Florida’s public schools are losing students faster than expected
Ten days into the new year, districts across the state are reporting student counts below last year’s numbers — in many cases much lower than what they had been expecting. With funding allocated per student, districts stand to see their budgets shrink by millions, even as their costs rise. The trends also have longer term implications. Leaders in some counties are already talking about how they might reassess their building use to be more efficient (read: possible school closures or mergers).[Source: Tampa Bay Times]
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Florida higher education presidents
Higher education across Florida offers plenty of lessons in size and scope -- from state universities and public colleges to private institutions. Through strategic vision and effective leadership, higher education presidents ensure that Florida remains at the forefront of educational excellence. [Source: Florida Trend]
Tobacco use in Florida schools spiked this decade. The culprit? Vaping
Schools across the state recorded about 24,000 tobacco incidents nearly two years ago. While lower than the previous two years, that total was about 30% more than the year before COVID hit. Vaping — by far — was the primary culprit during that span. Vaping’s popularity among students comes as other infractions, such as fighting and bullying, remained steady. Its rise defied new laws and millions in court settlement money targeting its use in schools. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Forbes' list of America's Top Colleges for 2025-2026 is out. How did Florida rank?
Despite a challenging year for higher education, Forbes states American colleges still offer excellent undergraduate education. Last year, the University of Florida was ranked No. 4 in the country for top public universities in the nation in Forbes' List of America's top colleges. This year, it slipped a little. In the 2025-2026 list released Aug. 26, UF was ranked No. 5 among the public universities on the list, and 30th overall, the highest-ranking Florida school. [Source: Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
Parents question Florida's new graduation requirements
Many parents are concerned about a new law changing high school instruction and graduation requirements. Families of people with special needs are especially concerned as the state's Board of Education approved removing certificates of completion as an alternative for students who finish coursework but don't meet graduation requirements. “Special education right now is a hotbed of different problems that are going on with lack of funding, lack of resources,” Sandy Santiero, an Individualized Education Program coach said. [Source: WTSP]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› UF Board of Trustees selects Columbia professor Dr. Donald Landry as interim president
The University of Florida Board of Trustees on Aug. 25 voted to appoint Dr. Donald Landry, a professor of medicine at Columbia University, as the university's interim president. The move comes a week after board Chair Mori Hosseini said publicly that he had yet to identify a candidate for the position, and a week before current interim President Kent Fuchs' extended contract was set to expire on Sept. 1.
› School has started — can you still get a tax break on back-to-school shopping?
School started a couple of weeks ago in South Florida. But have you finished your back-to-school shopping? If you have more supplies to buy as you go down that teacher checklist, you can take advantage of a sales tax holiday in the state that runs through Aug. 31. This year’s sales tax break covers the entire month of August. That means even tough classes started mid-month, you can still take advantage of buying stuff without the Florida sales tax.
› Disabled students can use state vouchers for precollege programs at Beacon College
Beacon College in Leesburg s the first Florida college to accept school vouchers for students with disabilities to enroll in its precollege programs. Students on the Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities will be able to enroll for free in three precollege programs. The Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities or FES-UA Scholarship helps students with disabilities and their families pay to attend a private school, and can be used to cover the cost of therapists, specialists, or college.
› Broward School Board takes step toward closing some schools
Efforts to improve marketing, boost student achievement and overhaul some campuses have failed to stop a freefall in Broward school enrollment. And now, most School Board members say they are ready to consider what had been an option of last resort: closing schools. School Board members agreed Tuesday to move forward with a proposal by Superintendent Howard Hepburn that takes an initial step toward considering the future of 34 schools. Some schools would close, while others would consolidate, change or even expand, officials said. Hepburn hasn’t given an exact number of how many may close.