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Florida leads nation in declining undergraduate enrollment

Florida leads nation in declining undergraduate enrollment

More than 350,000 fewer students enrolled in undergraduate programs in the U.S. for the 2019 spring semester than the previous year, according to a new report by the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. The Sunshine State saw the biggest decrease in enrollment, including all sectors of postsecondary education and both graduate and undergraduate programs. The 5.2% decrease from spring 2018 equaled to almost 50,000 students. See the full report here and read more from WJXT and Newsweek.

USF ranks among top universities worldwide for patented research

For the seventh consecutive year, the University of South Florida stands with the world’s top universities in inventing new technologies, tools and objects that have been granted a U.S. utility patent, according to rankings released Tuesday by the National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association. Based on new patents secured during the 2018 calendar year, USF is seventh among American public research universities and 16th among all universities worldwide in generating new patents. Read the announcement from USF and read more at Florida Politics.

College admissions scandal: Who’s Mark Riddell, the Florida man and ‘really smart guy’ who took tests for kids?

On July 18, Mark Edward Riddell is scheduled to be sentenced for his role in the biggest college admissions scandal in U.S. history. Federal prosecutors say Riddell, a Harvard graduate and employee of IMG Academy in Bradenton, was paid to take entrance exams or to correct answers for the children of rich parents eager to get their offspring into top-flight schools. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

In move to drop Common Core, Florida releases draft of new academic standards for middle and high schools

State leaders on Friday proposed new academic standards for middle and high school English and math classes, the next step in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ effort to eliminate Common Core from Florida’s public schools. The just-released draft was crafted by panels of “teacher experts," according to the Florida Department of Education, and can be reviewed at www.floridastandardsreview.org. New standards for elementary math and reading classes are in the works, too. More from the Orlando Sentinel and WJXT.

In the big-business world of Florida education, top lobbying firms are key players

And while families may think of education as teachers, kids and classrooms, it’s actually a big business and ripe for lobbyist intervention in the legislative process. Top lobbyist Ron Book has been lobbying for more than 40 years and has dozens of clients. As for education lobbying, he says the field has grown dramatically. “There’s far more representation in the education space today than there was five years, 10 years, 15 and 20 years ago,” Book said. [Source: ]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Florida’s new health secretary will keep getting paid by the University of Florida, too
When Dr. Scott Rivkees takes over as secretary of the state Department of Health, he will continue to have an outside contract with the University of Florida. Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nunez attributed the delay in Rivkees starting at the department to negotiations on an agreement that will keep him on board at the university.

› The new dean of Stetson Law comes to Gulfport by way of Haiti, Harvard and Ole 'Miss
Once almost the exclusive realm of white males, U.S. law schools have become increasingly diverse. So has their leadership. Michèle Alexandre was recently named dean of Stetson University College of Law, the third African-American woman tapped this year to head a law school. Nationwide, about 35 percent of law schools now have women at the helm and about 10 percent are headed by minority women.

› Just for teachers: Summer hotel deals, freebies at Orlando theme parks and more
Hard-working teachers have earned some rest and relaxation as school lets out and summer kicks off. Teachers can use their school IDs to get deals on lodging at Walt Disney World and free entry at Orlando theme parks and attractions, Kennedy Space Center and on Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line.

› Northwest Florida State College named safest campus in Florida
Northwest Florida State (NWF) College has been named the safest college campus in the state of Florida by YourLocalSecurity.com. All public and private colleges with 5,000 students or more were considered for the title.