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Tuesday, March 17, 2026

Metro: Public Schools

P.K. Yonge is one of four Florida K-12 schools directly affiliated with a university.
Metro

P.K. Yonge: A UF laboratory school with rich history

P.K. Yonge is one of four Florida K-12 schools directly affiliated with a university, serving as its own school district. P.K. Yonge isn’t affiliated with Alachua County Public Schools and has its own superintendent. All P.K. Yonge employees carry GatorONE Cards, follow the regulations and policies set by the university and work under UF’s Board of Trustees.


Metro

Alachua County Public School’s racial achievement gap persists

ACPS has the state's widest achievement gap between white and Black students in both English language arts and mathematics. Segregation met its end in 1970 for Alachua County Public Schools, but disparities between Black student and white student performance afflict the district today.  This district serves more than 30,000 students, 33% of which are Black and 41% of which are white. ACPS officials acknowledged this gap and crafted an equity plan in 2018, promising to eliminate the disparity by 2028, but the plan failed to narrow the difference in student performance. 


Metro

Alachua County School Board votes Shane Andrew as interim superintendent

Alachua County School Board named Shane Andrew as interim superintendent two weeks after firing former superintendent Carlee Simon.  The members voted 3-2 Tuesday, with Mildred Russell and Gunnar Paulson in dissent. Chairman Robert Hyatt asked for agreement in the board’s nomination at the March 2 meeting, but the vote was split again.  


Metro

Split Alachua County school board votes out Superintendent Carlee Simon

A divided Alachua County School Board fired Superintendent Carlee Simon Tuesday.  The board voted 3-2, with Leanetta McNealy and Tina Certain dissenting. Chairman Robert Hyatt, who was part of the majority, named Deputy Superintendent Donna Jones acting superintendent until the board can nominate an interim superintendent at the next board meeting Mar. 15. 


Gainesville High School students protest outside their school's campus, waving their flags for oncoming traffic in opposition to Florida's ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which would effectively ban discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in elementary schools and stigmatize it in upper grade levels.
Metro

High school students protest ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill with walkout

Honks, cheers and rainbow-decorated signs accompanied 30 Gainesville High School students as they walked down Northwest 13th Street Thursday afternoon. Hundreds more stood in protest on the baseball fields. GHS students joined Buchholz and Eastside High and students across the state in a walkout to protest the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill, which passed its final state senate committee Monday and awaits a final vote and signature from the governor. Officially known as the Parental Rights in Education Bill, the legislation would bar state educators from discussing LGBTQ+ topics that are not “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students.” 


Metro

ACPS signs the highest salary package in district history

Alachua County Public Schools and the Alachua County Education Association agreed to the largest salary package offered in the district’s history Wednesday.  The salary package amounts to $10.5 million, the largest offer that has ever been on the table for employees in Alachua County, ACEA President Carmen Ward said. 


Florida Alligator
Metro

Alachua County Education Association offers salary proposal

The ACEA and the ACPS bargaining teams reviewed the proposed salary increases for teachers and education professionals, like librarians, media specialists and school psychologists.  The proposal would provide education support to professionals and teachers with an additional $0.55 per hour. 



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