FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis reportedly helped shut down a drag show event at an Orlando high school after the state's department of education questioned the event.

Former Axios reporter Ben Montgomery appeared on Thursday’s episode of the “The ReidOut” to discuss being fired after insulting DeSantis’ press release.

The course was rolled out​ in a two-year pilot program across 60 unnamed U.S. high schools this year, one of which is in New Jersey.

The College Board accused the Florida Department of Education of "slander" and "misinformation" regarding the ongoing dispute about its latest AP course offering.

The nonprofit is dueling with the DeSantis administration over a new AP course on African American studies.

Florida officials claimed the new AP African American Studies course has a "political agenda," but the education nonprofit says state leaders never made any concrete suggestions on how to change it.

The Commissioner of Education sent a letter to the Duval Schools’ Superintendent, Dr. Diana Greene, “strongly urging” that the district needs to end its participation in a CDC youth-risk behavior survey (YRBS) and instead participate in a new one developed by the state.

The organization that created a high school African American studies program rejected by Florida said Thursday it’s still waiting for specifics from the state about how the course violates state law. The College Board also disputed what it said were Florida’s claims it had deleted 19 topics from the proposed Advance Placement course at Florida’s behest, saying in a statement online that it already was streamlining topics to fit into an academic year. In a letter Tuesday to the College Board, Florida Department of Education said it was “grateful” to see that a Feb. 1 revision had deleted the 19 topics, including Intersectionality, Reparations and the Movement for Black Lives.

Following rejection from the Florida Department of Education and criticism from Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., The College Board purged its AP African studies course of woke content.

"Those narratives that they were singling out aren't in the curriculum itself," says Harvard's Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham

The state’s intent seems to be to provide white Floridians, from a young age, with a version of history that they can be comfortable with, regardless of whether it’s true.

Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe Florida Department of Education says it banned AP African American History because it teaches students about activism, intersectionality and encourages “ending the war on Black trans, queer, gender non-conforming, and intersex people,” according to a document the department sent to The Daily Beast.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis rejected a request from the College Board to provide the class in high school classes in the state Wednesday. The mov

News4JAX has reported that Duval County has more schools in need of extra support than any other school district in Florida.

Some Florida teachers are raising concerns about the state’s new civics training.

Duval County has more struggling schools than any other district in the Sunshine State, according to a Florida Department of Education report. The same report outlines the subject areas in which there exists a critical shortage of certified teachers, with English as the category projected to be in the direst need in the upcoming school year.

The News4JAX I-TEAM is digging through thousands of documents just released by the Florida Department of Education. They reveal what textbook reviewers flagged as Critical Race Theory (CRT) and other prohibited topics which led to the rejection of 54 unpublished math books. Governor DeSantis has targeted Critical Race Theory -- saying the book authors are trying to ‘indoctrinate” Florida students.

The records, nearly 6,000 pages of book examinations, show that state reviewers flagged several traces of critical race theory and inklings of “social emotional learning” in proposed texts.

The Florida Department of Education has reinstated more math textbooks that were previously rejected because the state said they contained “prohibited” content such as critical race theory, social emotional learning and Common Core frameworks.

The Florida Department of Education reinstated nine math textbooks that were previously rejected because the state said they contained “prohibited” content such as critical race theory, social emotional learning and Common Core frameworks.

The Department said the textbooks had exercises based on critical race theory.

The Department said the textbooks had exercises based on critical race theory.

After math textbooks were recently rejected by the Florida Department of Education because it said they contain “prohibited topics” like critical race theory, the department has released examples of what was in those books.

Florida provided no evidence of what's in the banned textbooks, but I imagine it's liberal mathematical filth like like binomials and polynomials.

In its review of 132 math textbooks that were submitted for consideration, the Florida Department of Education rejected 54, claiming they contain ‘prohibited topics’ such as critical race theory, social-emotional learning and Common Core frameworks.

The Florida Department of Education has banned 41% of submitted textbooks for not aligning with Florida's new standards on prohibited topics.

Data from the Florida Department of Education shows that Black students in Florida are reading at much lower levels than white students.

The Florida Department of Education is defending its decision to remove a page from its website that provided links to anti-bullying resources, including those specifically geared toward LGBTQ youth.

The St. Johns County School District is surveying stakeholders on how to spend federal COVID-19 relief funds.

The Florida Department of Education upheld its threat to pull a chunk of state funding from Duval County Public Schools over the board’s decision to impose a mask mandate.

The U.S. Department of Education filed a 'cease and desist' complaint against the Florida Department of Education.

The Florida Department of Education is escalating the fight over local school district mask mandates.

In 2019, the Florida Department of Education conducted a survey of bus drivers and found that on any given day, school buses in Florida were passed illegally nearly 13,000 times across the state.

Florida’s newly appointed surgeon general on Wednesday signed new protocols allowing parents to decide whether their children should quarantine or stay in school if they are asymptomatic after being exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on required masking of students is being fought in the courts, but in the meantime, some school districts in the state are still imposing a mask mandate.

The U.S. Secretary of Education is monitoring the situation.

The Florida Department of Education is now taking aim at Duval County Public Schools over the district’s decision to impose a 90-day mask mandate for students.

Alachua Schools Superintendent Dr. Carlee Simon said her board members “deserve praise, not penalties” for their “courageous decision” to defy an executive order from Gov. Ron DeSantis and implement a districtwide mask mandate.

Florida state education officials have begun to make good on threats to withhold funding from local school districts that defied Gov. Ron DeSantis’ ban on mask mandates.

Florida state education officials on Monday began to make good on threats to withhold funding from local school districts that defied Gov. Ron DeSantis' ban on mask mandates, despite a circuit judge last week ruling the ban unconstitutional. Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran announced that the Florida Department of Education has withheld an amount equal to monthly school board member salaries in Alachua and Broward counties, as directed by the State Board of Education.

A one-page information graphic outlining the Florida Department of Education’s recommendations on how school districts should combat COVID-19 was sent out to superintendents earlier this month, but it fails to include what medical experts conclude are the most effective mitigation strategies.

State education departments and the Biden Administration intensify the fight over masking rules for schools.

Florida's department of education warned it will fine any school districts that are not following DeSantis' ban on mask mandates.

The Florida Department of Education on Friday formally demanded that the Alachua and Broward County school districts “comply with state statute and rule” by dropping their mask requirements.

The Florida Department of Education has scheduled an emergency meeting of the State Board of Education for Tuesday to consider funding cuts tor two school districts that have rebuffed Gov. Ron DeSantis’ executive order allowing parents to ignore mask mandates.

Lila Hartley made national headlines last week when she wrote a letter to the Duval County School Board urging members to consider a mask requirement when the new school year begins.

As COVID cases - led by the delta variant - surge, DeSantis issued an executive order to make face masks optional across Florida schools.

As cases of COVID-19 continue to rise, Duval County Public Schools on Wednesday said it strongly recommends that unvaccinated students wear masks when the 2021-22 school year begins in August.

Lamenting the bleak state of civics literacy among young people, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday touted a $106 million effort intended to shore up civics education in Florida’s public schools.

As Tropical Storm Elsa barrels towards Florida, schools on the west coast of the state made the decision to shut down on Tuesday.

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) reported that 54% of third-grade students this year scored “satisfactory” or above on the state English-language arts exam, a 4 percentage-point decrease from 2019 when the exam was last administered.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday signed a trio of bills that he said will help Florida become the No. 1 state in the nation in terms of civic literacy.

A proposal that would place strict guidelines on the way U.S. history is taught in public schools has drawn opponents who argue the measure threatens to obscure the realities of historical events as part of a “culture war.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made it clear Tuesday how he wants to see schools start the new year this fall.

The Florida Department of Education advised school districts they won’t be affected by two executive orders that Gov. Ron DeSantis issued Monday to block local governments’ COVID-19 emergency orders.

A flurry of questions flooded Duval County Public Schools following a new emergency order from the Florida Department of Education, which laid out new rules for how local districts are allowed to handle state exams.

The first of several rounds of statewide testing of Florida students began Monday, amid the lingering safety concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We have to recognize that, although our teachers and staff in our schools have done amazing work, it’s not been without disruption,” Spar said. “Kids have been quarantined, teachers have been quarantined, staff has been quarantined, and that has created disruption.”“The big thing now is focusing on, how to we build and make sure that kids are getting everything that they need? Since it first arrived in Florida, the novel coronavirus has infected 80,682 students and staff associated with a school district, according to the FEA’s Safe Schools report. Overall, 146,793 kids in Florida who are school-aged (K-12) have tested positive for the virus since schools first reopened Aug. 10. The pandemic has claimed the lives of 40 Florida educators and nine school-aged children since schools reopened.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Dozens of survivors of communist regimes flocked to the State Capitol on Thursday in a show of support for a bill that would bring stories like theirs into the classroom. Supporters expressed concerns that younger generations don’t understand the history of America’s founding principles and how they differ from communist ideology. But for dozens of survivors of communist regimes who brought their stories to the State Capitol, it’s personal. A survey by The Victims of Communism Foundation found one in three millennials have a favorable view of communism. A separate bill has been filed that would establish Victims of Communism Day as an official state holiday to commemorate the 100 million victims killed under communist regimes.

Cardona says the governor should allow school bus drivers and monitors to also be vaccinated at federal sites. Data on school bus drivers infected with COVID-19 is sparse. Some school districts, like Duval County, use third-party contractors who supply school bus drivers. Student Transportation of America, or STA, employs most school bus drivers for Duval County schools. Cardona says her union has fielded “numerous” calls from school bus drivers and monitors who reported testing positive for COVID-19.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The third round of exams meant to track Duval County students’ progress begins Monday, but this one brings a major difference. Duval County Public Schools is not offering a virtual option this time around, despite allowing it for the first two PMAs. In Duval County, there are 17 schools that are currently in that program:Annie R Morgan Elementary SchoolArlington Elementary SchoolGeorge Washing Carver Elementary SchoolHighlands Middle SchoolJ.E.B. AdThe concern from many families continues to surround safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than one-in-five students in the district still engaged in its virtual learning formats. AdMore information about the FSAs and what options are afforded to parents can be found at the district’s website.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – For Duval County parents who have kept their students in virtual learning this school year, the upcoming Florida Standards Assessment (FSA) exams are causing concern as the district is not offering a virtual option. “The Florida Department of Education is requiring all students in grades six to 12 to take their Florida Standards Assessment, FSA, in state and the course exams, at a school location,” said a voicemail message sent to Duval County families whose students are enrolled in Duval Homeroom. “It just seems like, sometimes, our opinions are undervalued,” Sullivan said of parents of virtual learning students. While students were allowed to take this school year’s previous PMAs virtually, the message to parents was unclear as to whether the next one would offer that option. Meanwhile, in Tallahassee, some lawmakers have filed legislation to soften the financial impact that the state assessments could have on schools.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s high school graduation rate hit a record-high of 90% in 2020. The Florida Department of Education said the graduation high is in part due to adjustments made during the coronavirus pandemic. The waived assessments propelled us in a direction we were already heading,” Duval County Schools Superintendent wrote in a statement. The Nassau County School District (91.6%) noted a 1.2% drop in the graduation rate since 2017-18 but still finished above the state’s average. See the results including all Florida high schools here.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Florida Department of Education has signed off on the Duval County and Clay County school districts’ plans for spring reopening. Under the state’s COVID-19 emergency order, school districts have to continue offering in-person classes five days a week. The reopening plans allow the districts in Duval and Clay counties to continue receiving state COVID-19 relief funds. School districts in Nassau, St. Johns and Bradford counties have not had their plans approved yet. Click here for the list of approved plans.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – As many as 10,000 Florida teachers and principles are believed to have passed their certification exams using materials the federal government alleges were stolen from the state. Kathleen Jasper, 42, and her husband, Jeremy, 40, face 108 counts of wire fraud and three counts of stealing trade secrets, in this case the contents of the teacher certification exam and the executive leadership exam. He said the department has also worked to replace the questions at issue to preserve the integrity of teacher certification exams. “If the charged allegations are proven, stealing questions from Florida’s teacher certification exams and then profiting by selling live test questions, especially to unknowing educators, is despicable,” Corcoran said. He said the content his client is accused of stealing was already available on the state Department of Education’s website.

Here’s where they stand at last check:Duval County Public SchoolsDuval County families have until Friday to cancel Duval HomeRoom for the spring semester. As of Wednesday, Duval County Public Schools Spokeswoman Sonya Duke-Bolden said, 2,200 families have requested to opt out of Duval Homeroom for the third quarter. Also, as of Wednesday, 80,780 students were enrolled in brick and mortar classes, 27,203 in Duval HomeRoom and 1,481 were learning via Duval Virtual Instruction Academy. Duke-Bolden added that these numbers do not include charter school students. St. Johns County School DistrictThe St. Johns County School District told News4Jax a survey was sent to families with students participating in distance learning, asking about their intended second-semester learning option.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A recent update to the Florida Department of Education’s website expands the publically accessible performance data on the state, district and school levels. State gap trend of economically disadvantaged and non-economically disadvantaged students (Florida Department of Education)Between 2015 and 2018, the percentage point gap for graduation rates shrank from 15.3 to 8.8. That trend is reflected in the numbers for many northeast Florida school districts. For instance, in northeast Florida, about 67% of Duval County students, 48% of Clay County students and 21% of St. Johns County students are considered to have that disadvantage. Much more information about school performance in Florida is available and the recently renovated data portal on the Florida Department of Education’s website.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida’s education commissioner has said he hoped to have a new emergency order detailing how public schools would operate beginning in January before Thanksgiving arrived. But it looks like the order will be coming later than expected. “I would say I think the next emergency order is going to be a significant improvement based on our first 90, 100 days in school,” Corcoran said. And Corcoran said in the spring there will have to be greater efforts to intervene when online learning isn’t working for a student. A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the agency expects to have the updated emergency order issued before the end of the month.

The Florida Department of Education is making $2 million available to rural counties across the state to increase access to telehealth to provide mental-health services for schoolchildren. “I’m excited today to announce to 18 of the rural counties across the state of Florida we’ll be issuing $2 million to those rural districts to help students there increase access to tele- and mental-health services,” Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis said during a Monday news conference at the governor’s mansion. The money is available from federal CARES Act stimulus funding and will be directed to rural counties that have lower rates of internet connectivity and have limited access to health-care professionals. “The bridge that we have created with tele-mental health ensures that that door is opened that much more quickly.” Mayhew said. Monday’s announcement was lauded by Natalie Kelly, CEO of the Florida Association of Managing Entities.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – More students will be back in Duval County classrooms Monday as the school district continues phasing out its hybrid learning model. Seventh and eighth graders will return to five days a week in-person education Monday after spending part of the first month of the school year doing virtual education. Sixth graders returned to full-time in the classroom last week and high school students go back on Sept. 28. Duval County said the phasing out of hybrid learning does not have any impact on students learning via Duval Homeroom or Duval Virtual Instruction Academy. IThis comes as DCPS added three new COVID-19 cases to its student body total on Saturday and one new confirmed case of the virus among its staff members.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – In response to demonstrations by teachers and parents on Monday near downtown Jacksonville, school board chairman Warren Jones told News4Jax he was briefly considering an effort to move all classes to virtual instruction for at least the first nine weeks of the fall semester. The chairman told News4Jax on Tuesday that he will not be following through with the request, citing “so many moving parts” as the reason the full-virtual strategy is not feasible. The school district has submitted its current reopening plan to the state and it is pending approval. Teachers and parents have been protesting the school district’s decision to go back to face-to-face instruction for part of the school week during demonstrations and public comment of school board meetings. It shows that coronavirus cases among kids in Duval County are up 62% in the last two weeks.