The big story: Many Catholic school systems across the nation are shrinking, unable to compete with free public charter schools.
Not so in Florida, where students can take state-funded education vouchers to private schools.
In the Diocese of St. Petersburg, there’s new construction to support rising interest. The diocese recently broke ground on Mater Dei, a prekindergarten through eighth-grade campus in the Ruskin area of southeast Hillsborough County.
“This part of the county, it’s booming, and it’s underserved,” diocese superintendent Chris Pastura said, noting the next closest Catholic school is in Manatee County. Read more here.
In related news, a group of Florida public education advocates urged the U.S. Senate to kill provisions for universal school vouchers in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” saying Florida offers a cautionary tale, Florida Politics reports.
Hot topics
University accreditation: Florida joined five other state university systems in a new accrediting body that Gov. Ron DeSantis said will “upend the monopoly of woke accreditation cartels.”
Superintendents: Incoming St. Johns County superintendent Brennan Asplen has set teacher retention as one of his top priorities, WTLV reports.
Recognitions: The Hillsborough County school board adopted a resolution honoring Juneteenth Day. It didn’t have one for Pride Month. LGBTQ+ activists weren’t happy.
Out-of-state tuition: The University of Florida board of trustees has set a hearing to consider increasing out-of-state tuition rates by 10%, the Gainesville Sun reports.
NIL: Florida State University is attracting attention for some aggressive contract language in its name, image and likeness deals with student-athletes, CBS Sports reports.
Classroom cameras: The Broward County school district plans to resume using cameras in special education classrooms so parents can see what’s happening with their children, the Sun-Sentinel reports.
Charter schools: The city of Miami delayed plans to hand over a historic theater to the SLAM charter school amid public outcry, the Miami Herald reports.
Budgets: Citrus County school officials are looking for ways to offset a $3.5 million shortfall caused by enrollment declines, the Citrus County Chronicle reports. • Indian River County school district officials aim to ensure job cuts planned to save $1.7 million support academic improvement, WPTV reports.
Branding: The Indian River County school district is launching a more active marketing effort to attract families to its schools for choice programs, Vero News reports.
Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.
Before you go … Will he be worth it?