The big news: Education policy experts long speculated that Florida’s next governor will want to recommend his or her own choice to lead the state Department of Education.
They figured when Anastasios Kamoutsas, a close ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, resigned in July to become president of Polk State College, that was the direction things were headed. Then came DeSantis’s surprise endorsement of Henry Mack to the post.
Now Mack is talking about sticking around.
“Why I’m here … now is to provide stability and integrity and to double down on the great education agenda, which this governor has set, and again the next governor too,” he said Wednesday at a news conference in Tampa.
Asked about his top three priorities, Mack said he would “defer to the governor and the next governor too,” but added that he believed the state needed to “double down on choice, optionality and parental empowerment.”
”I think we need to really think about options for career and technical education, greater alignment between education and industry, and how we’re sort of breaking down those silos to accelerate individuals into jobs faster,“ he said. ”So optionality, choice, tailor-made programs for students, and I think figuring out ways to help students get into an occupation or job quicker.“
The State Board of Education has yet to approve Mack’s contract, though. When he was named commissioner, board chairperson Ryan Petty said terms were still being finalized. Mack notably walked away from an offer to become Broward College president in 2023 after being unable to settle on a contract.
Mack’s visit to Tampa marked a stark shift in tone from his predecessor, who often criticized Hillsborough school district officials and actions. Read more about his visit here.
Hot topics
Vaccinations: Attorney General James Uthmeier said parent complaints prompted his decision to threaten Catholic schools over their vaccination requirements, Florida Politics reports.
Teacher shortage: The Alachua County school board approved a five-year contract with a staffing firm to recruit new teachers, the Gainesville Sun reports. • Polk County schools have about 500 teacher vacancies to start the academic year, Bay News 9 reports. Officials note the district does not have a local property tax referendum to help pay salaries, unlike its neighbors.
Student recruitment: Lee County schools have launched a marketing campaign aimed at attracting families back into the district, which has seen enrollment drop, WGCU reports.
School expansion: The Hernando County school district debuted a new classroom building that two neighboring schools will share, Bay News 9 reports. It also includes a cafeteria.
Lunch line: The Pasco County school district introduced a new app that eliminates transaction fees for parents adding money into their student cafeteria accounts, WUSF reports.
Landscaping: The Miami-Dade County school district is evaluating whether it’s better to use fake or real grass in its landscaping, the Miami Herald reports.
Hurricane aftermath: Students will return to Lee County’s Hector A. Cafferata Jr. K-8 four years after it was destroyed by Hurricane Ian, WINK reports.
Getting there: Orange County has made improvements to several school crosswalks in advance of students’ return, Spectrum 13 reports.
Early learning: Collier County is putting $8 million into early learning initiatives through the Naples Children Foundation. Some people want to know where the money is coming from, the Naples Daily News reports.
Charter schools: Four Hillsborough County charter schools voluntarily gave up their charters.
From the court docket … A former assistant principal at Pensacola High School was sentenced to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to child pornography charges, WMBB reports.
In their own words
“With COVID-19, we were forced into homeschooling, and that’s when I realized it can happen. It is possible.” — Johana Fadragas, Marion County parent, on the growth of homeschooling in Florida (Spectrum 13)
“It came right when TPS ended … it’s sort of like putting a nail on their access because what they want to do is … they’re encouraging everyone to self-deport.” — Marie Pereira, Haiti Immigration Project, on a state proposal to bar undocumented immigrants from college career and technical programs (WPBF)
“We have 50,000 open seats; in order to really be great stewards of taxpayer dollars, we can’t have all these open seats; we need to consolidate.” — Howard Hepburn, Broward County schools superintendent, on enrollment trends (USA Today Florida Network)
Quick quiz
Parents complained after the Hillsborough County school board adopted new dress code rules regarding leggings. How did the board respond?
a) Reaffirmed the rule change
b) Reversed the decision
c) Delayed action to get more input
Find the answer in this story from the Tampa Bay Times.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
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