Florida reports all-time high graduation rate

| 12/27/2018

Florida reports all-time high graduation rate

For more than a decade, Florida officials have made a concerted effort to increase graduation rates from when they hovered near half of high school students. The effort has succeeded through a combination of actions, ranging from changing requirements to the advent of credit recovery options. And the 2017-18 figures set a new high of 86.1 percent. See the data from the Florida Department of Education and read more from the Tampa Bay Times and the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

'Hard corners' could be coming to every Florida classroom

Another idea meant to protect students, designated "hard corners" or safe areas in a classroom in the event of a school shooting, could soon show up statewide. It's an idea the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission is considering as a recommendation to the state, to better protect students. [Source: WFTS]

Former Florida Fire College workers join class-action lawsuit against chemical firms

Six former employees of the Florida State Fire College have joined a class-action lawsuit against flame retardant manufacturers, alleging their exposure to toxic chemicals caused serious medical conditions including thyroid disease, breast cancer and kidney cancer. More from the Miami Herald and the Tampa Bay Times .

Student success was common theme in higher education this year

Tallahassee’s three major higher education institutions continued to make their impact on campus and the community this year. And looking ahead, plans are underway for new construction and investments in student success. [Source: Tallahassee Democrat ]

By the numbers: Ranking Florida universities with the most student athletes

Florida Institute of Technology ranked No. 1 for student athletic participation in the state, according to a Watchdog analysis of college sports participation.In all, there are 14,598 students – 7,998 men and 6,600 women – playing on athletic teams at 63 colleges and universities in the state. [Source: Florida Watchdog]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› UCF's $38 million spending misstep to go before state House committees on Jan. 9 [Orlando Sentinel]
Amid increased scrutiny about the financing of university building projects, House panels in January will discuss improper spending at the University of Central Florida and oversight issues in the higher-education system.

› Three Duval County college presidents retired this year, ushering in two new presidents and interim [Florida Times-Union]
Three presidents of Duval County colleges retired this year, ushering in two new presidents and an interim to take over during challenging times for higher education.

› Black leaders say it’s on them to close Pinellas’ learning gap. [Tampa Bay Times]
Pinellas County school leaders still haven’t cracked the code for how to effectively educate black students, even in the face of a court order pushing them to do it. Less than a quarter last year were considered proficient readers. More than half were in remedial programs. Overall, black kids in the county continue to lag far behind any other group by every academic measure.

› FSU researchers push creative, scientific accomplishments in 2018 [FSU News]
Florida State University researchers pushed their work to new heights in 2018. Faculty members were engaged in research and creative activity at the highest levels and produced extraordinary work that made international headlines. See some highlights of the past year.

Tags: Education eNews

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