Miami-Dade County Public Schools

School board races usually don’t get much hype. That might be changing this election season.

At a recent Miami-Dade County School Board meeting focused on sex ed textbooks, opponents of the curriculum derailed the deliberations. One person was arrested — but it wasn't any of the women causing the disruption.

When a majority of the Miami-Dade County School Board voted to toss out two sex ed textbooks, the issue hit home for Steve Gallon, who was himself a teen father. He says more comprehensive sex education as a student could have changed the trajectory of his life.

More than four years after the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018, the local 911 call system remains fragmented. A state public safety panel formed after the massacre says more guidelines are needed for districts to analyze and report potential threats.

The Miami-Dade County School Board voted 5 to 4 to approve two sex ed textbooks — a surprising reversal after the board tossed out the textbooks at a meeting on July 20, 2022. Outgoing board Chair Perla Tabares Hantman cast the decisive vote.

The Miami-Dade County School Board is holding a special meeting on July 28 to discuss the consequences of not offering sex education. More than 2,000 people have signed a petition urging the district to adopt new sex ed teaching materials, after the board voted to toss out two textbooks.

Alberto Carvalho said he hopes the school board fast-tracks a plan to adopt new books and restore the sex ed curriculum — especially since state law requires health classes to cover teen pregnancy and teen dating violence.

Women speaking against two sex ed textbooks brought a recent Miami-Dade County School Board meeting to a standstill. They were given a verbal warning, but a left-leaning activist — who supporters say sat quietly during the meeting — was arrested.

Following a contentious public meeting Wednesday, Miami-Dade County school board members voted to reject sex education textbooks they had previously approved. District staff say the subject can't be taught until new materials are approved — which will take months.

Advocates have long pushed for school meals to be free for all students — regardless of family income. When the pandemic hit, Congress made it happen. But now, federal aid for the school meal program is running out. In the fall, many school across the country will once again have to charge kids to eat.

The Miami-Dade and Palm Beach County school districts are among just 14 statewide that earned an overall A grade, according to the Florida Department of Education. It's the first full accounting of school grades since 2019.

Miami-Dade and Broward school district students performed better on this year’s annual statewide exams compared to last year’s, but only slightly more than half of the students earned a passing score of Level 3 or higher in English and math.