A weekly alert that contains in-depth news, information, insight and analysis on the most critical education related issues and topics facing Florida.

Florida universities offer degree programs in social media influencing, branding

Some Florida universities are offering degrees or concentrations in digital media influencing to teach the business behind content creation. Students are learning skills like content creation, monetization strategies, audience growth tactics, analytics and psychology. Professors expect courses and degrees centered around digital media influencing and brand management to continue growing. [Source: WTVT]

Florida will give parents control over the use of artificial intelligence in public classrooms

The Department of Education of Florida is considering a new regulation that would give parents greater control over the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in public school classrooms. The proposal would allow families to authorize or refuse their children’s use of these platforms for educational purposes and establishes a series of transparency and data protection requirements for school districts. More from VOZ and the Center Square.

Florida targets hundreds of K-5 schools for added reading support

School districts across Florida celebrated some of their best results ever when the state released grades earlier in July. The high numbers of A’s and B’s prompted some observers to question the formula, raising issue with the notion that a school or district could get top marks when large percentages of students did not earn what’s considered a passing score on their state exams. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

Florida teachers turn to their own wallets to stock classrooms

As families across Florida prepare for the start of a new school year, many teachers are racing to stock their classrooms with essential supplies — often paying out of pocket to ensure students have what they need to learn. eachers in Florida spend an average of $1,000 of their own money each year on classroom supplies. While some purchases include basic items such as pencils, notebooks and paper, others reflect a greater need. [Source: WUSF]

Florida faces a healthcare worker shortage. Students aren’t interested.

More than 20% of Florida’s population is elderly, with projections suggesting it could grow to 30% by 2030, according to research from Florida Health Justice Project. Overall, Florida’s total population is one of the fastest growing of any state, rising by 196,700 from 2024 to 2025 alone. That growth means a demand for healthcare workers. New data from Niche, a college search and enrollment site, shows Florida teens have little interest in the field. [Source: Tampa Bay Times]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› University of Florida ranked No. 1 in new AI readiness assessment [UF News]
The University of Florida ranks No. 1 in the country among largest enrollment public universities in a new independent assessment measuring how well colleges and universities are preparing students for an artificial intelligence-driven future, highlighting UF’s investment in integrating AI across teaching, research and student experiences. The first of its kind comparison, released by Los Angeles-based AIREDEX, gave UF an overall AI readiness score of 9.7 out of 10. The University of Central Florida also made the top-10 list, coming in at No. 8.

› Do Florida public schools plan to start later? School starts soon [Tallahassee Democrat]
Will Florida students get to sleep in this upcoming school year? Students have two weeks left of summer vacation before most Florida schools start on Aug. 10. A 2023 change to Florida statutes required middle schools to start no earlier than 8 a.m. and high schools to begin their instructional day no earlier than 8:30 a.m. The law was supposed to take effect on July 1, 2026, but is it still going to?

› Orange school board bans e-bikes, e-scooters from schools for most students Orlando Sentinel
Most Orange County Public School students won’t be able to ride their e-bikes and e-scooters to campus next month, a unanimous Orange County School Board decided Tuesday evening. The decision prohibits the electric devices at public schools unless the student holds a valid learner’s permit or driver’s license, bans the fastest ones and bars charging them on campus. About 11,000 students rode e-scooters and e-bikes to school last school year, according to an OCPS survey of families.

› Pasco schools to cut back student screen time [Tampa Bay Times]
Pasco County children will be spending much less time in front of computers when they return to school in August. Instead, they’ll get additional direct, hands-on lessons aimed at solidifying their base skills and content knowledge, with devices playing much more of a limited, supporting role. The district is recommending no more than a half-hour of daily screen time for kindergarten and first grade, no more than an hour for grades two through eight, and flexible use of no more than an average of 90 minutes daily in high schools.