School choice debate intensifies over impact on Florida public schools
Florida’s universal school voucher program allows all K-12 students to receive taxpayer-funded scholarships for private education. In 2023, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill removing income requirements to qualify. While some celebrate the expansion of school choice as personalized learning, others say it comes at the expense of public schools. More from Central Florida Public Media and Axios.
Florida Trend Exclusive
When stars align
The University of Central Florida was born in 1963 out of a vision that it would fuel the talent and technology needs of the nation’s growing space program. Six-plus decades later, the school is still delivering on that mission and aims to propel it to new heights as a key leader of the new Florida University Space Research Consortium. Announced last November, the consortium creates a partnership between UCF, the University of Florida and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for collaboration on projects with NASA and Florida’s private sector. [Source: Florida Trend]
Lawmakers look to align Florida’s teacher prep courses
State leaders are concerned about running out of teachers in Florida. Now, a bill intended to address that shortage has passed the House. It would begin the process of aligning the core principles, standards and content of Florida’s different types of teacher preparation programs. “This bill is designed to help train the next generation of educators,” said Zephyrhills Republican Senator Danny Burgess, the bill’s Senate sponsor. “I believe this bill is necessary because 1 in 10 Florida courses lacks a properly trained and certified teacher,” Burgess said. [Source: Miami's Community News]
Florida Chamber urges action to close gaps in math education
The Florida Chamber Foundation has released a new report calling for urgent improvements in math education to better prepare students for Florida’s evolving job market. As part of its Florida 2030 Blueprint, the Foundation emphasizes strengthening the state’s talent pipeline to support its goal of becoming a Top 10 global economy. The report, Aligning Math Education to Workforce Needs: Insights From Florida’s Employers, highlights a persistent gap between the math skills taught in K-12 schools and those required by employers across industries. [Source: Florida Politics]
Florida targets ruling that blocks part of law restricting ties between state universities, China
Saying Florida is trying to protect against “nefarious foreign-government influence,” higher-education leaders this week asked a federal appeals court to overturn a ruling that blocked part of a 2023 law restricting ties between state universities and colleges and China. Attorney General James Uthmeier’s office filed a 60-page brief at the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals arguing that a federal district judge improperly issued a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed by two Florida International University doctoral students and a University of Florida professor. [Source: News Service of Florida]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› UF study examines how coaches are using technology to maximize player performance, safety
Shortly after the confetti settled over the University of Florida’s basketball championship in April, two graduate students studying artificial intelligence traveled to Japan to discuss how coaches are using data and technology to maximize player performance and safety. Accomplished athletes themselves, UF engineering students Mollie Brewer and Kevin Childs are co-primary investigators on a paper exploring how coaches analyze data — often from wearable sensors — to shape training and strategy and, ultimately, win more games.
› Florida marching band students can get PE credit under new bill
Hauling a tuba is hard work, and Florida is ready to acknowledge that. Florida marching band students can get credit for physical education or performing arts under new House Bill 1105, passed by the state Senate on May 2. "This significant legislation acknowledges the rigorous physical activity involved in marching band and is another important step forward in supporting and enhancing music education in Florida's schools," the Florida Music Education Association posted on social media on May.
› Another Florida university president is stepping down
Continuing major turnover in the leadership of state universities and colleges, University of West Florida President Martha Saunders announced Monday she will step down from her post. Saunders, who became president of the Pensacola-based school in 2017 and is the longest-serving president in the university system, did not detail reasons for deciding to leave the job but said in a message to the university community that serving in the position “has been one of the great honors of my life.”
› USF emails show secret pandemic fee scheme, lawsuit claims
After a 2023 audit showed the University of South Florida overcharged students nearly $8.6 million in “distance learning” fees during the COVID-19 pandemic, USF denied wrongdoing. But newly released emails and meeting notes, uncovered in an ongoing lawsuit and disclosed in a recent court filing, allege that university officials intentionally raised those fees to secretly recoup revenue from other waived charges. The emails also show internal dissent from faculty and administrators over the distance learning fees.