Florida’s top universities could lose millions with out-of-state cap

A Florida lawmaker is seeking to slash the out-of-state freshman enrollment cap at Florida’s public universities to 5%. Supporters argue Florida taxpayers’ children are being "squeezed out" of elite state schools despite having top-tier academic records. Universities warn the move could drain hundreds of millions in revenue. A Florida lawmaker is seeking to slash the out-of-state freshman enrollment cap at Florida’s public universities to 5%. Supporters argue Florida taxpayers’ children are being "squeezed out" of elite state schools despite having top-tier academic records. Universities warn the move could drain hundreds of millions in revenue. More from WTVT and the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Proposal would expand Florida school guardian program to colleges

A proposal that would allow certain college and university employees in Florida to carry concealed weapons on campus is moving forward in the Florida Legislature. Under the measure, college and university presidents could designate employees or faculty members to participate in the state’s school guardian program. Those selected would undergo training and be eligible for a concealed-weapons license, allowing them to carry firearms on campus. [Source: WOFL]

Most, least educated states in the U.S. Where Florida ranks on this list

Where Florida ranks in education depends on which ranking you look at. In 2025, Florida ranked as the best state in the U.S. for higher education on U.S. News and World Report’s education rankings for the 10th consecutive year. But it took 22nd place on the same list in the Pre-K through 12th grade category. On Feb. 9, personal finance company WalletHub released its 2026 rankings of the most and least educated states in the U.S., and Florida barely missed the top 20. More from Florida Today and Click Orlando.

Florida teachers' unions drop syllabus lawsuit

The Florida Education Association and the United Faculty of Florida, two teachers' unions, have withdrawn a legal challenge to a Florida rule requiring public colleges and universities to post course syllabi and required reading materials online. The requirement, already implemented within K-12 education, applies to institutions within the Florida College System. The rule directs schools to make syllabi and required reading lists publicly available at least 45 days before the start of each semester. More from The Center Square and the Tampa Bay Times.

Florida bill would allow high school coaches to pay for players' food and travel

The Senate Rules Committee on Tuesday backed a measure (SB 178) directing the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws that would allow coaches to support the welfare of students through personal funds. Coaches would be able to spend up to $15,000 a year per team to help players in need of food, transportation or recovery services. Coaches would have to report the spending, and the money couldn't be used for recruiting. [Source: WUSF]


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ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Can AI help save teachers’ time? Hillsborough schools think so [Tampa Bay Times]
The Hillsborough County school board approved a $2.1 million contract with an AI platform designed to help teachers save time in things like lesson planning, grading and generating worksheets. The platform, MagicSchool, has a student-facing platform as well, but for now the district does not have intentions to enable it. The district entered a 3 1/2-year contract, which the school board will vote on annually and can terminate with 30 days’ notice.

› School districts name Central Florida’s top teachers [Orlando Seninel]
Four dedicated teachers, the kind who make extra efforts to include and engage with all their students, won Teacher of the Year honors in recent Central Florida ceremonies. The four teachers, who each first won top honors at their schools, now will represent their districts at Florida’s annual teacher-of-the-year competition this summer.

› Rising rent hits Gainesville students close to home [The Alligator]
Rising rent prices across Gainesville are pushing UF and Santa Fe College students farther from campus, making housing near the university increasingly unaffordable. A study published in September 2025 listed Gainesville as the 11th most expensive metro to live in out of the 196 most populous areas in the U.S. With enrollment climbing and most students living off campus, rising rent prices are reshaping how Gainesville students decide where to live.

› Broward schools to pay $270,000 to settle Handy office lease dispute [South Florida Sun Sentinel]
The Broward School Board has agreed to spend about $270,000 to settle a lawsuit over a canceled office lease that became a symbol of wasteful spending. Including rental payments the district had previously made, the lease with the nonprofit group Handy is expected to cost the school district a total of $545,000, even though district staff never actually moved into the building, officials said. “We got zero days of occupancy for half a million dollars,” Board member Allen Zeman said during a meeting Tuesday, where the settlement was approved.

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