The big story: For many Florida teens, college is a goal that can seem out of reach.
Often, they don’t know where to start the process. Everything from applying to seeking financial support is alien to them and their parents or guardians.
The Pinellas County school district created colleges and career centers at all its high schools to help direct the students. They’ve already made a difference. Read more here.
Hot topics
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tbt/UKVCMKQVHFDT7LC3FFY5N2I76Q.jpg "Angela Dubach, right, president of Pinellas County's Moms for Liberty chapter, addresses a Pinellas school district panel reviewing the novel “The Lovely Bones.” Dubach's challenge of the book seeks to remove it from all schools in the district. It's the first such challenge under a new process approved by the district.")
Book challenges: The leader of Moms for Liberty in Pinellas County challenged the presence of Alice Sebold’s “The Lovely Bones” in Pinellas public schools. She said it had no educational value. The committee reviewing her challenge disagreed. • The Hernando County School Board banned four books and restricted access to four more, after receiving challenges from Moms for Liberty, WMNF reports.
Corporal punishment: A Liberty County teen is trying to put an end to corporate punishment in schools after it happened to her, WMBB reports. “It just feels disgusting,” Liberty County High School senior Brooklynn Daniels said. Nineteen Florida school districts permit paddling as a disciplinary measure.
President searches: Florida Atlantic University must restart its presidential search, but must wait until the State University System rewrites the rules, the Sun-Sentinel reports. More from the Palm Beach Post.
School leadership: Students at Broward County’s Monarch High say they miss their principal, who was removed amid an investigation into allowing a transgender student to play on the school’s girls volleyball team, the Miami Herald reports.
Teacher discipline: The Palm Beach County School Board fired a teacher who put a student in a chokehold, despite advice from a judge not to fire the teacher, the Palm Beach Post reports.
Year-round education: The Brevard County school district won’t decide whether to pursue a year-round schooling option for some elementary schools until after the new year, Florida Today reports.
From the court docket… The Palm Beach County School Board joined a growing lawsuit against social media companies, alleging the companies addict youth and cause mental health problems schools must deal with, WPTV reports. • A Broward County school volunteer arrested at a school board meeting for battery on a law enforcement officer won’t face charges, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
Before you go… So Taylor Swift is Time’s person of the year. Just how popular is she? This music-only YouTube video of her song “You’re Losing Me” from the vault hit nearly 5 million views in two weeks. Like it?
• • •
Spotlight on education
The public is invited to a community conversation about the future of Florida public schools on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at the Tampa Theatre, hosted by the Tampa Bay Times. In the second installment of the Spotlight Tampa Bay series, Times journalists will moderate a discussion by experts, followed by a panel featuring students. Tickets are $20; $10 for students. Proceedings benefiting the Times’ Journalism Fund. To purchase tickets, click here.