Florida sits at center of national debate over education policy

The big news: Across the nation, school teachers and administrators are facing growing numbers of rules and laws dictating what they can teach, and how.

The pressure is causing many to leave, with polarization over cultural issues intensifying. The departures are not limited to one side of the political aisle, either.

Percentages of educators reporting that they’ve been harassed because of policies and procedures have risen. The effects are being felt by students, too.

And Florida appears to be at the epicenter of it all, NPR reports.

In Alachua County, officials are reviewing the content of the district’s LGBTQ support guide to ensure it conforms with Florida’s new laws, the Gainesville Sun reports.

Hot topics

Board politics: After months of upheaval, the Broward County school district seeks a return to focusing on education issues as four newly elected board members take their seats, the Sun-Sentinel reports. • The Brevard County School Board took a partisan shift to the right during the recent elections, Florida Today reports.

College costs: Some Alachua County teens are seeing the benefits of becoming National Merit semifinalists, WUFT reports.

Diversity: A growing private school created by Palm Beach County billionaire Jeff Greene, who once ran for U.S. Senate as a Democrat, has added a director of diversity and inclusion to its staff, the Palm Beach Post reports.

Superintendents: Duval County superintendent Diana Greene received a strong evaluation for her work over the past year, along with recommendations for continued improvement, WJXT reports. • The Charlotte County School Board gave high marks to superintendent Steve Dionisio in his latest performance review, the Port Charlotte Sun reports.

Teacher pay: The Citrus County School Board is considering pay increases for some of its teachers, the Citrus County Chronicle reports.

From the police blotter ... A 19-year-old was killed in a shooting in a parking lot at an Orange County high school during a football game, WKMG reports. Four juveniles were arrested.

Before you go ... The Beatles stayed there. So did JFK, and many others. Now the historic Deauville in Miami Beach is no more.

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