Florida school closures spread as enrollment plunges statewide
Florida public schools find themselves in the grip of declining birthrates, families driven out of the state by the high cost of living, and the drain of dollars and students to private and charter schools — as well as the political climate. “Our public schools are in crisis right now in Florida,” said Demaris Allen, executive director for Families for Strong Public Schools. “We are seeing it hit a point where they can’t function under the shortages they have been given.” [Source: Pensacola News Journal]
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» Florida school enrollment crisis put most vulnerable students at risk
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Cyber collaboration
Florida and Idaho are vastly different states in many ways, but they share a commitment to rigorous cybersecurity standards and practices, as well as a keen interest in bolstering the cybersecurity workforce of the future. That's evident in the partnership struck between the Florida Center for Cybersecurity based at the University of South Florida in Tampa and the Idaho National Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Nuclear Energy. [Source: Florida Trend]
Why Florida's teachers union sued over the state's universal school vouchers
Recently, the Florida Education Association (FEA), the state's largest teachers union, along with parents, school board members and civil rights organizations, sued the state Department of Education. They say a disparity between traditional public schools and private schools getting taxpayer vouchers violates the state constitution. The lawsuit claims almost $5 billion of taxpayer money is sent to private schools and charter schools from the Family Empowerment Scholarship, and aren't held to the same oversight as traditional schools. [Source: WUSF]
More Florida students are graduating on time. But are they ready for college?
More Florida students are graduating high school on time than ever before, but it’s unclear if their preparedness for the workforce or postsecondary education is also on the rise. Florida College Access Network’s 2026 State of College Access and Student Success in Florida report, released last week, found that last year’s high school graduation rate reached a record 92%. But less than half of the 2025 class completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]
Governor signs law expanding armed guardian program to Florida colleges and universities
The new law (HB 757) requires institutions to train faculty to detect and respond to mental health issues, adopt an active assailant response plan, adopt post-incident family reunification plans and imposes felony charges for discharging a weapon within 1,000 feet of a campus. Also, records related to a student’s behavior, including threat assessment reports and student psychological evaluations, must transfer when the individual moves from K-12 school to a state college or university. [Source: WUSF]
ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:
› Central Florida Vocal Arts 1:1 program boosts kids' access to music year round
The school year may be coming to a close, but opportunities for kids to participate and learn about the arts don’t end when the bell rings. Many arts-related summer camps are gearing up for the summer season. Central Florida Vocal Arts has a program for underserved kids from Orange and Osceola County School Districts that now stretches past the school year. The program’s called 1:1, said as “One to One,” and it pairs the kids with their very own vocal coach.
› UF lost one president pick over DEI. Now similar questions are rising again
When University of Florida named Stuart Bell its lone presidential finalist Monday, culture warriors moved almost immediately to raise the same question that doomed UF’s last pick: Is he too tied to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to lead a public university in the state where, as Gov. Ron DeSantis once declared, “woke goes to die?”
› FIU disaster field exercise trains future responders for complex crises at home and abroad
Florida International University kicked off its annual Disaster Field Operations Exercise today at the Biscayne Bay Campus, bringing together graduate students, emergency responders and community partners for a full-scale simulation focused on disaster response in domestic and international environments. Led by FIU’s Academy for International Disaster Preparedness, part of the Robert Stempel College of Public Health & Social Work, the two-day exercise gives approximately 50 students the opportunity to move from classroom theory to field operations.
› Pasco is a fast-growing county. Why is school enrollment dropping?
Tuesday of closing under-enrolled Gulfside Elementary in Holiday and merging it into Paul R. Smith Middle up the street. Only minutes earlier, Williams discussed the need to build two new campuses — a K-8 and a high school — to alleviate continued crowding in the Wesley Chapel area. The contrast within the school board workshop presentation highlighted what has become a conundrum for the district as officials explore next steps.