Metro | K-12 Education - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public School’s racial achievement gap persists

By Emma Behrmann | Apr. 8, 2022

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 | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County School Board votes Shane Andrew as interim superintendent

By Emma Behrmann | Mar. 18, 2022

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 | K-12 EDUCATION

Split Alachua County school board votes out Superintendent Carlee Simon

By Emma Behrmann | Mar. 4, 2022

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 | K-12 EDUCATION

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

By Emma Behrmann | Mar. 4, 2022

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.”

Jessica Morey, Buchholz High School history teacher, poses for a portrait inside of her classroom on Thursday, Feb. 17. She said she's always been passionate about teaching African history and working with diverse groups of students.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Black history education extends beyond February in Alachua County

By Emma Behrmann | Feb. 28, 2022

Alachua County Public Schools’ curriculum promises Black history education to extend beyond the month of February and the few names repeated in history textbooks. However, not every classroom fulfills this promise.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

ACPS signs the highest salary package in district history

By Emma Behrmann | Feb. 24, 2022

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.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Education Association offers salary proposal

By Emma Behrmann | Feb. 21, 2022

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.

Alachua County Public School buses await students at Littlewood Elementary School on Wednesday, Feb. 2.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public School parents are unhappy as bus route delays continue

By Emma Behrmann | Feb. 4, 2022

Chronic late buses frustrate Alachua County Public School parents as the fifth month of school continues to be marked by delays of up to 90 minutes. Skylah Banks, 36, a Gainesville resident, waited to leave for her 2 p.m. shift until her two third-graders came home from Marjorie K. Rawlings Elementary at 3500 NE 15th St.

English teacher Cassidy Klein is seen inside the A. Quinn Jones Center on Thursday, Jan. 20. Klein was named the 2022 Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health Teacher of the Year.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

A. Quinn Jones English teacher received regional award for dedication to Special Education

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 24, 2022

Klein, a 25-year-old high school English teacher, received the 2022 Division for Emotional & Behavioral Health teacher of the year award. The DEBH is an international community of educators that dedicates itself to the success of students with or at risk of emotional and behavioral disorders. Klein traveled to Orlando Monday to receive her plaque.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

ACPS new COVID cases continue to rise

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 21, 2022

Alachua County Public Schools saw an increase in the number of new cases from Jan. 9 to Jan. 16, after a record number of new cases the week prior. However, these numbers could increase as parents and employees report test results from before the holiday weekend, ACPS spokesperson Jackie Johnson said.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Fire at special education public school destroys classrooms, lab

By Jiselle Lee | Jan. 16, 2022

A fire destroyed classrooms at Alachua County public school Sidney Lanier Center on Friday afternoon.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools’ COVID-19 cases increase following winter break

By Emma Behrmann | Jan. 13, 2022

After the first week back, there were 334 new student cases and 55 new staff cases — contributing to a total of 476 reported cases among both groups.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

The left winger: Family, friends remember Santa Fe High School athlete

Nov. 29, 2021

Arambula, a sophomore at Santa Fe High School, died at 16 on Nov. 22.

Ian Vought uses an ice pick and a chainsaw to chisel a pineapple-shaped ice sculpture during the Career Academy Showcase at Eastside High School on Thursday, Nov. 18, 2021.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Career Academy Showcase returns after pandemic hiatus, targets racial underrepresentation

By Zachary Carnell | Nov. 19, 2021

ACPS hosted the event at Eastside High School instead of the usual venue, Buchholz High School. The change of location was meant to tackle disproportionate success and representation among minority students in Alachua County, College & Career Pathways Director Shannon Ritter said .

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools to lift mask mandate after winter break

By Bryce Brown | Nov. 15, 2021

The Alachua County School Board voted 3-2 on Wednesday to allow parents to opt their students out of masking from Nov. 12 to Dec. 17. The board also voted to make masking completely optional for students of all grade levels after winter break. The decision is consistent with State Department of Education and State Department of Health requirements.

The Alachua County Sheriff's Office on Southeast Hawthorn Road on Monday, May 3, 2021. (Photo by Mingmei Li)

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Hawthorne High School student arrested Friday for calling in bomb threat

By Omar Ateyah | Nov. 1, 2021

A suspect was arrested Friday in relation to a bomb threat made toward Hawthorne High School last week close to dismissal.

Ekisinga Ministries, pictured here in Buwenda, Uganda on Aug. 25, 2021, works with local churches to gauge the needs of the community and provide sustainable safe water solutions. Courtesy of Steve Nutzmann.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Sixth grade Alachua County student provides clean water sources for hundreds in Uganda

By Desiree Anello | Oct. 18, 2021

When Craig “Tre’” Smith III realized there were children his age who don’t have easy access to clean water, he set a firm goal to raise funds for those children and began Aug. 16.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools, Florida public schools face new testing possibility

By Emma Behrmann | Oct. 6, 2021

This legislation would replace the FSA with three shorter tests administered in the fall, winter and spring. These tests would provide information about students’ growth throughout the year to the students, teachers and parents, fostering improvement opportunities.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County Public Schools is the first district nationwide to receive federal funding amid state masking-related penalties

By Jiselle Lee | Sep. 24, 2021

ACPS is the first school district in the U.S. to receive a grant from the federal government as a part of Project SAFE, a grant program that reimburses school districts for funding withheld by a state government because of mask requirements and other COVID-related protocols.

METRO | K-12 EDUCATION

Alachua County suffers school bus driver shortage

By Emma Behrmann | Sep. 15, 2021

The ACPS website now includes a late bus tracker that lists which routes are late each day and states whether there was a driver in extreme delays.

Metro | Public Schools