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Florida Trend Education
Florida student aid requests plunge. How many will delay or skip college?
Florida student aid requests plunge. How many will delay or skip college?
Students and families were promised last year that the federal application for college financial aid was about to get easier. The number of questions they had to answer dropped from 100 to 36. But after a three-month delay in making the form available and a series of crippling mistakes, completions are way down, according to federal data. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Florida pronoun law violates teacher's First Amendment rights, judge says
A federal judge on Tuesday blocked Florida education officials from enforcing a law requiring a transgender teacher to use pronouns that align with her sex assigned at birth, saying the law violated her First Amendment rights. The 2023 law restricts educators’ use of personal pronouns and titles in schools. Violations of the law — one of a number of measures backed by the Republican-controlled Legislature and Gov. Ron DeSantis targeting the LGBTQ community over the past few years — can result in teachers being stripped of certifications and hefty financial penalties for school districts. [Source: News Service of Florida]
Column: Families can avoid college debt with lowest plan prices in a decade
This year, families can start saving for college at prices that are at the lowest levels seen in a decade. Prepaid plan prices for the 2024 open enrollment window (Feb. 1 through April 30) start at just $34 a month. This represents up to a 25% cost reduction for monthly payment options — at a time when families are still seeing many other costs go up due to inflation. [Source: Florida Times-Union]
Florida files suit to block student debt forgiveness plan
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody and Republican attorneys general from four other states filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday seeking to block a Biden administration program that would provide breaks on student-loan debt. The lawsuit, filed in Missouri, targets a program, known as the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan. More from the News Service of Florida and the Center Square.
Florida schools turn to truancy court in battle against absenteeism
Student absenteeism soared in schools across Florida and across the nation during the pandemic, and has not improved much since. The trend has educators seeking ways to bring students back. The methods range from encouragement to compulsion. Some communities have turned to the legal system to deal with the most hard-to-reach families. More from the Tampa Bay Times and WUSF.
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Taylor Swift is now a class at the University of Miami. What will the students learn?
A University of Miami dean’s own homework assignment last year — learn all you can about Taylor Swift’s songs as fast as you can — has led to one of the coming fall semester’s hottest classes on the Coral Gables campus. Students were more than ready for it.
› Broward School Board is asked to rescind teacher pay raises
A Broward School Board member has proposed rescinding teacher raises that were just approved in February. The School Board has been facing a budget crisis due to the dwindling enrollment and the expiration of federal COVID-19 relief dollars. The School Board agreed 6-3 on Feb. 27 to use nearly $20 million in COVID dollars to pay for the raises averaging 3.96%. But that money won’t be available to pay for future years, meaning the district starts its next budget year needing to cut $20 million just to maintain the salaries.
› Florida school district denies motion to ban political flags
Osceola County school board members denied a motion looking to ban political flags in schools during a regular school board meeting Tuesday. Concerned parents and community members took the podium during public comment to either air grievances or express support for the move.
› USF embraces opportunities to connect with more businesses
When he walked into his office on his first day of new job in higher education in 2022, despite already being an accomplished academic and University of South Florida executive, Eric Eisenberg had an all-too familiar concern of businesspersons — really, of anyone new on the job. How do I do this?
Previous Education Updates:
- FHSAA to potentially sanction esports in Florida schools
- College crime surging back to pre-COVID levels. Here's the crime at Florida colleges, universities
- Florida schools have a teacher shortage. Why are they cutting jobs?
- Florida schools need more nurses. Can they compete with employers who pay more?
- Florida's MBA programs: Mastering the cyber industry
- Florida settles lawsuit over LGBT education bill
- $117.5 billion state budget pumps up education spending
