Florida Department of Education

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.

A South Florida mother, Jackie Ramirez, faced delays in receiving funds from Florida’s Step Up for Students program after transferring her daughter to a private school. Despite being approved for a scholarship and submitting required documents, her payment was split and put on hold due to a cross-check by the Florida Department of Education identifying her daughter as still enrolled in public school.

Clay County public school teacher Kelly Brock-Sanchez was fired after social media posts about the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk led to administrative action and public backlash. Her posts under the pseudonym 'Kelly Steele Magnolia' sparked threats against her family and prompted investigations by the Florida Department of Education.

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.

Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) received 'A' grades from the Florida Department of Education. BCPS achieved this for the third consecutive year, and district officials celebrated the accomplishment at a news conference, emphasizing academic excellence as a standard.

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.