SCHOOL BOARD

Miami-Dade County Public Schools announced a plan to abide by Florida law requiring districts to review core instructional materials.

School board elections are still more than a year away, but the runway is a long one for candidates filing in a year of major changes to Florida schools.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, host Glenna Milberg welcomes Miami-Dade School Board Member Roberto Alonso, journalist Marc Caputo, Miami-Dade County Independent Civilian Panel Chair Loreal Arscott, WLRN journalist Tom Hudson, Miami-Dade Republican Party vice chair Kevin Cooper and attorney Alex Tachmes.

The Miami-Dade County School Board voted no overnight to recognizing the month of October as LGBTQ+ History Month.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ first day of the 2023-24 school year is on Thursday and there will be about 20 new electric buses to pick up students.

Teachers from across the county packed into a Broward County School Board meeting late Tuesday to fight for a slice of a proposed budget.

School Board members plan to host two events to focus on the proposal to require clear backpacks and bags at Broward County public schools before the final vote in July.

Stranahan High School Principal Michelle Padura took Local 10 News on a tour of the school on Thursday after areas in Broward County received a record 25.91 inches of rain last week.

A meeting recently popped-up on the Miami-Dade School Board calendar, but it wasn’t really publicized.

Broward School Board chair Lori Alhadeff announced that Broward County Public Schools will be preparing to reopen on Monday after a flooding emergency prompted schools to close on Thursday and Friday.

A Virginia school board is scheduled to vote this week on the departure of its superintendent after a 6-year-old student shot and wounded his teacher.

The Miami-Dade School Board reversed course on a policy that deals with displays of the American flag in the classroom and at schools.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’s appointee for the School Board of Miami-Dade County is set to take office on Wednesday after a swear-in ceremony.

Daniel P. Foganholi, Gov. Ron DeSantis’s appointee, was sworn in on Wednesday in Fort Lauderdale as a member of the School Board of Broward County.

A day before a ban goes into effect that would prohibit elected officials from serving as lobbyists, the vice chair of the Miami-Dade School Board has quit as well as a Miami Shores councilmember.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, host Michael Putney welcomes Rep. Carlos Gimenez, Broward School Board members Sarah Leonardi and Kevin Tynan and Miami Commissioner Ken Russell.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney welcome Miami-Dade Commissioner Rene Garcia, Broward School Board candidates Donna Korn and Allen Zeman and Florida District 106 seat candidates Jordan Leonard and Fabian Basabe.

We pick up the conversation about the internal struggles South Florida schools now face when it comes to balancing parents' rights, including all families, and the new law meant to ensure that.

Last week controversy and confusion led Miami-Dade’s school board to reject an LGBTQ history month.

Lucia Baez-Geller said Thursday disinformation about anti-LGBTQ rhetoric won during the latest Miami-Dade School Board meeting. A Barry University expert agreed with her.

A Miami-Dade School Board member’s resolution to recognize October as LGBTQ History Month attracted activists from openly anti-LGBTQ groups.

The Miami-Dade School Board is holding a regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday at which time they will discuss whether to recognize October as LGBTQ History Month.

On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade School Board will vote on whether it should recognize October as LGBTQ History Month.

What a difference a week makes.

The sex education textbook discussion continues Thursday for the Miami-Dade School Board, a week after it voted to disallow two controversial textbooks in the classroom.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney welcome Miami-Dade School Board members Marta Perez and Dr. Steve Gallon, Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, professor and political analyst Sean Forman and attorney and legal analyst Gail Levine.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Glenna Milberg and Michael Putney welcome Miami-Dade School Board members Marta Perez and Dr. Steve Gallon, Miami Commissioner Ken Russell, professor and political analyst Sean Forman and attorney and legal analyst Gail Levine.

Four Miami-Dade School Board members voted to keep a sex health education text in middle and high school classes were outvoted by five of their fellow board members.

In a five to four vote last week, Miami-Dade School Board members pulled a textbook about sex health education based on a petition by a relatively small number of objections and against the will of the majority of parents and the district’s own objective advisor.

On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade School Board will decide whether two sex education text books will end up in the classroom.

Dotres, currently a deputy superintendent in Collier County, is a veteran of the Miami-Dade school district.

The members of the School Board of Broward County moved forward on Tuesday with their search for a new superintendent with a do-over meeting to select three semifinalists.

A Tennessee school district has voted to ban a Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel about the Holocaust due to “inappropriate language” and an illustration of a nude woman.

Broward County Public Schools’ search for its next superintendent is down to three candidates after semifinalist Peter Licata dropped out.

Jacob Oliva said that if he is selected to serve as a Miami-Dade County Public Schools superintendent, it would be the honor of a lifetime.

The Miami-Dade School Board is holding a special meeting Tuesday regarding the search for a replacement for outgoing Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

More than 30 organizations are asking Miami-Dade School Board members to put a stop to the ongoing rushed process to hire a new superintendent and implement a more cautious approach.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, host Michael Putney is joined by Dr. Geeta Nayyar, Miami-Dade School Board Vice Chair Dr. Steve Gallon, Miami Herald editorial page editor Nancy Ancrum and Sun Sentinel editorial page editor Steve Bousquet.

The Miami-Dade School Board voted to allow its chair, Perla Tabares Hantman, to reach an agreement with outgoing Superintendent Alberto Carvalho.

Members of the School Board of Broward County voted on Tuesday to end the face mask mandate on Nov. 20th and to adopt a new opt-out policy.

School Board of Broward County members voted on Tuesday to make the use of face masks optional at public high schools.

If Miami-Dade County Public Schools don’t comply with the state’s ban on mask mandates, the district will lose funding.

The majority of School Board of Broward County members were not ready to appoint the interim superintendent on Tuesday as the permanent superintendent.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by state Rep. Michael Grieco, former Miami Beach Mayor Phillip Levine, Miami-Dade School Board member Lucia Baez-Geller and Broward School Board member Sarah Leonardi.

Miami-Dade School Board leaders have approved a one-time stipend for full and part-time workers in the district, including teachers, for employees who receive the COVID-19 vaccine.

The School Board of Miami-Dade County will vote on a possible monetary stipend for any employee who chooses to be vaccinated, as well as for employees who prove to already have full vaccination status.

Florida Education Commisioner Richard Corcoran is following through with his threat to Broward County Public Schools over a face mask mandate to keep schools safe during the coronavirus pandemic.

As of Wednesday night, 10 school districts in Florida were implementing face mask mandates in defiance of Gov. Ron DeSantis’s executive order.

As the Delta variant fuels a surge in COVID cases in South Florida, the School Board of Broward County decided to continue standing by the enforcement of indoor face mask use.

The Miami-Dade School Board has fired a 34-year-old sergeant with the district’s police agency who Doral police said caused a disturbance inside a restaurant earlier this year.

The School Board of Miami-Dade County is likely to side with Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s recommendation to implement a universal face mask mandate with a medical opt-out, a school board member said on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the Miami-Dade School Board is expected to make a decision on face masks.

Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho announced Miami-Dade County Public Schools will implement a face mask mandate with an opt-out medical accomodation. The policy was still being crafted Monday afternoon.

The Broward School Board's decision to keep masks mandatory came after a contentious meeting that ended with an 8-to-1 vote in favor.

Broward County Public Schools will begin the new 2021-22 school year on Aug. 18 with a face mask mandate for school buses and school buildings that won’t include Gov. Ron DeSantis’ opt-out option for parents. The only exceptions are for students with medical conditions or individual education plans.

Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran sent a letter Tuesday to Broward Public Schools Interim Superintendent Vickie Cartwright and School Board Chair Rosalind Osgood to inform them that the State Board of Education has initiated an investigation into the school district for failing to comply with the state’s ban on mask mandates at public schools.

Robert Runcie, the outgoing Broward County Public Schools superintendent, said Thursday face masks and vaccines are needed to have a safe education at schoolhouses during the coronavirus pandemic.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg are joined by Broward County Mayor Steve Geller, Dr. David Andrews from the University of Miami, Broward School Board Chair Dr. Rosalind Osgood and Chair of the Florida Democratic Party Manny Diaz.

The School Board of Broward County voted Wednesday afternoon to impose a face mask mandate at Broward County Public Schools.

School Board of Broward County members plan to discuss if Broward County Public Schools students will have to wear face masks during the 2021-22 school year on Wednesday.

Negotiations resumed Monday between Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie’s attorney and Broward School Board Chair Dr. Rosalind Osgood regarding the superintendent’s separation agreement, and Runcie could soon be walking away with a whopping $740,000.

The School Board of Broward County is meeting on Wednesday for a workshop in Fort Lauderdale.

Lori Alhadeff said on Wednesday that the latest School Board of Broward County workshop is the beginning of a much-needed process.

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie and Rosalind Osgood, the District 5 school board member and chair, are negotiating the terms of his separation from the district before Thursday’s meeting.

The members of the School Board of Broward County are preparing to meet on Tuesday to discuss Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie’s situation.

On the latest episode of the This Week in South Florida podcast, host Glenna Milberg is joined by Director of Florida Division of Emergency Management Jared Moskowitz, Broward School Board member Debra Hixon, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, and attorneys Shannon Ligon and Aaron Carter Bates.

On the latest episode of This Week in South Florida, host Glenna Milberg is joined by Director of Florida Division of Emergency Management Jared Moskowitz, Broward School Board member Debra Hixon, Rep. Carlos Gimenez, and attorneys Shannon Ligon and Aaron Carter Bates.

The school board is expected to discuss the recent events surrounding Broward County Superintendent of Schools Robert Runcie who was arrested on a charge of perjury Wednesday.

Broward County Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie was arrested Wednesday morning on a charge of perjury in an official proceeding. School Board attorney Barbara Myrick was also arrested.

MELBOURNE, Fla. – A Florida teacher has been fired for using medical marijuana. Florida Today reports that the Brevard County School Board voted 3-2 on Tuesday to terminate Allison Enright from her position at Space Coast Junior/Senior High School. Medical marijuana is legal in Florida, but federal regulations continue to categorize cannabis as a Schedule I Controlled Substance, like heroin, LSD and ecstasy. School Board General Counsel Paul Gibbs says the school district must be a drug-free workplace to receive certain federal grants. Enright disclosed her medical marijuana use when she took a drug test after an injury at work.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – The School Board of Broward County met on Tuesday to discuss Broward County Public Schools’ next year’s budget which is based on a blend of federal, state and local funding. The state ties the disbursement of some funds for public education to the number of students enrolled in each district. “We need the kids back in school, not just for the money — because they belong in school,” Runcie said. The Florida Education Association opposes it because public schools are underfunded in Florida. The traditional public schools have to share federal funding with charter schools.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A judge ruled Monday that the Broward School District had no duty to warn parents or faculty about school shooter Nikolas Cruz. According to the order, signed by Judge Patti Englander Henning, the district can’t be liable for failing to predict what Cruz could have done in the future. According to the ruling, the School Board acknowledged that it had a duty to provide adequate security and reasonable protection to students and faculty. There are certainly issues remaining for which the School Board may be held liable.”Ad“We’re horrified,” said Royer Borges, one of the plaintiffs in the case. “We’ve never alleged that somehow the school district has to have a little crystal ball,” Brill said, “We’re talking about a duty to warn for the potential for harm.”Copyright 2021 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Medical officials joined members of the Miami-Dade School Board on Monday to present data on COVID-19 positivity rates, hospitalization, mortality, morbidity and ICU bed usage. Carvalho also addressed some other issues the district is seeing with online learning. “As a result of online learning, there are many students who have simply disappeared from our rolls across the county. School board members also talked about vaccines and asked doctors whether school staff members should be prioritized in receiving vaccines once they are available — something that hasn’t yet been determined. Broward County’s school board is scheduled to meet Tuesday.

Miami-Dade County School Board member Steve Gallon III fainted on Tuesday after delivering a speech during a swearing-in ceremony. Hours later, he said he was ready to get back to work. “We need him now more than ever because a lot of important decisions are being made at our school board that impact our entire community." Gallon, who was born and raised in Miami’s Liberty City, is the elected District 1 school board member for the Miami-Dade County Schools and the vice-chair. By the time he made it to Jackson Memorial Hospital, Gallon was conscious again.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Students who attend Miami-Dade Public Schools are set to officially return to in-person learning in the coming days. The decision comes after Florida’s Education Secretary told the school board it had to reopen or risk loss of vital funding. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho took a tour of several schools and facilities over the weekend as they prepare to reopen their doors to students, teachers and other faculty members. School board member Martha Perez is confident that schools across the county are ready. It was less than a week ago when the Miami-Dade School Board had to quickly pivot, voting to reopen physical classrooms on Oct. 5th instead of the plan they originally voted on and approved for Oct. 14.

MIAMI – Thomas Fiori was among a small group of teachers who met in front of the Miami-Dade School Board building in Miami to protest a push to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic. Corcoran sent a letter to school boards and superintendents in Miami-Dade and Broward counties saying that they must reopen physical classrooms by Oct. 5th. She said that when she read the letter she felt like the local school boards are being bullied into reopening earlier without time to prepare. She decided to start the “Commissioner Corcoran Respect the wishes of Miami-Dade Parents and Teachers” Change.org petition. In the three-page letter, Corcoran is asking the districts to evaluate individual schools' needs and submit amended plans regarding delays for their reopening by Friday.

Richard Corcoran’s three-page letter, addressed to Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho and School Board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman, said that in-person learning must be made available by Oct. 5. I hope our board holds their ground to ensure proper safety.”A special school board meeting has been called for Tuesday, according to MDCPS Chief Communications Officer Daisy Gonzalez-Diego. “Your plan does not offer that option for all students until 40 days from the time (Miami-Dade) county entered Phase 2, more than twice as long as Palm Beach County Schools,” Corcoran stated. “The District was prepared to launch Stage II of our reopening plan, under the adjusted timeline proffered and unanimously approved by the School Board last week. Also, Superintendent memo to school board calling special meeting.)

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – The Miami-Dade School Board voted unanimously Tuesday to delay the start of in-person instruction to at least Oct. 14. On Tuesday, School Board Member Dr. Steve Gallon made a motion to delay the start of a staggered return until Oct. 5. School Board members then decided to push that date even further back. It was emotional,” School Board Member Lubby Navarro said. One school board member also showed concern over not having enough staff to do all of this.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. The Miami-Dade County School Board voted unanimously early Thursday morning to stop using its current online learning platform, My School Online, following two weeks of issues during the start of the 2020-2021 school year, Dr. Steve Gallon confirmed to Local 10 News. Gallon is the vice chair and elected District 1 School Board member for Miami-Dade County Schools. School officials said there is no financial consequence to the change because the contract with My School Online was never fully executed. At the first full board meeting since Miami-Dades virtual learning meltdown and subsequent finger pointing, there are lots of decisions to be made. We are very pleased that the school board made the decision to end the use of the K12 platform for our teachers and students, the statement read.

There has been unprecedented scrutiny into the aborted start to the Miami-Dade County school year. The shifting blame, the multi-million-dollar contract with a failed product and hundreds of thousands of families left in an education void. Miami-Dade School Board Vice Chair Dr. Steve Gallon challenged the official narrative this week during a board meeting. Thats where nine board members who set policy for the district discovered some startling facts for the first time. Gallon joined This Week in South Florida hosts Michael Putney and Glenna Milberg to discuss.

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Miami Dade School Board met Wednesday to discuss the cyber attacks and other slowdowns that have been plaguing the district since it began its online learning platform Monday. The Federal Bureau of Investigation told Local 10 they are assisting Miami-Dade Schools Police. “It’s something we have never dealt with, not only internally, but our local law enforcement partners haven’t either,” Commander Edwin Lopez, Miami-Dade School Police, said. School board member and Vice Chair Steve Gallon said the online experience was an utter failure. There were also questions about the K-12 online platform itself and the $15.3 million contract.

It comes as federal agents are warning parents that more kids on-line increases the risk of savvy cyber-child predators having access to children. With children as young as 5-years-old now online to get a virtual education, the district should provide a warning to students, Karp said. These topics are organized into 4 main categories:Connecting Virtually: information related to devices and connectivity, student email accounts, My School Online, Digital Citizenship and Cyber Safety. Each module will indicate whether it is to be viewed by students, parents, or both together. Modules will be made available in English, Spanish, and Haitian Creole via the Week of Welcome website at www.miamiweekofwelcome.com.

PARKLAND, Fla. – Broward County officials said on Thursday that Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School’s new 45,000-square-foot building will be completed in August, so students will be able to abandon the temporary portable classrooms they are using now. School Board member Lori Alhadeff, a former teacher, lost her 14-year-old daughter Alyssa in the 2018 Valentine’s Day shooting in the school’s 1200 building. Lori Alhadeff attended a news conference on Thursday at the construction site of a new building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The Broward superintendent talked about the new building on Thursday at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. (Local 10 News)Broward Public Schools Superintendent Robert Runcie said the new $18 million building will have 30 classrooms, three spaces for teachers and offices.

DAVIE, Fla. - A day after having its charter revoked, Championship Academy of Distinction at Davie was still open for students and staff, but it's now under the control of the Broward County School District. The change comes after an 8-to-1 vote Tuesday by the School Board, which took back the school's charter contract after School Board members said the school failed to provide adequate armed security for the first day of classes as required by state law. But parents and staff on Wednesday said they're confused because the school did have security staff every day so far this school year. "This school knowingly put its student and staff at risk not once but twice," BCPS Superintendent Robert Runcie said during Tuesday's School Board meeting. We have to be the jury here and make that decision," School Board member Ann Murray said.

The School Board will vote Tuesday on whether the charter school should be shut down for failing to have an armed SRO on campus for the first day of school last week. For the first day of school, there were officers on most campuses, but more than two dozen charter schools do not have long-term plans for security coverage. While Championship Academy of Distinction at Davie did have a security guard on campus Wednesday, that person has not yet been certified by the Broward Sheriff's Office. There's always been a security guard," one woman said during Tuesday's School Board meeting. One father who spoke before the School Board asked them to consider what will happen with the 588 students who attend the school if its shut down"Please consider that.

Former Miami-Dade County School Board member Solomon Stinson, who is accused of shooting at Pembroke Pines police officers last month, was back in court Wednesday. Copyright 2019 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.