Ryan Dailey / News Service of Florida

Senate Minority Leader Lauren Book, a Plantation Democrat elected in 2016, is trying to hold onto her seat after the makeup of Senate District 35 changed earlier this year. Barbara Sharief, a former Broward County commissioner who also served as the county’s mayor, is facing off against Book in an open primary.

Saying federal guidelines aimed at preventing discrimination against students based on such things as gender identity would “vastly expand the application” of Title IX, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz, Jr. told school officials Thursday to ignore the guidelines.

Sales-tax exemptions on school-related purchases will run through Aug. 7. The holiday, which has become something of an annual event, was part of a broader $800 million tax package that Gov. Ron DeSantis signed in May. The package also included tax breaks on such things as hurricane supplies, outdoor goods, diapers, children’s clothing and books.

Emphasizing that school-board elections have a “significant impact” on families, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday focused heavily on his support for candidates who align with his education agenda as he helped kick off an event held by the conservative group Moms for Liberty.

The law (HB 7), passed by the state Legislature this spring and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in April, will restrict the way certain race-related issues can be taught in schools and workplace training sessions. The new law, set to take effect July 1, specifically targets training and instruction that would tell students and employees that they “unconsciously” discriminate.

Gov. Ron DeSantis’ political campaign this week launched a questionnaire designed to gauge how closely local school board candidates align with the Republican leader’s educational priorities.

Governor Ron DeSantis is breaking from the Florida legislature's efforts to punish school districts that imposed mask mandates during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Florida Department of Education is accepting bids from companies through June 10 to provide social-studies books for a five-year period starting in 2023. The department posted to its website a 29-page document that lists criteria for what is expected to be included in the books — and what’s expected to be left out.

Calling it a “blockbuster day for freedom,” Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that will require public-school students to observe “Victims of Communism Day” on Nov. 7 each year.

Gov. Ron DeSantis on Monday signed a bill that will provide about $70 million to bolster programs aimed at equipping dads with parenting resources and helping foster youth.

A new bill would require state colleges and universities to change accrediting agencies at the end of each accreditation cycle — a process that can last up to 10 years. Tensions have built with the current accreditor.

The measure is designed to replace the current standardized testing system with “progress monitoring” tests, which will require that students be administered exams at the beginning, middle and end of each school year.