress the need for sustained training. Former Atlanta schools superintendent Lisa Herring emphasized: “We must urgently invest in their training” to integrate AI into modern classrooms. School leaders currently receive more training than teachers, often due to greater flexibility and system-level responsibilities.

 

Education Week News

The American College of Surgeons reported that over 20,000 individuals are injured annually while riding electric bicycles. In response to rising safety concerns, the Orange County School Board is set to discuss e-scooter and e-bike regulations during a workshop. Since the start of the 2025-26 school year, there have been three reported incidents involving scooters at Timber Creek High School. Residents like Chris Alexander advocate for more education and legal guidelines to ensure safety, emphasizing that “it’s a community responsibility; it’s not just on the kids.” The school board's workshop will take place at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, coinciding with proposed legislation in Florida requiring crash reports and driver’s licenses for e-bike users.

 

News 13

School bus driver employment has grown modestly over the past year, supported by a 4.2% inflation-adjusted rise in median hourly wages to $22.45, yet overall staffing remains 9.5% below 2019 levels, reflecting ongoing shortages. Across K-12 jobs, employment is up just 1.4% from 2019, with steep declines in custodian roles and strong growth among paraprofessionals. Over the past year, state and local schools added nearly 9,900 bus driver positions while the private sector lost 8,200, yielding a net gain of about 2,300 jobs.

 

K-12 Dive

The New Zealand Government has advanced the Education and Training (System Reform) Amendment Bill, aiming to improve teacher education, school property management, curriculum standards, and attendance enforcement. Key measures include transferring initial teacher education standards and teacher registration oversight to the Ministry of Education, establishing a dedicated school property agency, requiring schools to participate in PISA assessments, and expanding charter school provisions to support school choice.

 

The National Tribune