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Billions in additional federal COVID funds announced to help reopen U.S. schools
More than $54 billion in additional federal COVID relief money will support reopening of schools across the nation, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday. In a letter to state education commissioners, U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos argued that there is “no excuse” that so many U.S. students are “locked out” from in-person instruction, […]
FL schools begin 2021 spring semester in pandemic; some 36,000 teachers, kids and staff got COVID in the fall
As Florida school districts start the 2021 spring semester, some students will return to classrooms while others remain home for online instruction, even as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and potentially gets worse. As it stands now, a Phoenix analysis shows more than 36,000 cases of COVID-19 related to Florida’s public and private K-12 schools since […]
Florida will continue to target elderly population for COVID vaccine — despite advice from CDC panel
Despite a federal advisory committee’s recommendation to prioritize front-line workers alongside people in the general public aged 75 and up in the next phase of COVID-19 vaccinations, Gov. Ron DeSantis will focus those future doses on elderly Floridians. DeSantis called the recommendations a “huge mistake.” “The problem with that — as I see it — […]
FL Legislature lays out safety protocols for committee meetings; from COVID tests to virtual testimony
If you want to participate in legislative politics next month you might have to give your testimony from a couple blocks away from the Florida Capitol building. That’s because, according to Senate COVID safety protocols for the January committee meetings, the general public will view and provide testimony remotely from the Donald L. Tucker Civic […]
As vaccines comes to FL, state data show more than 4,000 COVID cases related to schools last week
While COVID vaccines promise some sense of nearing the end of the pandemic, most Floridians will not gain access to doses for quite some time. The coronavirus remains very much still a reality most Florida citizens. Including students and teachers, who are wrapping up an abnormal 2020 fall semester. Data from the Department of Health […]
Educators are grappling: Some FL teachers want the COVID vaccine ASAP, but others are hesitant
In almost 40 years of teaching, Deborah St. John, a high school English teacher in Central Florida, has to face a pandemic and a decision on whether to get the new COVID vaccine. Administrators have been “bending over backwards” to help keep her school safe, she said, but in St. John’s eyes, she wants to […]
Gov. DeSantis pushes ahead on vaccines in long-term care facilities, saying, ‘We didn’t want to see delays’
Gov. Ron DeSantis has directed the Florida Department of Health and the Division of Emergency Management to begin vaccinating residents of long-term care facilities starting Wednesday — ahead of the plans of CVS and Walgreens to begin vaccinating those populations by Monday. “We wanted to cut through bureaucracy,” the governor announced in a news conference […]
FL lawmaker urges U.S. Congress to support veterans’ mental health and fund suicide prevention efforts
A state lawmaker has filed a “House Memorial” bill, hoping to bring more attention to the mental health crisis of veterans and the prevention of veteran suicides. Florida House Rep. Matt Willhite, a Democrat who represents part of Palm Beach County, filed HM 71, urging the U.S. Congress to “recognize the current crisis of veteran […]
Uncertainty about COVID trends complicates enrollment forecast for the 2020-21 school year
State officials are struggling to calculate what COVID-19 will mean for Florida’s schools during the academic year that begins next fall. In fact, a meeting held Friday to figure that out ended before some of the state’s top number crunchers reached definitive conclusions. “We are in uncharted territory here, because we are trying to forecast […]
Will a former national teacher union president be the next U.S. Education Secretary?
As President-elect Joe Biden continues to roll-out nominees for his top Cabinet posts, the U.S. Secretary of Education position is still unknown. But one particular candidate is getting more news coverage, as well as some criticisms. Lily Eskelsen García served as president of the National Education Association until she stepped down a few months ago. […]
Nearly 4,000 new cases of COVID-19 related to FL schools during the week following Thanksgiving break
The Florida Department of Health has listed nearly 4,000 new COVID-19 cases related to Florida schools during the week following Thanksgiving break. The data includes public and private K-12 schools and college and universities and spans the week of Nov. 29 to Dec. 5. Overall, 33,422 cases of COVID-19 have been associated with Florida schools […]
As more Biden administration picks roll in, the future U.S. Secretary of Education remains a mystery
Current U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos has been criticized over numerous issues during the Trump administration, and many public school educators and teacher unions are excited to see her leave. But who will replace DeVos is still a mystery. President-elect Joe Biden has been making appointments in a variety of positions, but the top […]