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Florida lawmakers have passed a measure to expand charter schools, known as "schools of hope," amid ongoing debates about school choice. The proposal, which was initially set to die before the legislative session's end, was revived as part of a new state budget bill. The changes will redefine criteria for identifying persistently low-performing traditional public schools, potentially increasing the number eligible for the "schools of hope" designation. House bill sponsor Jenna Persons-Mulicka said: "We're seeing these specialized charter schools coming in and transforming communities." However, some Democrats, including Rep. Anna Eskamani, criticized the bill, arguing it undermines traditional public schools. The bill passed with an 80-24 vote in the House and is now headed to Governor Ron DeSantis for approval.

 

The Miami Herald

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a Tennessee law banning certain gender-transition treatments for minors, which may influence similar state-level restrictions on transgender rights. The 6-3 decision in United States v. Skrmetti, came in response to a challenge brought by the Biden administration, three families and a physician who had argued that Tennessee's law violated the Constitution's guarantee of equal protection under the law. The court concluded that the state's measure, which is known as SB1 and was enacted in 2023, does not run afoul of the 14th Amendment's equal-protection clause, and allows it to regulate sports eligibility and restroom access for transgender students. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. commented: “This case carries with it the weight of fierce scientific and policy debates about the safety, efficacy, and propriety of medical treatments.” The SB1 law prohibits puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors transitioning genders, affecting approximately 300,000 transgender youths in the U.S. The ruling may have broader implications for ongoing cases in Arizona, Idaho, and West Virginia regarding transgender participation in sports. Trans rights advocates said they’re worried the ruling could push trans youth in other states to more dangerous, unsupervised sources of gender affirming care.

 

CBS News

Chicago Tribune

Education Week News

New York Times

The Florida Legislature has passed this year's education budget, which is now awaiting the governor's approval. While the budget includes additional funding, it fails to match inflation rates, leading to potential cuts in various school districts. Andrew Spar, president of the Florida Education Association, said: "They didn't clearly delineate the dollars between those that come to public schools and those that are going to again, unaccountable voucher programs." Districts like Lake County Schools and Marion County Public Schools are already projecting shortfalls of $3m and $9m, respectively, due to the phaseout of federal relief funds and the expansion of private scholarship programs. 

 

Fox 35 Orlando

Escambia County Public Schools (ECPS) has removed 18 books from its libraries, following recommendations from Superintendent Keith Leonard. This action aligns with similar removals by other Florida public school districts. The books, classified as adult novels, contain graphic content. Among the titles removed are “Lexicon” by Max Berry and “Milk and Honey” by Rupi Kaur. Additionally, three books were ordered removed by State Attorney James Uthmeier from Hillsborough County Public Schools. ECPS has been noted for its extensive book removals, with over 1,600 titles pulled for review as of December 2024, including classics like “Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl.” The removals aim to ensure compliance with new legislation.

 

Pensacola News Journal

Bay Lake and Spring Lake Elementary Schools will start the new school year by welcoming new principals. Cristina Mrozek, who has been with Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) since 2006, will lead Bay Lake. Mrozek was recognized as the 2024-2025 Assistant Principal of the Year while serving at Lakeville Elementary. Gina Warkentien will take over at Spring Lake , bringing experience as a senior administrator for OCPS's division of learning for elementary schools. Warkentien has been with OCPS since 2010 and has held various roles, including assistant principal and instructional coach.

 

Orange Observer News

Escambia High School is set to construct a new 24,000 sq-ft performing arts facility, which will accommodate around 800 people and feature a recording studio and a visual arts gallery. The $20m project will be funded partly by a one-half cent sales tax and is expected to be completed in approximately 16 months. The auditorium will serve as a venue for school assemblies, band and chorus practices, and community events, while also addressing flooding issues on campus. The school district has also acquired land for a stormwater retention pond and athletic fields.

 

Pensacola News Journal

Jefferson and Madison school districts are exploring a plan to share administrative staff, including the exceptional student education director, to manage limited resources. While the proposal aims to save costs, it has raised concerns among parents about the potential impact on special education services. The plan suggests that Madison would cover 60% of the costs and receive 60% of the staff's time, while Jefferson would contribute 40% and receive 40%. Parents worry that this approach could further strain an already challenged system.

 

Tallahassee News

The Education Fund has celebrated its 40th anniversary with the 'For the Love of Art' Charity Auction & Honoree Celebration on May 20 at Jungle Island. The event gathered business leaders, educators, and art enthusiasts to support arts education in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Guests bid on original artwork made by students and teachers from repurposed materials, with The Education Fund having donated over $28m in supplies to local classrooms. Linda Lecht, president of The Education Fund, stated: "It is the donor community that ensures The Education Fund innovates to help public school students succeed." The auction featured themed categories sponsored by the Frederick A. DeLuca Foundation, highlighting Miami's culture and creativity. Ocean Bank's Jeanelle Boscan noted their commitment to educational excellence, having supported over 4m students in the district.

 

Miami's Community Newspapers

In Vero Beach, the summer meal program at Pathway Church is a crucial resource for families in need. “Thank you so much for having us,” expressed one mother as volunteers distributed food bags. The initiative, part of the Indian River County School District’s summer feeding program, aims to ensure that no child goes hungry during the school break. Dr. Jennifer Beagan, the district’s Director of Strategic Initiatives, emphasized the importance of providing healthy food, stating: “We’ve recognized the great need for providing healthy food for our students and families.” With five schools and multiple community pickup locations, the program is expanding to meet the growing demand.

 

WPTV

Thousands of school districts' confidential documents were potentially accessible due to a technical glitch in BoardDocs, a software for managing school board meetings. Nithya Das, general manager of governance at Diligent Corp., explained that the issue stemmed from a “misconfiguration” rather than a malicious attack. Approximately 1% of documents, around 64,000 files, were affected. Doug Levin, a school cybersecurity expert, emphasized the need for vendors to partner with schools on cybersecurity, commenting: “This [BoardDocs incident] is underscoring that we need our vendors and suppliers to be partners with us with respect to cybersecurity.” BoardDocs is currently investigating the issue and has begun notifying affected clients. However, Levin criticized the company for not proactively informing its user base about the problem.

 

Education Week News

The U.S. State Department has issued new guidelines for vetting student visa applicants, emphasizing the need to identify "hostile attitudes" towards American values. This directive, communicated to diplomatic posts globally, mandates a thorough review of applicants' online presence, including social media and other digital footprints. The guidance aims to ensure that individuals seeking entry into the U.S. respect its laws and principles. The new vetting process is to be implemented within five business days, with a focus on expediting appointments for certain categories of applicants, including J-1 physicians and F-1 students at universities with low international student populations.

 

CNN Edition

Politico

U.S. News

Florida Gulf Coast University and other public institutions in Florida may soon increase out-of-state tuition for the first time since 2012. The State University System Board of Governors has granted university trustees the authority to raise out-of-state tuition by up to 15%. This policy allows for a 10% increase for students enrolling in fall 2025 and a 15% increase for those enrolling in 2026. University of North Florida President Moez Limayem expressed enthusiasm, commenting: “We really are thrilled” about the option to raise tuition gradually. Currently, Florida's out-of-state tuition stands at $21,690, the third lowest in the U.S., compared to the national average of $30,780. If all institutions opt for the maximum increase, the board estimates a revenue boost of $105m. In-state tuition has remained unchanged since 2013.

 

The Bradenton Times

Polk State College has reported a 2.03% increase in enrollment, with a total of 6,112 fundable full-time equivalent (FTE) students, up from 5,990 the previous year. As of June 18, the updated FTE total reached 6,138.8, reflecting a nearly 2.5% rise. President Angela Garcia Falconetti said: “Polk State continues to experience positive enrollment and is now prepared with its new enterprise resource system to accommodate the growth.” However, Trustee Ashley Bell Barnett raised concerns about discrepancies in enrollment figures, citing a 13.6% decline reported by the Florida College System Enrollment Estimating Conference. Barnett emphasized that Polk State ranks 24 out of 28 in FTE growth, highlighting ongoing challenges in graduation rates and overall enrollment trends. Despite these issues, Falconetti noted that increasing completion rates is a top priority for the college.

 

Lakeland Ledger

In response to a tragic school shooting in Graz, Austria, where a 21-year-old gunman killed 10 people before taking his own life, the government is set to implement stricter gun control measures. Chancellor Christian Stocker stated, "We promised that we would not go back to business as usual," emphasizing the need for responsibility following the incident. The new regulations will raise the minimum age for gun permits from 21 to 25, enhance psychological testing, and extend the cooling-off period for weapon purchases to four weeks. Additionally, the government plans to improve psychological support in schools and increase police presence around educational institutions. These changes aim to prevent future tragedies and ensure public safety.

 

U.S. News