Florida school choice system marks 25 years, with plans to grow

Twenty-five years ago this month, Florida’s tax credit scholarship program went into effect. All told, more than 540,000 students take advantage of the model, which runs over $5 billion annually — the largest of its kind in the nation. And the initiative is poised to grow again next year, despite ongoing opposition among public education advocates. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Appeals court rejects Florida case against federal higher education rules

A federal appeals court Monday rejected Florida’s push to throw out federal rules for accreditation agencies for public universities. The unanimous decision of a three-judge panel on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a 2024 lower court ruling that found the federal accreditation structure to be constitutional. The argument from Florida that accreditation agencies were making decisions on eligibility for federal funds through the Higher Education Act of 1965 meant they were acting as agents of the federal government didn’t persuade the court. More from the Orlando Sentinel and Bloomberg Law.

Column: Florida’s education spending demands an honest reckoning

Florida’s economy is evolving, and preparing students for careers in finance, aerospace, and skilled trades is a worthy goal. But before Florida launches another round of initiatives, a more important question deserves an answer: What happened to all the others? Students in Florida’s district public schools already have access to career academies, dual enrollment, industry certifications, apprenticeship opportunities, individualized academic advising, and evidence-based reading programs. [Source: Naples Daily News]

See also:
» Florida’s school choice program offers universal vouchers but cannot show systemwide academic improvement

Federal court blocks Florida law banning ‘woke’ instruction at colleges

A federal appeals court Tuesday kept in place a district court’s preliminary injunction on Florida’s law banning “woke” instruction at public universities. A 2-1 ruling from the three-judge panel on the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found Florida’s assertion it could control the speech of its employees, including college professors, to be “a breathtaking assertion of power to ban unpopular ideas from public discourse in the very places the state’s own statutes recognize as centers of inquiry.” More from the Tampa Bay Times and WCTV.

“Exploring all options”: Advocates vow to fight Florida state college ban on undocumented students

Students will need to prove their lawful status in order to enroll in the state's public college system or adult education programs. The Florida State Board of Education approved the changes last week, with all but one board member, Daniel Foghanoli, voting for the amendments. It's unclear whether the new requirements will apply to current students or only to new applicants. The Florida Board of Education approved the change amid public outcry and some lawmakers calling the move a violation of state law. More from WUSF and WFTV.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Jacksonville Symphony Youth Orchestras offering college scholarship [Florida Times-Union]
Through the continued partnership between VyStar Credit Union, the JSYO and the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, one outstanding student will again receive a four-year VyStar JSYO Scholarship. This award covers 120 credit hours of tuition at any Florida public college or university, helping remove financial barriers that too often stand between young people and their educational dreams.

› Orange County School Board may ban e-bikes at elementary, middle schools [Orlando Sentinel]
The Orange County School Board considered a sweeping proposal Tuesday to regulate electric bikes and scooters — vehicles that thousands of students now ride to campus. Citing safety concerns, school district staff recommended the board prohibit the electric vehicles on elementary school campuses, require students to get a permit for their e-bikes and scooters — obtainable only after watching a safety video — and ban the fastest bikes. But board members agreed any ban should extend to middle school, and that students should have a driver’s license to park such vehicles on campus.

› Miami-Dade teachers union says it survives despite missing participation threshold [Miami Herald]
Miami-Dade’s teachers union says it will survive another year, even after falling just shy of a 50% recertification voter participation threshold among eligible employees set by a recent law. A spokesperson for United Teachers of Dade said Tuesday they were informed by officials with the Public Employees Relations Commission (PERC) that the threshold did not apply to this election because the process began before July 1, when the law took effect.

› Lakewood High caps three-year turnaround effort with A grade [Tampa Bay Times]
Four years ago, Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg was by many measures in shambles. Its students logged the lowest performance on state testing of all 17 Pinellas County high schools. Its leadership faced heavy criticism from its community and even some students: One of the school’s valedictorians said during graduation in 2023 that the school had “extreme and pervasive administrative incompetence.” Into the front office walked Connisheia Garcia, a veteran alternative school leader with no traditional high school experience.

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