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Around the state: A vote is expected today in the special legislative session on an immigration bill that would end in-state tuition for undocumented students, the number of Florida students now receiving K-12 scholarships from the state is up 67% since the approval of the 2023 law offering universal school choice, Miami-Dade schools will consider adding panic buttons to employee ID badges, the state is investigating a complaint that the Palm Beach County School District discriminated against a Jewish student, and school Facebook posts celebrating Literacy Week in Volusia County are criticized by a parent who says the posts show “illegal” books. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: District officials are considering having school employees wear an ID badge with a panic button that immediately notifies law enforcement in case of an emergency. Superintendent Jose Dotres will gather information and present options to the school board at next month’s meeting. WPLG. Eleven schools would be rezoned for the 2025-2026 school year and two would be repurposed under the district’s proposal to deal with declining enrollment. More than 5,000 fewer students attend public schools this year than last. A final decision on the plan will be made at a school board meeting in June. Axios.
Broward: The county’s Office of Inspector General just assumed oversight of the school district’s operations last month, and is already receiving complaints. The office, which is independent of the school district, will look into alleged violations of federal, state or local laws and school district policies, fraud, corruption and mismanagement of public resources. The projected cost of the service to the district is $1.2 million a year. Sun Sentinel. A Plantation Middle School security specialist has been arrested and accused of hitting an intellectually delayed student with a belt last April. Police said Karnisia Coleman, 31, boarded a school bus at the request of the driver who said a 14-year-old boy was “not listening,” and then hit the student with her belt when he didn’t put on his seat belt. WPLG. WSVN.
Palm Beach: Allegations that the school district discriminated against a Jewish student are being investigated by the Florida Department of Education. The student was reportedly bullied during the 2023-2024 school year on the basis of ancestry, and it’s alleged the district did not respond as federal law requires. WPTV. WPEC.
Lee: The district’s farm-to-school gardening program is being expanded to 14 schools. Produce is grown in the gardens, which provides fresh ingredients for meals in the cafeteria and teaches students how to grow food. WINK.
Seminole: County commissioners are balking at a proposal to expand a charter school in Lake Mary. Citing concerns about traffic and noise, commissioners decided changes must be made before the K-8 Seminole Science Charter School can add a 75,000-square-foot building to accommodate middle and high school students. Revisions will be discussed at a meeting March 25. WKMG.
Volusia: Facebook posts by two schools celebrating Literacy Week are being condemned by a Moms for Liberty official who says the posted photos show books that she claims are “illegal.” Jenifer Kelly, the county chair for the group, wants the principal of Deltona High, Christina Lapnow, fired for her photo, which she called  a “political statement from groomers who want porn made available to other people’s children.” Lapnow said, “The bookshelves I stood in front of are the personal bookshelves of another employee and not our school’s library. Those books are not accessible to students.” Superintendent Carmen Balgobin and other school officials did not comment on Kelly’s complaints, made at a school board meeting this week. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
St. Johns: The new school superintendent should be a consensus builder who respects teachers, is focused on student achievements and is honest, members of the community told the school board at two town forums Wednesday. Current Superintendent Tim Forson is retiring this summer. A job description will be discussed at a workshop meeting later this month, and the board will start recruiting candidates. WJXT. WTLV.
Okaloosa: Early returns on a survey of how Destin High School students and their parents feel about switching to a four-day school week have been overwhelmingly supportive, says principal Diane Kelley. About 95 percent like the idea of a Monday through Thursday week. “Making the four-day school week an idea worth exploring because of its potential to enrich students’ lives both inside and outside the classroom,” says Heidi LoCicero, president of the charter school’s governing board. Destin Log.
In the Legislature: An immigration bill that includes an end to in-state college tuition waivers for undocumented students was approved Wednesday by the Senate Appropriations Committee, despite Democratic opposition. “Take out in-state tuition, and I’d vote for it,” said Democratic Leader Jason Pizzo. But Republican Sen. Randy Fine defended the bill by saying, “I am sorry that their parents did it to them. These children did not magically appear in the United States. Their parents chose to break the law.” One provision dropped from the bill would have compelled teachers to cooperate with immigration officials to the “fullest extent possible.” A final vote is expected today. Politico Florida. USA Today Florida Network. Florida Politics.
Scholarship growth: The 2023 law that made K-12 state scholarships available to all students regardless of family income has increased their use by 67%, according to an analysis of data from Step Up For Students, which administers most of the programs. About 25% of the families receiving scholarships make $125,000 or more, while 44% make $58,000 or less. Orlando Sentinel. Here’s a school-by-school look at how the percentage of students using universal state scholarships soared in the year after the law was enacted. Orlando Sentinel.
Around the nation: About 60% of U.S. high schools now offer computer science courses, according to a report from the advocacy group Code.org. In Florida, though, the percentage is only about 38%. Gender parity remains an issue, the report says. Enrollment is only about 32% female both in Florida and nationally. WJAX.
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