Florida shutters its schools, universities over coronavirus

After four cases of COVID-19 popped up on the University of Florida campus, Gov. Ron DeSantis wanted to take no chances. He called on the entire state university system to double down on actions to keep the illness from spreading. The decisions impact classes for the rest of the semester and into the summer. As for the excitement of graduation: It will have to wait. More from the Tampa Bay Times, WESH, and WTXL.

Florida Trend Exclusive
UF developed tiny chip tracks med-taking

Digital tech company etectRX has received FDA clearance for its ID-CAP system, which verifies medicinal dosage to patients and physicians using digital technology. Developed by University of Florida graduates, the ID-CAP system is an ingestible sensor inserted into a pill. The sensor sends a digital message to verify the medicine was taken and in what dosage. [Source: Florida Trend]

Florida legislators send college-athlete name, image and likeness bill to governor

The Florida House of Representatives on Friday night gave the final legislative approval of a bill that would help college athletes in the state make money from their name, image and likeness, beginning July 1, 2021. The House’s action — by a 98-14 vote — sends the measure to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who announced in October that he supports such a proposal. [Source: USA Today]

U of Missouri leader applies for UCF presidency as a highly anticipated last-minute candidate

As the University of Central Florida enters the final stretch of its search for a new president, a highly anticipated candidate has joined the mix. Alexander Cartwright, the chancellor of the University of Missouri, has submitted his resume to a search committee tasked with narrowing the list of applicants and choosing a small group of finalists for UCF trustees to consider. [Source: Orlando Sentinel]

Florida’s $500 million teacher raise plan gets mixed reviews

Lawmakers said they did their best to split the difference among many competing interests, ultimately allotting $400 million to raise the minimum teacher salary and $100 million to raise the pay of veteran teachers and other instructional personnel. What emerged in the final hours of the legislative session was a compromise that, like most brokered deals, left everyone a little unenthusiastic. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Orange teachers ordered to report to work Monday despite coronavirus closure, causing furor [Orlando Sentinel]
The Orange County school district has ordered its 25,000 teachers to report to work Monday, creating a furor as upset teachers questioned why they’d return to campus just as the governor told schools to remain closed until mid-April because of the coronavirus pandemic.

› Ryan Petty narrowly confirmed to State Board of Education [Florida Phoenix]
Over strong objections from some senators, Republican Ryan Petty narrowly won confirmation Friday to serve on the State Board of Education, overseeing one of the largest public school systems in the country.

› University of Florida continues to make gains in U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings [Florida Trend]
The University of Florida continues its upward momentum with 44 graduate programs ranked in the top 20 among public universities, according to the 2021 U.S. News & World Report Best Graduate Schools rankings, released today. The number of graduate programs that rank in the top 20 increased by 11, up from 33 one year ago. This includes 17 programs ranked in the top 10, up from 12 programs last year.

› Hernando students outperform others in Tampa Bay, but the region under-performs its peers [Tampa Bay Times]
Hernando and Pasco elementary and secondary school students fared well last school year on a sampling of state assessment tests and final exams when compared to Pinellas and Hillsborough counties, according to the annual State of the Region report from the Tampa Bay Partnership.