Despite rising COVID-19 cases in Florida, state orders public schools to reopen in August

| 7/9/2020

Despite rising COVID-19 cases in Florida, state orders public schools to reopen in August

Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran on Monday ordered public schools to reopen in August and offer “the full panoply of services” to students and families. As COVID-19 outbreaks spike in Florida, Corcoran’s mandate said that extending school closures can impede students’ educational success and prevent parents and guardians from returning to work. More from the Miami Herald, the Tampa Bay Times, NBC News, and the Orlando Sentinel.

Colleges grapple with enrollment, budget uncertainty

The business of higher education faces a coronavirus reckoning similar to Corporate America. In the corporate world, big businesses, from Walmart and Publix to Amazon and Google, have the financial wherewithal to withstand a prolonged crisis in ways small companies usually can’t match. Colleges and universities, likewise, have a big divide. [Source: Busiiness Observer]

Will Florida cancel school tests again in 2021?

With concerns growing over COVID-19, Florida canceled its annual student exams in March, in part so teachers could focus on lessons rather than test preparation as they moved to remote classes. The quick action gave hope to critics of the state’s test-based accountability system that perhaps the model was on its last legs. [Source: Tampa Bay Times ]

Florida law schools teaming up to address social, racial injustice

Florida State University’s College of Law is joining the state’s 11 other law schools in a collaborative effort to combat social injustice. The deans of the state’s law schools have created the Florida Law Schools’ Consortium for Racial Justice, an initiative designed to leverage the schools’ resources in working with community organizations already in the forefront of seeking change. [Source: Palm Beach Post ]

Federal rule puts thousands of international students throughout Florida in jeopardy

New federal regulations that could affect thousands of foreign students throughout the state are complicating Florida universities’ plans to reopen campuses in the fall. State university officials on Tuesday were scrambling to figure out the full implications of a regulation issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Monday that will not allow foreign students to stay in the country if they only take online classes during the fall. More from CBS Miami and the Daily Business Review.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› New College of Florida, UF to establish dual degree program [Sarasota Magazine]
New College of Florida and the University of Florida are working together to design an innovative dual-degree program that would allow for the earning of a bachelor of arts degree in a liberal arts and science major from New College and a bachelor of science degree in an engineering major from UF.

› FAMU partners with Cengage to increase textbook affordability [Tallahassee Democrat]
Florida A&M University recently entered into a partnership with Cengage that will allow students to obtain thousands of eBooks, study guides and other materials for less than $125 each calendar year. The agreement with Cengage will offer subscription-based access to course materials through Cengage Unlimited beginning this fall.

› A fall college football season on shaky ground. Where things stand for Miami, others [Miami Herald]
A week before FBS schools can begin mandatory workouts with players, the college football season stands on shaky ground, at risk of being postponed or delayed because of rising cases of coronavirus nationally. UM athletic director Blake James told the Packer and Durham show that college football officials are starting to feel “nervous” about the season proceeding as planned.

› UCF has spent nearly $5 million on COVID-19 safety measures [Florida Politics]
The University of Central Florida has spent roughly $5 million so far to protect its population from the spread of COVID-19. As one of the largest universities in the nation, UCF has the tall task of protecting more than 69,000 students and more than 13,500 employees, some of whom may be on campus at any time come Fall.

Tags: Education eNews

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