Education

Representative Scott Franklin (R-FL) issued a statement after the House of Representatives passed the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act, saying it "will end this parasitic relationship between U.S. higher education and our adversaries." The DETERRENT Act, reintroduced by Representative Michael Baumgartner (R-WA), requires colleges and universities to […]

TALLAHASSEE—Because two Republicans stepped out, and a third voted “no,” a conservative Florida bill that would have allowed guns on school buses and in university dorms died in its first Senate committee on Tuesday. The final vote on Sen. Randy Fine’s SB 814 was 4 “nays” to 3 “ayes” in Tuesday’s Senate Criminal Justice Committee. […]

TALLAHASSEE—A hotly contested Florida bill banning Pride, Black Lives Matter, and Trump flags in schools and atop government buildings passed its second Senate hearing on Tuesday. Filed by Republican Sen. Randy Fine, expected to head to Congress in April, SB 100 would outlaw all “politically partisan” flags, which he says include flags denoting race or […]

Representative Sheila Cherfilus McCormick (D-FL) issued a statement criticizing President Donald Trump's executive order to dismantle and abolish the Department of Education. President Trump issued the order Thursday night, citing the Department's investment of over $3 trillion since its founding in 1979. Yet standardized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores reveal pupils' worsening performance […]

TALLAHASSEE—A bill requiring all new Gulf-related materials purchased by public and charter schools to reflect the name "Gulf of America" passed its first Senate committee Tuesday, hoping to align with President Donald Trump's January executive order. Filed by Republican Sen. Joe Gruters, SB 1058 says that all books and maps purchased after Jul. 1 by […]

Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL) is introducing a bill encouraging universities to enroll more American citizens and lawful permanent residents through endowment calculations. The Protecting American Students Act would count only students who are American citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent residents toward endowment tax calculations. Provisions are also in place to include students who can prove […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced the state version of Elon Musk's Department of Governmental Efficiency, which he wants to audit universities and eliminate nearly one thousand positions at "obsolete" state boards and commissions. Florida's DOGE task force will be formed solely to "prune" excess spending around the state and hold powerful institutions accountable, DeSantis said […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis implored Floridians to stop and think before they listen to what Sen. Randy Fine has to say about his new appointee to the University of West Florida, an embattled professor Fine called a "bigot." DeSantis responded to the growing backlash facing Scott Yenor, a former Boise State University professor appointed by DeSantis […]

Florida college students could carry their concealed guns onto campuses and into dorms if a new bill filed Tuesday passes, prompted by a rise in antisemitism across American universities. Sponsored by Sen. Randy Fine, the sole Jewish Republican in the state Legislature, SB 814 would allow for the possession of firearms at every property owned […]

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Former House Speaker Paul Renner was appointed to the state university system's Board of Governors by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday. Paul Renner, 57, served as House Speaker for the 2022-2024 legislative term. During that time, Renner, a Republican, represented House District 19 which includes Flagler County and parts of St. Johns County. […]

TALLAHASSEE—A sweeping anti-illegal immigration bill barring undocumented students from receiving discounted tuition rates passed its first—and last—Florida committee Wednesday and will head to the Senate Floor for a final vote. The 51-page measure, sponsored by Republican Senators Randy Fine and Joe Gruters, repeals a 2014 bipartisan law that allowed certain undocumented high school graduates to […]

Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL) is reintroducing legislation to counter malicious foreign influence in America's education system through funding. Named the Transparency in Reporting of Adversarial Contributions to Education (TRACE) Act and introduced initially last June, Rep. Bean's bill would require schools to notify parents of how and where foreign funding affects their child's educational curriculum. […]

Former Broward County Commissioner and School Board Chair Torey Alston has been named the next President of Broward College. He was unanimously selected by the school's board of trustees. Alston also served on the Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU) Board of Trustees and the Miami-Dade County Public Schools leadership team. President Alston thanked the […]

Representative Kathy Castor (D-FL) released a statement announcing a Department of Defense grant to rebuild Tinker PreK-8 School on MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. The $86 million award will improve the quality of Tinker's campus and curricula and expand its capacity to accommodate the children of Air Force service members and ensure their education. […]

Gov. Ron DeSantis blasted the media's "cherry-picking" criticisms of right-wing politicians, prompted by backlash over his new university appointee previously advocating against women delaying motherhood for higher education. His comments fall in light of an AP News report, which found that new University of West Florida board appointee Scott Yenor had railed against the "evils" […]

Abolishing the Department of Education (DOE) has gained traction among Republicans, including Representative Aaron Bean (R-FL), who recently told The Floridian that he wants education to return to the states. This would effectively abolish critical race theory (CRT) at the federal level. We asked Rep. Bean why he believed Democrats are against abolishing the Department, which […]

MIAMI - Florida voters will decide if school board candidates are required to disclose their party affiliation under a constitutional amendment in November. The Partisan Election of Members of District School Boards, or Amendment 1, would require district school boards to be elected in a partisan election as opposed to a nonpartisan election. Amendment 1 […]

The Floridian spoke to the former Assistant Director of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – Rich Marianos – concerning the rise of vape devices in American communities, especially vapes from China. These devices have infiltrated high schools and college campuses while appearing in the United States illegally from Asia. Marianos […]