By Andrew Powell A bill seeking to give greater flexibility to school districts by reducing some of the requirements around testing and funding use is heading to the Senate floor. The Senate Fiscal Policy Committee unanimously advanced the measure (SB 166), moving it through its final... Continue Reading
Legislative budget proposals have started to roll out, and the message of the session is prepare for less. “We need to right-size our budget this year,” House PreK-12 Budget chairperson Jenna Persons-Mulicka told her panel Tuesday as she unveiled her recommendations. “We have to... Continue Reading
By Ana Goñi-Lessan Students enrolled in the state's Family Empowerment Scholarships are bouncing back to public schools, but the funding isn't following the students, public school officials say. It's caused confusion and budget discrepancies, and district funds have been stretched thin,... Continue Reading
By Gabrielle Russon At 8 a.m. sharp Wednesday, Republican Rep. John Temple sat in a committee meeting as lawmakers grumbled about the early start time. “Under my breath, I mumbled, ‘It’s not too early to go to school, you know?’” Temple said. The Legislature in... Continue Reading
Destin High School announced Wednesday it will adopt a four-day school week for the 2025-26 school years. WEAR News previously reported the school was considering making the change from a typical five-day school week. "This decision was made after a careful planning and feedback and reflects the... Continue Reading
By Ana Ceballos An effort to ban Florida public schools from serving students ultra-processed foods, such as sugary drinks and artificially colored snacks, hit a snag in a state Senate committee on Tuesday after facing pushback from the industry that sells those products. “There is a... Continue Reading
By Jesse Scheckner A bill to protect minors from predators on social media is moving forward in the Senate with mostly positive reviews, though there are some concerns about cybersecurity dangers. Members of the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee voted 7-2 for the measure (SB 868), which... Continue Reading
By Gabrielle Russon Cities, universities and government entities could be banned from flying pride flags and other banners that express “political viewpoints’ under a bill sponsored by Sen. Randy Fine. The Senate Community Affairs Committee supported the measure (SB 100) via a 5-3... Continue Reading
By: Romelo Styles St. Lucie Public Schools broke ground Tuesday morning on a new elementary school, one of three new facilities set to open over the next two years as the district grapples with rapid enrollment growth. The district is adding about 1,500 students a year, a surge that has... Continue Reading
By Andrew Powell The Senate PreK-12 Education Appropriations Committee unanimously advanced a measure 8-0 that seeks to bolster the safety of Florida’s schools. Zephyrhills Republican Sen. Danny Burgess presented the bill (SB 1470) to the committee. Burgess said the legislation was... Continue Reading
By A.G. Gancarski Sen. Joe Gruters’ legislation (SB 1058) requiring School Boards to “adopt and acquire” materials using the Gulf of America name is one step closer to the Senate floor. And he didn’t even have to show up to make his case. The Appropriations Committee... Continue Reading
Teenagers as young as 14 could soon be allowed to work overnight shifts as part of an effort in the Republican-led Legislature to roll back major aspects of the state’s child labor laws. The proposal — scheduled to be heard in a Florida Senate committee Tuesday morning — comes... Continue Reading
