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Yahoo
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Child wellbeing: Florida drops in rankings amid reading and math declines
Children engaged in sensory exercises, often used in special education classrooms. (Photo by Getty Images) Florida's dropping reading and math scores contributed to an overall decline of the state's ranking for child wellbeing. Florida fell five spots in the 2025 Annie E. Casey Foundation Kids Count child wellbeing rankings. The Sunshine State ranked 35th in 2025 and 30th in 2024. Florida ranked 19th best in the education category in 2025. Last year, the state ranked 5th in education. The fall can be attributed to eighth graders' math proficiency dropping, as well as fourth graders' reading, as measured by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). For math, 21% of Florida eighth graders were proficient in 2024, a 10% drop since 2019, and for reading, 33% of fourth graders are proficient, a 5% drop since 2019. Nationwide, 30% of fourth graders are proficient in reading and 27% of eighth graders are proficient in math, data show. Federal assessments show reading and math performance drop in Florida, nation When the NAEP data were released by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this year, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. wrote a letter to the department criticizing the congressionally mandated, nationwide assessment's methodology. Diaz offered the department 'suggestions to help make NAEP great for educational progress once again,' including letting private schools participate in the assessment and claiming urban and underperforming schools were disproportionately included. 'Florida Policy Institute encourages lawmakers and officials in Florida to use this detailed information to unite across party lines and respond with initiatives that invest in young people,' that organization said in a news release. The top five states for education were Massachusetts, New Jersey, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Utah. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The overall rank comprises four categories: economic well-being, education, health, and family and community. The three categories other than education did not see much movement from the 2024 rankings. The economic well-being of Florida's children dropped one ranking, from 42nd to 43rd. Between 2019 and 2023, Florida decreased the number of children living in poverty from 18% to 16%. In that same time, Florida increased the number of children living in a household with a high housing cost burden by 2%, from 36% to 38%, a total of about 1.68 million children. Florida's health ranking dropped one spot, too, from 31st in the 2024 report to 32nd in 2025. Fewer children are overweight in Florida since 2019, dropping from 30% then to 28% in 2023. Florida has the 29th highest child death rate, with 1,377. Florida ranked 30th in family and community with teen birth rates dropping between 2019 and 2023 and children with single parents dropping from 39% to 37% in the same time frame. 'The proposed funding levels in Florida's budget and in the proposed federal reconciliation bills, if enacted, will lead to substantially reduced investments in child well-being and setbacks for Florida's children be it education, early learning and child care, nutrition, or health care' said Norín Dollard, the Kids Count director at Florida Policy Institute, in a news release. 'We know what kids need to grow up healthy so they can thrive when they reach adulthood, but rather than invest in their futures, funding is nearly flat or has decreased. This is exacerbated by the large potential loss of revenue for state and federal government programs that could support these efforts.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Who is Anastasios Kamoutsas? DeSantis makes pick for Florida Commissioner of Education
Gov. Ron DeSantis didn't look far for his pick to be the new Florida commissioner of education. On June 3, he recommended one of his top aides , deputy chief of staff Anastasios Kamoutsas, for the job to replace former commissioner Manny Diaz Jr., who was elected a week prior to be interim president of the University of West Florida. 'Stasi Kamoutsas has delivered on important issues like parental rights, school choice, and fighting back against radical ideologies in education,' DeSantis said in a release. 'I am confident that he will continue to serve our state well as the next Commissioner of Education, and I thank Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. for his dedicated and productive service.' Diaz, the latest in a line of DeSantis allies put in charge of higher education institutions in Florida, was delighted with the choice. "Great pick Governor!" he posted on X. "Stasi will be a huge advocate for students and families in Florida." The State Board of Education is meeting Wednesday, June 4, at 10:30 a.m. to consider appointing a commissioner. Anastasios I. Kamoutsas, 36, has a fairly low-profile presence, but he has been involved in many of DeSantis' key initiatives and was described by Florida Politics as "one of the most feared staffers." Kamoutsas, who holds a bachelor of arts in political science from Florida International University and his juris doctor from Regent University School of Law, a private Christian university. He joined the Florida Department of Education in 2019 to be general counsel and then chief of staff during the state's battle against mandated COVID masks in schools before he was tapped to be one of DeSantis' deputy chiefs of staff. 'Under my tenure, the Florida Department of Education will remain committed to student safety and success, empowering parents, and supporting teachers,' Kamoutsas said in DeSantis' press release. 'I look forward to working with the State Board of Education to ensure that Florida remains the education state.' While most of his work has been behind the scenes, Kamoutsas has popped up in the news. NBC News reported in March that Kamoutsas was one of DeSantis' aides who had made calls to state lobbyists, asking them not to donate to Florida 2026 gubernatorial candidate Rep. Byron Donalds. First lady Casey DeSantis has not announced her own run, but has been rumored to be considering it for months. Kamoutsas denied NBC's allegations. He was also named in 2023 as the person who called then-FDLE Chief of Staff Shane Desguin to deny the promotion and raise for an attorney who disagreed with DeSantis' aides about what parts of the governor's travel records were public information because she "was not on our team," according to former FDLE deputy chief of staff Patricia Carpenter. When Desguin asked if he could give Robinson another position and salary increase, he 'was told 'no, she is lucky she even has a f—ing job,'' Carpenter said, according to The News Service of Florida. Carpenter was fired after she sought whistleblower protection. Last October, Kamoutsas raised a stink in his homeowner's association in Tallahassee for posting signs against a proposed abortion amendment on his lawn and reportedly gaming HOA rules by removing them before a meeting, avoiding hundreds of dollars in fines, and then replacing and increasing them the next day. Kamoutsas' wife is a lawyer for the State University System. Diaz was selected to replace UWF president Martha Saunders, who chose to step down after a contentious board of trustees meeting where newly appointed member Zach Smith grilled her about "diversity, equity and inclusion" issues he had identified when combing through UWF's social media. Smith had been appointed by DeSantis days earlier. Diaz joins a growing rank of DeSantis allies to head universities and colleges in Florida as the governor continues to leave his mark on education in the Sunshine State. On June 2, Jeanette Nuñez, formerly DeSantis' lieutenant governor, was named president of Florida International University. The appointment remains subject to approval by the state university system's Board of Governors. Marva Johnson, who served as a political appointee in the administrations of Governors Rick Scott and Ron DeSantis, was picked in May to be president of Florida A&M University despite massive and sustained objections from the FAMU community of students, teachers and alumni. Richard Corcoran was the state commissioner of education and one of Desantis' most dependable and effective supporters when he was named president of New College of Florida as part of the governor's efforts to overhaul the liberal arts college into a conservative institution. Contributing: Mary Lett, Pensacola News Journal This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: DeSantis picks Florida education commissioner. What to know
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Who will be Florida's next education commissioner?
The big story: Floridians won't have to wait long to find out who will be Florida's next education commissioner. State Board of Education chairperson Ben Gibson has added an item to the board's June 4 agenda for a discussion on how to replace Manny Diaz Jr., who was chosen to lead the University of West Florida earlier this week. Speculation is running high among education advocates and activists as to who might take the commissioner post, which lately has been a high profile bully pulpit for Gov. Ron DeSantis' agenda including support for vouchers and opposition to diversity programs. Florida has been among the acknowledged leaders in setting the national education agenda for several years. But only a few names have circulated, with one DeSantis staffer — deputy chief of staff Anastasios Kamoutsas — getting mentioned frequently. The board agenda gives no clues, as it includes no attachments for 'Consideration of the Appointment of Commissioner of Education.' Gibson did not respond to an email asking who might be under consideration. The State Board, which is filled with DeSantis appointees, is responsible for choosing the commissioner. Before DeSantis took office, the board would hold national searches for the job, taking the governor's advice into consideration. That process ended after the brief tenure of Tony Bennett, who came to Florida from Indiana's top education post in 2012 and left under a cloud less than a year later. Since then, the board has not held searches, instead looking to internal candidates or relying on the governor's choices. UF president search: Conservative opposition to the appointment of Santa Ono to lead the University of Florida gained steam, with Donald Trump Jr. the latest to join in. • Pushback against the selection of Marva Johnson, a DeSantis ally chosen as Florida A&M University's next president, continued to grow, WFSU reports. Student nutrition: With classes ending, Florida school districts are ramping up their summer food programs, Spectrum 13 reports. New schools: The Bay County school district plans to rebuild its K-8 school that serves the Tyndall Air Force Base, WMBB reports. Medical school: Tallahassee leaders are looking to the USF-Tampa General Hospital model for a possible future of Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare connected to FSU, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Hurricane aftermath: Fort Myers Beach officials and residents discussed the future of the city's elementary school, which has not been used since being damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022, WGCU reports. Charter schools: An Alachua County charter school is appealing the school district's decision to rescind its contract, WCJB reports. Don't miss a story. Here's a link to yesterday's roundup. Before you go ... The Scripps National Spelling Bee is under way, with the finals set for tonight. Here's a flashback to winning Tampa speller Bruhat Soma's amazing spell-off from last year. This year, the region's contestant didn't make the finals.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Pace sushi restaurant catches fire early Tuesday morning
PACE, Fla. (WKRG) — A sushi restaurant in Pace caught fire overnight, according to Santa Rosa County officials. Pensacola 'Bands on the Beach' concert to feature country duo Pistol Pearl & The Wester Band Officials said the 911 call came in around 1:10 a.m., with the caller reporting that the Fuji Sushi restaurant was in flames. The first units arrived on the scene around 1:15 a.m. and the fire was out by 2:40 a.m. Tuesday. Multiple fire departments responded to the scene, including Pace, Milton, Avalon, Skyline, Bagdad, East Milton, Whiting Field and Escambia County. University of West Florida names Manny Diaz Jr. interim president Lifeguard Ambulances and the Santa Rosa County CERT Team also responded, providing bottles of water to firefighters. This story is developing. News 5 will update this article as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Florida schools say they'll comply with federal push to eliminate DEI
The big story: Two weeks have passed since the U.S. Department of Education issued a 'dear colleague' letter telling school systems to get rid of race-based decision making or face a loss of federal money. Districts across Florida have been taking steps to adhere to the advice. Collier County officials, for instance, issued a statement saying they would work actively to prevent 'any form of discrimination.' It stressed that it never had any office or team assigned to oversee diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, initiatives. Read more from the Naples Daily News. The Lee County school district announced it would get rid of its DEI office and would review all its policies and procedures, the Fort Myers News-Press reports. Many districts and the state education department said the federal guidance had little effect for them, as they already had implemented state law requiring the same rules. That didn't stop education commissioner Manny Diaz Jr. from joining leaders from 11 other states in urging U.S. education secretary nominee Linda McMahon to stop sending 'dear colleague' letters aimed at pushing states to follow the White House's priorities. Read more from The 74. Campus speech: An appearance at Florida State University by Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk drew fans and protesters, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Charter schools: The Sarasota County school district is reviewing its working relationship with charter schools as their number grows, the Herald-Tribune reports. Discipline: The Brevard County school district is reconsidering its model for handling student expulsions, Florida Today reports. Financial aid: Santa Fe College has made strides toward overcoming its financial aid distribution problems after months of delay, WUFT reports. Legislation: Two Republican lawmakers have proposed putting the selection of university presidents back in full public view, Florida Politics reports. • A state senator has filed a bill that would set new parameters for how schools deal with teachers who get arrested, including a timeline for informing parents, WJXT reports. School consolidation: Some Highlands County parents are upset with the district's plan to merge Lake Placid middle and high schools, saying they haven't been provided adequate information or time for feedback, Highlands News-Sun reports. School cameras: The city of Palm Bay has suspended enforcement of school speed zone violations amid questions of glitches in the camera system, WKMG reports. • Miami-Dade County drivers have complained that they are wrongly receiving citations accusing them of illegally passing school buses, the Miami Herald reports. They blame the company monitoring the cameras attached to buses. Security: A Manatee County mom wants justice for her son, who she says was attacked at school, WWSB reports. Sex education: The Broward County school district's sex education curriculum remains held up by the Florida Department of Education, the Sun-Sentinel reports. State of the schools: Volusia County superintendent Carmen Balgobin offered her assessment of where the district has been and where it's headed, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reports. Teacher hiring: The Bay County school district is negotiating with a cultural exchange program to bring foreign teachers to the district, WJHG reports. Textbook selection: A state appeals court has ruled the Indian River County school district violated the state's open records law when selecting social studies textbooks in 2016, TC Palm reports. From the police blotter ... A Broward County high school student was arrested on allegations of writing a threat of violence on the wall of the school's bathroom, WSVN reports. Today in Tallahassee ... The Senate Education Prek-12 Committee takes up three bills when it meets at 3:30 p.m. The 2025 legislative session officially begins tomorrow. Don't miss a story. Here's the link to Friday's roundup. Before you go ... Shaggy and Sting will appear together later this month at the Reggae Rise Up Florida Festival in St. Petersburg. Here's a preview.
