Florida again ranked No. 1 for education by U.S. News

| 5/9/2024

Florida again ranked No. 1 for education by U.S. News

Florida is the top state for education for the second year in a row, according to U.S. News & World Report’s latest ranking announced Tuesday. The outlet said the state’s standing is “largely fueled by several stellar metrics in higher education, and less so by Florida’s still fairly strong performance in the prekindergarten- through-12th-grade arena.” The recognition follows a period of controversial change in the last two legislative sessions for a system that includes 12 public universities and 28 state colleges. More from the Tampa Bay Times and Florida Trend.

Florida Trend Exclusive
Crossing the finish line

Graduation season is in full swing, with 71,230 undergrads and 26,503 graduate students expected to earn their degrees from Florida’s 12 state universities. As many enter the workforce for the first time, here’s a look at their earning potential and a few other metrics. [Source: Florida Trend]

See also:
» Florida’s finest: College graduates share their inspiring stories

Florida schools seek tax increases to boost teacher, staff salaries

School districts are finding it tougher to compete for teachers and staff than in the past, with applicants in short supply for several types of jobs. They figure one way to more attract potential hires is through better pay. “While money is not always the answer, I think it helps,” said Pinellas County School Board vice chairperson Carol Cook. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Map reveals areas with most high school dropouts in Florida

A map shows which counties in Florida have the highest percentage of high school dropouts. Newsweek analyzed the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, which tracked the number of residents aged 25 and over with at least a high school diploma, to determine which of Florida's 67 counties had the highest percentage of dropouts. More from Newsweek and the Gainesville Sun.

This Florida college is courting custodians, lunch workers, others to become teachers. Here’s the plan

Local school districts are finding new ways to fill spots during a major teacher shortage. Volusia, Brevard, and Flagler counties are now working with Daytona State College to get district employees who want to teach their bachelor’s degrees. These could be teacher’s assistants, custodians, even lunch workers, who would become teachers and in turn, help the districts fill teacher vacancies. [Source: Click Orlando]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Dr. Devin Stephenson confirmed by Board of Governors as Florida Poly's 2nd president [Florida Trend]
The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) voted unanimously Wednesday to confirm Dr. Devin Stephenson as the next president of Florida Polytechnic University. Stephenson was selected as the institution’s second president by the Florida Poly Board of Trustees (BOT) on April 15. His selection followed a thorough presidential search which narrowed the field to five highly qualified finalists.

› Leon High School ignites new firefighter training program with TCC's Fire Academy [Tallahassee Democrat]
Leon High School is getting ready to set ablaze its new career pathway program in collaboration with Tallahassee Community College's Fire Academy. Starting this fall, the school will offer a career and technical education track for students to pursue firefighting certification.

› Pinellas plans to merge two elementary schools into a K-8 campus [Tampa Bay Times]
Pinellas County families intrigued by schools where their children can attend kindergarten through eighth grade soon will have new option in mid-county. School district officials announced Tuesday their plan to merge Walsingham and Southern Oak elementary schools, which share a main corridor and cafeteria, into a K-8 campus beginning in the 2025-26 academic year.

› FAMU Board of Trustees Vice Chair calls for emergency meeting, 'transparency' on $237M gift [Tallahassee Democrat]
The vice chair of Florida A&M University’s Board of Trustees is calling on FAMU President Larry Robinson and board chair Kristin Harper to convene a public “emergency” meeting for the university community to learn more about a recent $237 million donation. The gift — announced Saturday by FAMU donor and Batterson Farming Corporation CEO Gregory Gerami — continues to draw a mix of praise, misgivings and questions from alumni and others.

Tags: Education eNews

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