Anastasios Kamoutsas

Gov. Ron DeSantis recommended Henry Mack, a former Florida Department of Education administrator and current assistant secretary of labor under President Donald Trump, to lead Florida’s education administration. The recommendation precedes a Board of Education meeting to consider the appointment, which would fill a vacancy left by Anastasios Kamoutsas’s departure to Polk State College.

Florida's public school districts received grades based on metrics like test scores and graduation rates, with 34 districts earning an A and 23 a B. Top performers included St. Johns, Walton, Nassau, and Lafayette, while six schools received F grades. A state law will raise the threshold for an A grade next year due to 76% of schools achieving A or B this year.

Florida's State Board of Education approved a policy requiring state colleges and adult education programs to only admit U.S. citizens or those lawfully present, barring undocumented students. The policy also prohibits admissions based on race, color, sex, disability, national origin, religion, or marital status. Rep. Anna Eskamani criticized the move as lacking legislative backing.

Paul Burns was appointed interim education commissioner as Anastasios Kamoutsas departs for Polk State College. Taylor Hatch is leaving her role as Department of Children and Families Secretary, with no replacement details provided.

The Florida Department of Education and state officials defend the legality of the school voucher system, arguing that damages claimed by the Florida Education Association are speculative and not caused by the state. The FEA and other plaintiffs, including parents and a teacher, filed a lawsuit alleging the voucher system violates the Florida Constitution's requirement for a uniform public education system. The state maintains that the Family Empowerment Scholarship program supplements, rather than replaces, public schools.

Anastasios Kamoutsas, Education Commissioner, was unanimously approved as the next president of Polk State College, starting July 6. His priorities include workforce education, civil discourse, and data-informed decisions. Polk State revised its presidential search policy in March, removing the doctoral degree requirement.