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Florida Trend Education
Florida Senate looking to boost Bright Futures financial aid
Florida Senate looking to boost Bright Futures financial aid
Republicans in the Florida Senate are moving ahead again with an ambitious proposal to boost financial aid for college students. Legislators had scaled back the amount paid by Bright Futures scholarships during the height of the Great Recession. Senate President Joe Negron has promised to restore funding. On Wednesday, Senator Bill Galvano filed Senate Bill 4, the Florida Excellence in Higher Education Act of 2018.
“In addition to securing full funding for the Bright Futures Academic Scholar award starting this academic year, Senate Bill 4 also reinstates funding for the Bright Futures Medallion Scholar award at 75 percent of tuition and fees for fall and spring semesters, beginning in the 2018-19 academic year,” said President Negron.
Read more at the AP, the Tampa Bay Times and WJHG.
Florida's textbooks are a new battleground in America's fight over facts
Florida's new law, the first of its kind in the nation, allows any state resident — even those who don’t have children in public school — to formally challenge classroom instructional materials. The potential grounds for a challenge are broad. [Source: TIME]
Schools giving more attention to 'soft skills' as a way to head off behavior problems
Across Florida and the nation, a movement is rising to counter years of slavish attention to test performance. For the first time in years, the social and emotional are expected to share footing with the academic as a required indicator of success. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Praising Florida’s ‘innovation,’ DeVos avoids traditional public schools
While advocating for “innovative” learning in Florida’s capital city on Tuesday, President Donald Trump’s education chief drew complaints for choosing to tour two schools that are atypical of the traditional public school experience most children have. More from the Tampa Bay Times and the Daily Commercial.
Florida insurance companies provide $61.2 million toward scholarships
Florida insurance companies are providing a record level of support for the Florida Insurance Industry Scholarship Program, which makes it possible for low-income families across the state to send their children to schools best suited to meet their needs. Insurance companies send support to "Step Up For Students," the nonprofit organization that helps to manage the needs-based Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program. Full news release is here. Also read more at WDBO.
› University of Miami to cover all expenses for eligible DACA students across Florida
Beginning in fall 2018, the University of Miami will expand its financial aid program for immigrant students with DACA status to all high school and transfer applicants from Florida.
› In push to lower student-loan caps, Sen. Nelson makes stop at UF
Sen. Bill Nelson met with students from the University of Florida on Tuesday to gather personal stories related to his proposed legislation that would cut student-loan interest rates.
› More students skipping school; parents may face arrests
Palm Beach County schools are considering a new way to deal with students who are chronically absent: taking legal action against their parents.
› Southeastern breaks enrollment records again
Southeastern University is welcoming more than 7,000 students to its Lakeland campus and numerous extension sites around the nation, breaking enrollment records for a seventh consecutive year with an increase of 1,200 students.
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Previous Education Updates:
- College crime surging back to pre-COVID levels. Here's the crime at Florida colleges, universities
- Florida student aid requests plunge. How many will delay or skip college?
- Florida schools have a teacher shortage. Why are they cutting jobs?
- Florida schools need more nurses. Can they compete with employers who pay more?
- Florida's MBA programs: Mastering the cyber industry
- Florida settles lawsuit over LGBT education bill
- $117.5 billion state budget pumps up education spending
- Florida lawmakers continue debate over school red tape, education spending and more
- Too many Florida kids are skipping school. What's being done about it?
