Title IX rules still blocked in Florida amidst renewed injunction

Title IX rules still blocked in Florida amidst renewed injunction

Rules that would have protected Florida students based on gender identity and sexuality have been blocked again in the state. A federal appeals court has sided with other appeals courts and allowed a statewide injunction against Title IX rules to remain in place in Florida as a federal appeals court considers an ongoing legal challenge. More from Central Florida Public Media and the News Service of Florida.

A look at Florida's education laws passed this summer

Eleven new education laws are now in effect as they passed on July 1, making changes to kindergarten through college-level education, as well as trade and vocational schools. The laws affect various aspects of education in Florida, ranging from school safety policies to curriculum restrictions. [Source: FSU News]

Florida Trend Exclusive
Education and health care: Partnering up

Some hospitals and medical schools are fostering collaborations to boost exposure to pediatrics and potentially bring more children’s doctors and pediatric subspecialists to the field. One such example is an expanded collaboration between Nemours Children’s Health and the University of Central Florida in Orlando, which will establish the UCF College of Medicine — Nemours Children’s Health Department of Pediatrics. [Source: Florida Trend]

School bus cameras catch thousands illegally passing in Florida

Florida lawmakers decided to let school districts put cameras on buses as a way to catch drivers who illegally pass the buses as they’re stopped to let children on and off. So far, the cameras haven’t proven much of a deterrent. Hillsborough County officials recently said they caught more than 2,300 vehicles zooming past buses with their stop arms flashing in the first four days of classes. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida among states with concerns over lead in school drinking water

Florida is one of several states raising alarms over lead contamination in school drinking water, prompting the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to respond with $26 million in new funding to combat the issue. The grant will be distributed across 55 states and territories, including the District of Columbia, to reduce lead exposure in places where children learn and play. More from Action News Jax and WFTV.

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Osceola school board rejects putting religious chaplains in schools, at least for now [Orlando Sentinel]
The Osceola County School Board decided Tuesday night not to implement Florida’s new, controversial school chaplain program, at least not immediately. The Osceola board was the first in Central Florida, and among the first in the state, to consider the program, signed into law in the spring by Gov. Ron DeSantis. The voluntary program would allow students to be counseled by chaplains with permission from their parents.

› Jacksonville University opens a new era for its law school in historic downtown building [Florida Times-Union]
The downtown law school has been a town-gown joint venture. The city is providing $6.5 million of the $12 million in renovation work. That is on top of $5 million the city previously budgeted to help JU get the new law school off the ground. The city's support started during Lenny Curry's time as mayor and has continued under Mayor Donna Deegan.

› Bilingual classrooms at South Florida schools get boost from literacy grant [NBC Miami]
Inside some Florida classrooms, like the second grade class Cynthia Chavez teaches, a mix of English and Spanish can be heard while students navigate the complexities of learning a new language while studying the building blocks of K-12. “There has been a growth of bilingual classrooms,” said Chavez.

› Sasse to keep $1 million salary from UF until 2028 [Tampa Bay Times]
After defending his office’s vast spending as University of Florida president, Ben Sasse stands to receive more than $1 million per year through at least 2028, according to a contract addendum released Monday. The former U.S. senator from Nebraska had more than tripled his office’s expenditures, which went from $5.6 million to $17.3 million, according to a report by the Independent Alligator student newspaper.