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Florida education leaders want parents to face consequences when students make school threats, false reports
Read full article: Florida education leaders want parents to face consequences when students make school threats, false reportsFlorida education leaders want parents to be reminded annually that they can face consequences if their children report false threats of violence.
It’s official: Florida high school athletes are being paid for their name, image and likeness. What do you think?
Read full article: It’s official: Florida high school athletes are being paid for their name, image and likeness. What do you think?High school athletes in Florida can now profit off their name, image and likeness after the State Board of Education voted to usher in the new era in the athletics on Wednesday morning.
State Board of Education signs off on name, image, likeness for Florida athletes
Read full article: State Board of Education signs off on name, image, likeness for Florida athletesHigh school athletes in Florida can now profit off their name, image and likeness after the State Board of Education voted to usher in the new era in the athletics on Wednesday morning.
‘Amateurism remains in effect’: FHSAA warns schools, athletes about NIL deals
Read full article: ‘Amateurism remains in effect’: FHSAA warns schools, athletes about NIL dealsThe Florida High School Athletic Association is warning schools of potential name, image and likeness issues on the still yet-to-be implemented bylaw change.
FHSAA makes changes to replace the word ‘gender’ with ‘sex’ amid dispute between federal, state officials
Read full article: FHSAA makes changes to replace the word ‘gender’ with ‘sex’ amid dispute between federal, state officialsThe State Board of Education on Wednesday approved changes in the Florida High School Athletic Association’s bylaws that include replacing mentions of the word “gender” with the word “sex,” amid a larger dispute between federal and state officials.
Florida Board of Education considers ways to put more pressure on local teachers unions amid salary increase delays
Read full article: Florida Board of Education considers ways to put more pressure on local teachers unions amid salary increase delaysMembers of the State Board of Education are considering ways to put more pressure on local teachers’ unions, amid delays in planned salary increases for teachers in some districts.
Proposed changes to Florida college sociology course would eliminate it as ‘core course’ for graduation
Read full article: Proposed changes to Florida college sociology course would eliminate it as ‘core course’ for graduationThe class at the forefront of this discussion is called “The Principles of Sociology.”
State Board of Education eyes 11 school districts over mask policies
Read full article: State Board of Education eyes 11 school districts over mask policiesContinuing to pressure school districts over their handling of COVID-19, the State Board of Education has scheduled a meeting next week to look at whether 11 districts have complied with rules aimed at preventing student mask mandates.
Officials withhold school board salaries over mask mandates
Read full article: Officials withhold school board salaries over mask mandatesFlorida state education officials have begun to make good on threats to withhold funding from local school districts that defied Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates.
State Board of Education votes to investigate Alachua school district, superintendent for mask mandate
Read full article: State Board of Education votes to investigate Alachua school district, superintendent for mask mandateThe state Board of Education on Tuesday voted in favor of a recommendation to “use its enforcement powers” against Alachua County Public Schools after the district defied a statewide order to allow students to opt out of wearing a face mask without a doctor’s note.
Education board approves new school standards
Read full article: Education board approves new school standardsDuring an at-times heated meeting on Wednesday, the State Board of Education adopted new curriculum standards for civics, government and Holocaust education, along with updates to other subject areas.
Florida Board of Education adopts rule banning ‘critical race theory’ in public schools
Read full article: Florida Board of Education adopts rule banning ‘critical race theory’ in public schoolsFlorida’s Board of Education approved a proposal Thursday that specifies how American history should be taught in public schools and outright bans the teaching of “critical race theory” in Florida classrooms.
Florida school voucher program up to 34,000 students
Read full article: Florida school voucher program up to 34,000 studentsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. – After a change made during this year’s legislative session, a Florida school voucher program has expanded to nearly 34,000 students, a state official said this week. The Family Empowerment Scholarship Program was created in 2019, with a cap of about 18,000 students for the 2019-2020 school year. The program, which is funded directly from the state education budget, is designed to help lower-income and working-class families send children to private schools. It is part of more than two decades of efforts by state Republican leaders to expand school choice. The Board of Education, which met Wednesday in St. Petersburg, approved a rule spelling out details of the program.
Training requirements bolstered on human trafficking
Read full article: Training requirements bolstered on human traffickingTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida foster parents and safe-house workers who help victims of human trafficking will be required to get training on how trafficking for forced labor intersects with the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Labor trafficking became part of the specialized training requirements for foster parents and staff on Friday, according to a rule change made by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Through the rule-making process, state agencies that deal with children have put a renewed focus on making sure human trafficking is identified. "Tragically, human trafficking is an epidemic in our country," Gov. "Children of all ages need to know and understand the hazards of human trafficking and how to protect themselves from dangerous predators."
More money sought for school legal fights
Read full article: More money sought for school legal fightsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - The Florida Department of Education is seeking more than $1 million in the upcoming fiscal year to cover mounting legal expenses, a $785,000 increase over what it received for the current year. This spring, lawmakers agreed to give the department $250,000 to pay for ongoing and potential future litigation against state education policies. In their budget request for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, education officials said the money is needed to help with costs tied to four separate lawsuits. In the coming months, the department also could face a court battle about a newly created vouchers program, known as the Family Empowerment Scholarship Program. Organizations such as Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Southern Poverty Law Center argue the scholarship program is unconstitutional.
State board takes helm of Florida Virtual School, names director
Read full article: State board takes helm of Florida Virtual School, names directoriStock / DOConnellTALLAHASSEE, Fla. - After reports about questionable spending and other problems, the State Board of Education on Monday began acting as trustees of the Florida Virtual School and named a longtime Miami-Dade County educator to serve as executive director. During a conference call, the board approved hiring Louis Algaze as executive director. Among Algazes responsibilities will be to select an independent firm to conduct an audit of the virtual school. The changes came after the Orlando Sentinel reported about problems at the virtual school. Lawmakers this spring passed a budget-related bill (SB 2502) that shifted control of the virtual school to the State Board of Education, replacing the previous board of trustees.