Ryan Dailey / News Service of Florida

A key higher-education accrediting organization is raising questions about a potential conflict of interest involving state Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran as he seeks to become president of Florida State University. Corcoran is a member of the state university system’s Board of Governors, which ultimately will have to approve the candidate selected by FSU’s Board of Trustees to succeed retiring President John Thrasher.

The proposal (HB 1475) would make participation in athletics contingent on determining students’ “biological sex,” a disputed term that refers to the sex assigned at birth.

The Florida House is poised to pass a measure that would bar transgender females from participating in girls’ and women’s high-school and college sports, amid fierce opposition from Democrats and warnings about potential financial repercussions.

A proposal to ban transgender females from taking part in girls’ or women’s high-school and college sports is teed up for consideration by the full House, after a Republican-controlled education panel overrode fiery objections Tuesday. The House Education & Employment Committee voted 15-6 to approve the proposal (HB 1475) sponsored by Rep. Kaylee Tuck, R-Lake Placid, with Rep. James Bush, D-Miami, the only Democrat supporting the bill.

An amendment adopted by the committee changed the proposal from completely cutting Bright Futures aid for certain majors to reducing the scholarship amounts awarded to students. The majors at risk of reduced scholarships would be on lists of degrees deemed by higher education governing boards as not leading to employment.

The Senate Education Committee on Tuesday is expected to consider an amendment that would make significant changes to the bill. Under the amendment filed by Baxley, Bright Futures scholarships would be “reduced,” not nixed, for students who don’t choose an academic discipline deemed promising for job prospects.

The Republican-controlled House Secondary Education & Career Development Subcommittee, in an 11-6 party-line vote, approved a measure (HJR 1461) that would place a proposed constitutional amendment on next year’s ballot about whether to continue paying school board members.

A controversial Senate proposal that would cut state-backed Bright Futures scholarships for students in degree programs that don’t “lead directly to employment” has been put on hold and is expected to undergo changes.

Miami-Dade County Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said 10,006 fewer students than expected enrolled in his district’s schools. He said 78 percent can be accounted for in three categories: They moved out of state, moved to another county or enrolled in private schools.

Sen. Jeff Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican who is sponsoring the measure (SB 220), said it is aimed at attracting “the broadest pool of applicants” for the jobs. The Senate Governmental Oversight and Accountability Committee approved the proposal Wednesday in a 4-2, party-line vote.

The Florida Legislative Black Caucus is pushing a slew of bills for the 2021 legislative session that members say “promote fair and just” police reforms.

The measure (SB 48), filed by Republican Sen. Manny Diaz of Hialeah, would expand eligibility for school-voucher programs and allow parents to use taxpayer-backed education savings accounts for private schools and other costs. The Senate Education Committee approved the proposal (SB 48) in a 6-4 party-line vote Wednesday, with Republicans overriding Democrats’ fiery objections to the plan.