Florida

News, analysis, and opinion about K-12 education in Florida
The shadow of the hand of a Sotheby's employee is cast over a 17th-century calf bound 1623 copy of the First Folio edition of William Shakespeare's plays at the auction house's offices in central London, on March 30, 2006.
The shadow of the hand of a Sotheby's employee is cast over a 17th-century calf bound 1623 copy of the First Folio edition of William Shakespeare's plays at the auction house's offices in central London, on March 30, 2006.
Matt Dunham/AP
Curriculum Shakespeare Works Should Not Be Removed From Classrooms, Florida Education Department Says
Plans in a Florida district to reduce the works of Shakespeare to excerpts were met with derision by state education officials.
Jeffrey S. Solochek, Tampa Bay Times, August 9, 2023
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3 min read
Photo from behind of a mother with her arms around her son and daughter who are both wearing school bookbags.
E+
Student Achievement The Sibling Effect: How Retaining Struggling Readers Impacts Brothers and Sisters
A 2002 Florida law that requires struggling readers to repeat a grade also affected their siblings, a study finds.
Lydia McFarlane, August 9, 2023
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3 min read
Photo of boy in front of white board with math problem.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
Mathematics 7 States Now Require Math Support for Struggling Students. Here's What's in the New Laws
They focus on providing PD, diagnostic tools, and evidence-based teaching. But it will take time to work out the details.
Sarah Schwartz, August 9, 2023
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7 min read
The shadow of the hand of a Sotheby's employee is cast over a 17th-century calf bound 1623 copy of the First Folio edition of William Shakespeare's plays at the auction house's offices in central London, on March 30, 2006.
The shadow of the hand of a Sotheby's employee is cast over a 17th-century calf bound 1623 copy of the First Folio edition of William Shakespeare's plays at the auction house's offices in central London, on March 30, 2006.
Matt Dunham/AP
Curriculum Schools in Florida Cut Back on Shakespeare, Citing New State Rules
English teachers in Hillsborough County are preparing lessons with only excerpts from Shakespeare’s works to avoid anything racy or sexual.
Marlene Sokol, Tampa Bay Times, August 8, 2023
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3 min read
College Board President David Coleman attends an announcement event on March 5, 2014, in Austin, where College Board officials announced updates for the SAT college entrance exam.
College Board President David Coleman attends an announcement event on March 5, 2014, in Austin, Texas. The organization has been in a protracted battle with Florida over the content of the AP Psychology course.
Eric Gay/AP
Social Studies Florida vs. College Board: The Fight Over AP Psychology Puts Students in Limbo
The organization that oversees the Advanced Placement program said Florida has “effectively banned AP Psychology in the state.”
Sarah Schwartz, August 4, 2023
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6 min read
Sand Pine Elementary fourth grade students, from left, Ayden Jenkins, Ceinna Davis, and Kera Gordon review math lessons with teacher Stephanie Sheridan at the school on Feb. 18, 2015, in Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Sand Pine Elementary School 4th grade students, from left, Ayden Jenkins, Ceinna Davis, and Kera Gordon review math lessons with teacher Stephanie Sheridan at the school on Feb. 18, 2015, in Wesley Chapel, Fla.
Brendan Fitterer/The Tampa Bay Times via AP
Special Education One State's Approach for Struggling Math Learners: IEP-Style Plans
Florida wants to develop a form of individualized education programs to target help to students who lag far behind in math.
Lydia McFarlane, August 2, 2023
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3 min read
Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference at the Celebrate Freedom Foundation Hangar in West Columbia, S.C. July 18, 2023. For DeSantis, Tuesday was supposed to mark a major moment to help reset his stagnant Republican presidential campaign. But yet again, the moment was overshadowed by Donald Trump. The former president was the overwhelming focus for much of the day as DeSantis spoke out at a press conference and sat for a highly anticipated interview designed to reassure anxious donors and primary voters that he's still well-positioned to defeat Trump.
Florida Governor and Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference in West Columbia, S.C., on July 18, 2023. Florida officials approved new African American history standards that drew national backlash, and which DeSantis defended.
Sean Rayford/AP
Standards Florida's New African American History Standards: What's Behind the Backlash
The state's new standards drew national criticism and leave teachers with questions.
Ileana Najarro, July 25, 2023
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9 min read
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Jacksonville, Fla., on July 21, 2023. Harris spoke out against the new standards adopted by the Florida State Board of Education in the teaching of Black history.
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at the historic Ritz Theatre in downtown Jacksonville, Fla., on July 21, 2023. Harris spoke out against the new standards adopted by the Florida state board of education in the teaching of Black history.
Fran Ruchalski/The Florida Times-Union via AP
Standards Here’s What’s in Florida’s New African American History Standards
Standards were expanded in the younger grades, but critics question the framing of many of the new standards.
Ileana Najarro, July 25, 2023
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1 min read
Illustration of sad/angry boy.
iStock / Getty Images Plus
School Climate & Safety A State Mandated School Threat Assessment. Here's What It Meant for Students
What researchers learned from the largest analysis of school threat assessment to date.
Evie Blad, July 24, 2023
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7 min read
Edward Biedermann, executive director of AP Outreach for the College Board, welcomes educators to the first AP annual conference since 2019 in Seattle, Wash., on July 19, 2023.
Edward Biedermann, executive director of AP Outreach for the College Board, welcomes educators to the first AP annual conference since 2019 in Seattle, Wash., on July 19, 2023.
Ileana Najarro/Education Week
College & Workforce Readiness College Board Revisits Contentious Decisions, Edits to AP African American Studies Course
Decisions around AP African American Studies and the future of AP program overall were among discussion points.
Ileana Najarro, July 24, 2023
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7 min read
The doors to public restrooms are propped open at an office complex on May 9, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif.
The doors to public restrooms are propped open at an office complex on May 9, 2016, in Anaheim, Calif. Florida's state board of education passed new rules restricting transgender students' bathroom access at school.
Chris Carlson/AP
Equity & Diversity Florida Board of Education Restricts Bathroom Access and Pronoun Use for Trans Students
Florida's state board of education passed rules banning bathroom access and pronoun use for trans and nonbinary students and teachers.
Eesha Pendharkar, July 21, 2023
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5 min read
National Education Association President Becky Pringle speaks to the union’s representative assembly on July 4, 2023.
National Education Association President Becky Pringle speaks to the union’s representative assembly on July 4, 2023, in Orlando, Fla.
NEA
Teaching Profession Q&A NEA President Sympathizes With Teachers Who Want to Quit. Here's Her Advice
Becky Pringle talks about the volatile political climate teachers are in.
Madeline Will, July 7, 2023
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8 min read
Students in Dalia Gerardo’s 2nd grade class have access to school supplies labeled in Spanish and English at West Elementary in Russellville, Ala. Seals of biliteracy programs promote multilingualism as an asset across the country.
Students in Dalia Gerardo’s 2nd grade class have access to school supplies labeled in Spanish and English at West Elementary in Russellville, Ala.
Tamika Moore for Education Week
English-Language Learners Earning Seals of Biliteracy Are Beneficial to Students. Here's What the Research Shows
There's emerging evidence that seals of biliteracy benefit students, but more empirical data is needed.
Ileana Najarro, June 30, 2023
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5 min read
A man with grey hair and glasses sits with his chin rested on his folded hands.
Scot Peterson, a former school resource officer at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, looks in the direction of prosecutors during his trial in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., on June 15, 2023. Jurors acquitted Peterson, a former Broward County sheriff's deputy, of criminal charges for his failure to enter the high school to confront the shooter who killed 17 people and injured 17 others.
Amy Beth Bennett/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP
School Climate & Safety Parkland Officer Found Not Guilty in Case That Shed Light on Police Role in School Safety
A jury acquitted the former deputy of all criminal charges connected to his response to the 2018 mass shooting.
Evie Blad, June 29, 2023
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3 min read
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