Staying up-to-date on the latest in education news is easier than ever.
Week of April 7th
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Florida ranks last in reading, warns nationwide education report
The latest findings by researchers at Harvard and Stanford are based on 2024-25 state test results, combined with national assessment data, to pinpoint trends in learning.
Students in Florida are falling behind in reading and math, compared to other states, and one in three children miss too much school, according to a nationwide report called the Education Scorecard, released on Wednesday.
"Achievement fell during the pandemic, and in all but eight states, it continued falling between '22 and '25 in reading. That should be alarming all of us," said researcher Tom Kane, faculty director of the Center for Education Policy Research at Harvard University.
The Education Scorecard has come out annually since 2022. It looks at test scores for about 35 million students across the country in grades 3-8.
The report card did not measure all 50 states because some changed their tests from 2024 to 2025 and couldn't be used for comparison. Others had low test participation rates and were excluded because of that.
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Florida lawmakers are still divided over education spending
Budget negotiations over education funding kicked off Tuesday, but the House and Senate remain at odds over major issues, including funding for universities and K-12 schools.
The House presented an $8.9 billion plan for the state’s 14 public universities, about $106 million short of the Senate’s preferred budget.
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Florida’s largest teacher union sues state over education funding
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV/Gray Florida Capital Bureau) - Florida’s largest teacher union is suing the state, accusing it of not investing enough in schools.
Florida Education Association President Andrew Spar said the state failed to ensure a high-quality, uniform system of public education as required by the state constitution. He said suing the state is a last resort to make sure Florida classrooms get the money they need.
“You hear about positions being eliminated, programs being cut, employees being laid off, students being in larger and larger classes,” Spar said.
Union cites spending and teacher pay rankings
Spar pointed to several areas, including the money in the universal school choice program, with different transparency requirements. He said Florida ranked 41st on per-student spending and last in average teacher pay, forcing many to leave.
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Florida AI education task force earns national recognition
The Florida K–12 AI in Education Task Force brings together educators, researchers, district leaders, industry partners and policymakers from across the state. Its mission is to ensure artificial intelligence is introduced into schools in ways that are safe, equitable and grounded in strong educational practice.
At the center of this effort is the CS Everyone Center for Computer Science Education at the University of Florida, which provides research leadership and statewide coordination. The initiative is also supported by Griffin Catalyst and includes participation from public, charter and private schools, community colleges, education technology organizations and parent and teacher groups.
