K-12 schools

Rising costs, the threat of tariffs, and federal funding cuts all loom large as districts finalize what price tag to put on school lunches.

With the future of the Department of Education in limbo, it's uncertain how school districts will continue receiving federal funding. Florida receives around 17% of its education dollars from the federal government.

The school choice debate has grown over the years. Now, some U.S. legislators are proposing a nationwide voucher program. Critics say the bill has flaws.

Dozens of community members spoke at Tuesday's board meeting, urging school officials to do everything they can to prevent immigration enforcement on campuses.

Since the Trump administration opened up schools to immigration enforcement, families are concerned what can happen to their kids. Tampa Bay area school districts outline their policies on the matter.

Even though enrollment is dwindling in Pinellas County schools, its English Language Learner population continues to grow.

While the increase is good news, some education advocates point out that the statistic is just one measure of student success.

Negotiations typically stretch into the fall or even spring semester. But, this year, teacher union leaders and school officials landed a swifter compromise.

For decades, Pizzo K-8 operated on the University of South Florida Tampa campus. But the terms of a new lease agreement between the district and university could push the school to move.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced on Monday his commitment to raise state funds for teacher salaries to $1.25 billion, an increase of almost a quarter-billion dollars. Public education advocates said that won't alleviate the teacher shortage.

More than 386,000 applications for the upcoming school year have been submitted, surpassing the number of vouchers awarded last school year.

The closures are part of a broader restructuring plan that will save the district annual costs. But parents and some officials say the disruption to families is not worth it.