By: Jackie Llanos Gov. Ron DeSantis recommended one of his top aides as the state’s education commissioner, replacing Manny Diaz Jr. following his appointment as interim president of the University of West Florida. The Board of Education is scheduled to vote on Diaz’s replacement... Continue Reading
By Jeffrey S. Solochek A key aide to Gov. Ron DeSantis with little public profile could soon rise to the nationally prominent post of Florida’s education commissioner. Anastasios I. Kamoutsas, one of DeSantis’ four deputy chiefs of staff, has emerged as one of the most frequently... Continue Reading
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a bill that will expand a restriction on cellphone use in Florida schools. The bill (HB 1105), which was approved by the Legislature on May 2, revises a law that has prevented students from using cellphones during instructional time. The bill will prohibit... Continue Reading
By Cory Turner, Michel Martin MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: Private school voucher programs have been popping up all over the country in recent years. But now, for the first time, a national voucher plan is on the table - part of the big tax bill passed by the House that the Senate is now... Continue Reading
By Jim Turner When lawmakers begin budget conference talks Tuesday, a couple of priorities of Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, and House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, likely will already be off the table. Lawmakers aren’t expected to approve Albritton’s “rural... Continue Reading
By Gabrielle Russon Wayne Blanton, a public education icon who was an advocacy force in Tallahassee for 40 years, died Thursday at age 78. “Members of the Florida Legislature come and go. Governors come and go, and department heads come and go,” said his friend, former Sen. Bill... Continue Reading
By Jesse Scheckner Parents in Florida will soon have an outsized say in whether a private company should operate their kids’ public school. Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed HB 1105, a patchwork of multiple education-focused measures lawmakers carried this year that failed to pass... Continue Reading
BY Jason Lanning The school year is ending for students and teachers, but Manatee County school officials will be busy this summer. The school board’s first order of business is finding a new superintendent. Last week, in a meeting that caught several members of the school board off... Continue Reading
by: Riley Lehman Plans for a new school on Tyndall Air Force Base are moving forward. Bay district leaders held a workshop meeting on Tuesday to discuss the next steps for the Tyndall Academy K-8 facility. The current school is old. It was built in 1950 and has had several upgrades,... Continue Reading
By Fallon Silcox After hearing from school administrators across the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law updating the current locked door policy. Right now, all school doors and gates are required to be locked at all times students are on campus, even outside the hours of the normal school... Continue Reading
By Lauren Camera What if one of the most crucial experiences for the development of school-aged children doesn’t happen during the school day at all? What if it has little to do with learning to read, sharpening math skills or navigating the cafeteria’s social scene? What if, when... Continue Reading
Thomas Jefferson Middle School and Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School has been recognized by the Florida Department of Education for exceptional achievements. Each semester, this honor is awarded to two elementary or middle school chapters and two secondary or post-secondary chapters that exemplify... Continue Reading
