Florida's Latest News

FSU among Florida universities awarded millions for American history, civics seminars

As the U.S. approaches its 250th anniversary, Florida State University and four other public universities across the state have been awarded a total of over $12.5 million in grants from the U.S. Department of Education for an American History and Civics Seminars Program.

While FSU's share of the grants is $4.9 million, the money will be used to execute two initiatives − a "Founding Voices" project with the support of $1.7 million to engage middle school students with historical portrayals of America’s founding era figures, and a professional development initiative for teachers through the remaining $2.9 million of the grant to improve civics instruction.

"We're very proud to have received these grants and are excited to begin work on them," Ryan Owens, director of FSU's Institute for Governance and Civics, told the Tallahassee Democrat. The institute, established by the Florida Legislature in 2023, was created with the goal of becoming the nation's premier policy institute in creating the next generation of effective citizens and responsible leaders.

LaVon Bracy Davis is sworn in as Florida’s newest Senator

The Legislature has officially welcomed its newest Senator.

Sen. LaVon Bracy Davis was sworn in on Tuesday on the Senate floor after winning a Special Election last month. Bracy Davis will represent Senate District 15, succeeding the late state Sen. Geraldine Thompson.

Thompson, 76, died Feb. 13 from knee surgery complications after representing Orlando in the Legislature for nearly two decades.

Thompson’s husband, Judge Emerson Thompson, gave the oath to Bracy Davis, an Ocoee Democrat who previously served in the House.

Meanwhile, Bracy Davis’ husband, Rev. Adrian Davis of Bethel Independent Free Methodist Church of Mount Dora, led the prayer on the Senate floor.

‘Resonating’: Lucia Báez-Geller adds $72.5K, 12 endorsements added to HD 106 bid

Former Miami-Dade School Board member Lucia Báez-Geller’s bid for House District 106 is off to a strong start.

In Báez-Geller’s first quarter of fundraising, her campaign said she amassed roughly $72,500 and added 12 notable endorsements.

Her camp noted that the 400 or so donations she received since filing for the HD 106 race in mid-July are more than double the total contributions Miami Beach Republican Rep. Fabián Basabe, the district’s incumbent, took in all last cycle.

“I am humbled by (this) support,” Báez-Geller, a Democrat, said in a statement. “My campaigns have always been grassroots, and our message of affordability and the property insurance crisis is clearly resonating.”

Nation’s 6th largest K-12 district considering closures, consolidations

Closing or consolidating schools due to declining enrollment in the nation’s sixth-largest K-12 public district will be discussed in a briefing on community input on Tuesday in Florida.

The Broward County school board, previously with more than 240,000 students and 239 schools, recorded a 3.8% drop in enrollment from the first day of the 2024 school year. On Sept. 8, the so-called “benchmark” day for enrollment, enrollment was down to 236,667.

“While the significant enrollment loss is a reality that we cannot ignore, there is still a great desire for local schools,” said a school system summary of input from recent community meetings. “This official benchmark day enrollment will be used for planning purposes across the district,” a school system memo stated.

The school system held a series of eight community meetings in August and will present a summary of the findings to the board on Tuesday, school system spokeswoman Keyla Concepción told The Center Square.