U.S. Department of Education

FILE - In this Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021, file photo, students, some wearing protective masks, arrive for the first day of school at Sessums Elementary School in Riverview, Fla. The on-again, off-again ban imposed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis to prevent mandating masks for Florida school students is back in force. The 1st District Court of Appeal ruled Friday, Sept. 10, that a Tallahassee judge should not have lifted an automatic stay two days ago that halted enforcement of the mask mandate ban. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara, File)

Federal feud ends over mask mandates in Florida schools

A standoff between Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration and federal education officials about student mask requirements during the COVID-19 pandemic has ended after school districts nixed mask mandates.

The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to increased levels of stress and anxiety for students. But Broward County Public Schools has struggled to find social workers and school counselors. A new internship program aims to fix that. Above, Cypress Bay High School students enter the campus in Weston on the first day of school in August.

U.S. Department of Education files cease and desist action against state over funding for Broward Schools

Ana Ceballos

A day after the Florida Department of Education withheld funds from two school districts amid an ongoing mask mandate fight, the Biden administration on Thursday filed a complaint asking an administrative judge to block the action.

Florida Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran speaks during an October press conference at Bayview Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale where he and Gov. Ron DeSantis, left, announced a plan to raise the minimum starting salary for teachers.

Biden administration warns Florida education officials over school board money

Ryan Dailey | News Service of Florida

President Joe Biden’s administration on Monday warned top Florida education officials to “reconsider your threatened actions” after the state said it would try to thwart attempts to use federal money to cover salaries of county school-board members who approved student mask requirements.

Feds Cover Broward School Board Salaries That State Withheld Over Mask Policy

News Service of Florida

The U.S. Department of Education is sending more than $420,000 to the Broward County School Board, to make up for the school board salaries the state has withheld after the board defied the state's policy allowing parental opt-outs for masks in schools.