DeSantis reshaped Florida higher education over the last year. Here's how.

| 7/6/2023

DeSantis reshaped Florida higher education over the last year. Here’s how.

A lot can change in 12 months, and it’s been a whirlwind year for Florida’s higher education system. The Individual Freedom Act took effect in July 2022, leaving educators to determine what subjects were off limits in their classrooms that fall. Students were empowered to take out their cell phones and record any lectures that might violate the law, also known as Stop Woke Act. Faculty faced a new level of scrutiny. But Gov. Ron DeSantis, who pushed the legislation, was far from done.[Source: Tampa Bay Times]

In Florida, teachers are quitting over anti-LGBTQ laws

Across the US, teachers are quitting. This year more than a third of K-12 teachers who responded to a Merrimack College Teacher Survey say they’re planning to quit within the next two years. While the reasons given range from pay to safety, here in Florida, for some it’s concerns over anti-LGBTQ laws. [Source: WFSU]

Florida professors and students react to the Supreme Court's affirmative action repeal

Florida university administrators and students are responding to the Supreme Court’s decision Thursday to overturn affirmative action in the United States. Public colleges and universities in Florida since 1999 have been acting under an order issued by then Gov. Jeb Bush prohibiting using race as a factor in admissions. Still, some private universities and colleges such as Rollins continue to consider race as one of many factors to determine admissions. [Source: WUSF]

Florida school districts show progress in new assessment tests

Students made substantial growth throughout the school year, including 42% in some subjects, in the Florida Department of Education's first Florida Assessment of Student Thinking after scrapping the Florida Standards Assessment. With FAST, Florida is the first state in the nation to establish a system under progress monitoring with three tests administered during the year rather than yearly exams. [Source: WPTV]

High schools seek plays that meet state laws on race, gender

Staging a high school play is becoming more treacherous for teachers and students in Florida and throughout the nation. Confronted with laws and rules restricting topics, character types and themes, many theater instructors are finding it difficult to find material that fits the playbill. A Duval County school, for instance, recently had its plans killed to perform “Indecent” amid concerns that it included a lesbian love story. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Miami-Dade Public Schools rolls grow, teachers hunted [Miami Today]
As the supply of new teachers is shrinking, student enrollment in public schools within Miami-Dade County is soaring after the 2021-2022 academic year saw the lowest numbers observed in the last decade. After a steady seven-year decline, a spring survey shows enrollment in Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) increased nearly 2% from a record low at the end of 2021. The rise, due in part to a sharp uptick in immigrant enrollment, has the county’s school system working to secure additional resources amid a teacher shortage.

› UF to begin $400M renovation process for Ben Hill Griffin Stadium [WUFT]
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium is headed toward a potential $400 million facelift as the University of Florida’s athletic department plans to modernize the over 90-year-old stadium. The University Athletic Association is this month beginning the hunt for an architect suitable to undertake the task; an exact timeline for the bidding process is unknown.

› Nassau, St. Johns counties score higher than any other district in Florida on end-of-year testing [News 4 Jax]
Two Northeast Florida school districts had the highest scores in the state on end-of-year math and English language arts tests, according to recently released statewide data. Last week, the Florida Department of Education published standardized test results for every county around the state.

› More than 11K Florida teachers receive $3,000 each for Civics Seal of Excellence Endorsement [WPTV]
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday announced that more than 11,000 Florida teachers have each earned their Civics Seal of Excellence each worth $3,000. The bonuses totaled more than $33 million for completing civics training offered by the Florida Department of Education.

Tags: Education eNews

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