The big story: Weeks after the U.S. military captured Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro, Florida’s State Board of Education revised its social studies standards on communism to include the news.
Board members said at the time they hoped they’d soon be able to make additional updates reflecting changes in Cuba.
It appears they’ll get their chance later this month.
The Department of Education has advertised plans to consider another amendment to the social studies standards on June 30. This time, it is to add “recent international events in Cuba.”
The proposed documents would enter references to the May indictment of former Cuban President Raúl Castro, by the United States, for his alleged role in the 1996 Cuban Air Force shooting down of two aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue.
Residents have until the board meeting, the location of which has not been announced, to comment on the proposal.
Hot topics
Campus closures: Orange County’s superintendent says she expects no additional school closures next year, despite continued concerns about declining enrollment, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Charter schools: The board for Alachua County’s newest charter school set its budget for a maximum of 520 students, acknowledging it hasn’t yet reached that number, MainStreet Daily News reports. • The Wakulla County school board agreed to renew a charter school’s contract after having previously denied the request, WTXL reports.
Gender issues: A St. Johns County teacher identified as intersex has filed a complaint against the school district, contending he was improperly fired because officials perceived him as transgender, Them reports.
Insurance benefits: Contract talks for Orange County teachers have stalled over disagreements related to the cost of healthcare coverage, WKMG reports.
Legal counsel: Florida Polytechnic University hired legal counsel with no experience in higher education but a long record of conservative political involvement, the Ledger reports.
Security: The Escambia County school district has proposed increasing the ticket price to attend high school sports as a way to cover rising security costs at the events, the Pensacola News-Journal reports.
Superintendent search: Applicants to become Miami-Dade County’s next superintendent include the superintendent of Denver Public Schools and a former New Mexico secretary of education, the Miami Herald reports.
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Teaching jobs: Florida has seen a jump in the number of teaching jobs over the past year. They’re not in public education, WUSF reports.
U.S. Education Department: The Trump administration announced plans to shift enforcement of special education and civil rights laws to other agencies as part of its continued effort to kill the Department of Education, Associated Press reports.
From the court docket … The former operator of a south Florida nursing school pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges associated with selling fake degrees, the Miami Herald reports.
Hot takes
“The (budget) process permits – even invites – surprises that were never properly aired in either the House or Senate and are put before them as a choice between swallowing the budget whole, without any amendments, or staying in Tallahassee longer than they had planned or cared to. The worst such snooker in this year’s final budget is the New College land-and-building grab.” — Martin Dyckman, opinion writer (Flagler Live)
“Many faculty members, on the left and the right, keep their personal views out of the classroom. The concern is not any individual professor but the overall campus climate. When a campus tilts heavily in one direction, the range of ideas it can test and challenge narrows, often without anyone intending it.” — Ryan Owens, FSU Institute for Governance and Civics director, on campus viewpoint diversity (Florida Politics)
Quick quiz
Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed almost all the bills sent to his office from the spring 2026 regular session. One item closely watched by school district leaders remains in question. What is it?
a) The fiscal 2027 budget
b) Sovereign immunity cap increases
c) Education and workforce development for inmates
Find the answer in this story from Florida Phoenix.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
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