Step Up For Students

1 day ago | nextstepsblog.org | Travis Pillow

Florida has passed a historic milestone. The majority of all students now attend a learning option chosen by their parents. The future of education is here. It’s just not evenly distributed. And it’s concentrated in Florida. School districts are a big part of this story. Between open enrollment, magnet schools, career academies, and more, school districts educate more than 700,000 of Florida’s choice students.

3 days ago | nextstepsblog.org | Camille Knox

Around the state: Superintendent Van Ayres in Hillsborough County is facing scrutiny from members of his own board, the Miami-Dade School District has launched a new mental health and wellness program, the Florida Board of Governor’s voted against the confirmation of Santa Ono as University of Florida president and a salary has been proposed for Florida A&M University’s new president, Marva Johnson.

4 days ago | nextstepsblog.org | Matthew Ladner

June 1, 2025, marked the 100th anniversary of the United States Supreme Court’s ruling in Pierce v. Society of Sisters– effectively the first victory of America’s school choice movement. In 1922, the voters of Oregon had passed a ballot proposition, Measure 6, which required public school attendance for school age students, creating fines and jail sentences for non-compliance. Supported by the Ku Klux Klan and other nativist groups, the measure passed by a margin of 53% in favor, 47% opposed.

4 days ago | nextstepsblog.org | Camille Knox

Around the state: A cellphone ban will begin at Florida elementary and middle schools after a bill was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, appointments continue regarding university presidents, teacher pay is being debated in Lee and a protest occurred at Florida International University.

5 days ago | nextstepsblog.org | Camille Knox

Around the state:  The hunt is on for a superintendent in Manatee, questions loom about who will become the state’s next education commissioner, two Bay County schools were named among America’s Canopy Schools and opponents of FAMU’s president-elect are fighting back.