Some Florida school districts are rolling back a more comprehensive approach to sex education in favor of abstinence-focused lessons.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will hold a news conference in Daytona Beach.

Most Central Florida school districts started school on Monday.

Under the state's new guidelines, 12 components are used to determine which grade each school received.

The Florida Department of Education is investigating Sumter County’s public school district amid allegations of moving low-performing students so they don’t affect school grades.

Osceola County is celebrating a big achievement when it comes to increasing the number of high school seniors attending college after graduation.

The grades are out for schools and school districts across Florida.

Florida state laws prohibit districts from supplying books with “pornographic” or “inappropriate” content in school libraries or classrooms.

After the College Board announced Florida schools should not offer AP Psychology courses over the state’s requirement to exclude its gender and human sexuality unit, Seminole County Public Schools said it is offering its students an alternative course that would fulfill college credit requirements.

College Board officials wrote that the state will still allow districts to teach AP Psychology, but teachers won’t be allowed to discuss gender identity or sexual orientation as part of the coursework.

Following a speech by Vice President Kamala Harris in Florida last week, the Florida Department of Education issued a letter addressing what it calls “inaccurate criticism.”

Florida Department of Education officials told News 6 that the lessons can be used to supplement the existing curriculum in Florida schools if district leaders allow it.

LGBTQ+ advocates are speaking out as the Florida Board of Education meets in Orlando.

The College Board announced Thursday that it would refuse to take out certain topics from its AP courses to match with a recent education law in Florida.

According to the principal, one of the after-school clubs had invited a drag queen as a guest speaker to attend their meeting on Thursday.

OCPS Superintendent Maria Vazquez said that information regarding disciplinary referrals will be released to the state before March 17.

Orange County Public Schools will no longer participate in an annual national study charting risky behaviors in students, according to correspondence from the Florida Department of Education thanking the district for the change and criticizing the survey.

The organization that created a high school African American studies program rejected by Florida says it’s still waiting for specifics from the state about how the course violates state law.

Students planning to fight against Florida’s rejection of an AP African American Studies course met in Tallahassee with their attorneys, including Ben Crump, to lay out their intent for a lawsuit.

Three high school students are set to lead a lawsuit against the state of Florida and Gov. Ron DeSantis over the education department’s rejection of an AP African American studies course.

On Friday, the Florida Department of Education released a statement that it was rejecting the coursework for a new advanced placement class still in its pilot phase.

The Florida Department of Education celebrated an overall improvement in the state’s high school graduation rate since the 2018-19 school year.

Florida Sen. Danny Burgess, R-District 23, filed a bill that would require teachers in public schools to provide instruction on social media safety.

The superintendent for Orange County Public Schools is expected to meet next week with Florida Dept. of Education officials over concerns from a statewide grand jury that the district may have underreported incidents to the state.

A seventh grade math teacher from northeast Florida has been chosen as the state’s Teacher of the Year.

The Florida Department of Education on Thursday released reports of school grades, improvement ratings and other accountability metrics for the 2021-22 academic year, noting it was the first full publication of such data since 2019.

“Critical race theory, social justice, culturally responsive teaching, social and emotional learning, and any other unsolicited theories that may lead to student indoctrination are prohibited,” part of the document said, citing state education standards.

A press release, titled, “Florida Rejects Publishers’ Attempts to Indoctrinate Students” remains on the Florida Department of Education’s website.

Dozens of math textbooks were rejected by the Florida Department of Education after officials said their publishers were attempting to indoctrinate students.

The Florida Department of Education releases examples of math problems found in 54 books the state has rejected.

Dozens of math textbooks were rejected by the Florida Department of Education after officials said the publishers were attempting to indoctrinate students.

Advocacy groups are criticizing the Florida Department of Education for removing an anti-bullying webpage from its site, saying the decision will harm LGBTQ students.

The mask battle with the Florida Department of Education is expected to come up at tonight’s school board meeting, according to Brevard Public School Board Chair Misty Belford.

Officials at Brevard County schools are still ordering students to wear face coverings, now the Florida Department of Education is prepared to penalize the district.

Florida is the last state to submit a plan to the U.S. Department of Education that’s required before more than $2.3 billion in federal aid for Florida schools can be released.

The Brevard County School Board will meet Tuesday to discuss its mask mandate.

The State of Florida currently has billions of dollars earmarked to help local school districts through the pandemic that has not been dispersed, according to records obtained by News 6.

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran demanded that Brevard Public Schools withdraw its classroom facemask mandate by Wednesday morning or the Florida Department of Education would withhold School Board member salaries.

Orange County Public Schools responded back to the Florida Department of Education regarding its mask mandate.

The Florida Department of Education is launching an investigation on Orange County Public Schools over its latest mask mandate, according to Commissioner of Education Richard Corcoran.

The Florida Department of Education has made good on its threat to withhold funding from school districts with mask requirements.

As many Florida educators have received or will receive their $1,000 bonuses, Gov. Ron DeSantis made a stop at a St. Petersburg school to hand-deliver checks to teachers.

The Florida Department of Education reported that 54% of third-grade students this year scored “satisfactory” or above on the state English-language arts exam.

A new ban by the Florida Board of Education on "critical race theory" education is unlikely to impact local curriculum.

Some members of the Marion County School Board said it was a difficult decision to close Evergreen Elementary School.

Central Florida school districts are still reacting to the governor's latest executive order and determining how to move forward.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – It’s been a year since the coronavirus pandemic shuttered schools across Florida forcing school districts to act fast and transition to virtual learning options. School leaders are now wondering what is next for online learning platforms. Spring break marks one year since Orange County students shifted from learning in the classroom to learning virtually. Many students chose to continue learning virtually this school year through LaunchEd@Home, the district’s online learning platform. AdHowat said as of now the only online learning option for the next school year is through Orange County Virtual School, which offers free online learning at the student’s own pace.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – Many upset Orange County parents say they plan to opt-out of state testing after Superintendent Barbara Jenkins announced all schools will move forward with administering state assessments, including the FSA, and must do so in-person, according to an order from the Florida Department of Education. “My kids aren’t going to school for this,” said Orange County mom Angie Giurtino, who has a 6th grader at Legacy Middle School. “My husband and I are really going to be evaluating do we want to send him on campus to do that.”AdAccording to Orange County School Board Member Angie Gallo, she is anticipating parents opt-ing out. Ron DeSantis extends the spring state testing windows for Florida State Assessments by two weeks to allow for further flexibility for makeups, if needed. AdBy statute, students must pass the Grade 10 ELA state assessment and Algebra 1 EOC state assessment before graduating.

Seminole County Superintendent Walt Griffin previously asked Florida’s Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to forgo school grades for the 2020-2021 school year because of the circumstances created by the pandemic. In fact, Corcoran said the Florida Department of Education plans to continue all three learning options for parents: Florida Virtual School, face-to-face learning and each district’s distance learning method. Under an emergency order for the fall 2020 semester by the Florida Department of Education all school districts could offer virtual learning options as long as they offered face-to-face education. School districts had to submit their reopening plans to the state for approval. Central Florida school district officials said after Wednesday’s decision that they hope to receive the same state funding for remote learning in the spring as they did in the fall semester to continue making it an affordable option.

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – Coronavirus cases are on the rise in Florida and Central Florida health officials are warning the public to be aware of the recent trend. Seminole County Medical Director Dr. Todd Husty said that the current weekly average for single day COVID-19 cases is 65. We are loosening up too much.”Husty also said Seminole County is currently monitoring 600 people who have either tested positive for coronavirus or are awaiting test results,Data released Thursday by the Florida Department of Health showed another 80 new cases in Seminole County. Seminole County Public Schools said the plan is to collect data from a survey given to parents, before creating a plan for next semester. The Florida Department of Health in Osceola County said it continues to work closely with school officials, as the county reported another 123 cases on Thursday.

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Education is making $2 million available to rural counties across the state to increase access to telehealth to provide mental-health services for schoolchildren. “I’m excited today to announce to 18 of the rural counties across the state of Florida we’ll be issuing $2 million to those rural districts to help students there increase access to tele- and mental-health services,” Florida First Lady Casey DeSantis said during a Monday news conference at the governor’s mansion. The money is available from federal CARES Act stimulus funding and will be directed to rural counties that have lower rates of internet connectivity and have limited access to health-care professionals. Monday’s announcement was lauded by Natalie Kelly, CEO of the Florida Association of Managing Entities. The 18 counties that will receive the funding are: Bradford, Calhoun, DeSoto, Dixie, Glades, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hardee, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Levy, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Union and Washington.

Siding with teachers unions, a Leon County circuit judge Thursday lifted a stay of his earlier ruling that a state order requiring schools to reopen in August is unconstitutional. Under law, that notice of appeal automatically placed a stay on Dodson’s ruling --- effectively putting it on hold until the Tallahassee-based appeals court can resolve the case. Late Tuesday, attorneys for the Florida Education Association and the Orange County teachers union asked Dodson to lift the stay. In Thursday’s order, Dodson scolded the state for misrepresenting his temporary injunction. What the order did, for the reasons stated, is require that local school districts be given authority under their individual circumstances to open or close the local schools, based on local conditions,” the judge wrote.

”We’re very happy with the judge’s decision,” Union president Elizabeth Albert said. [Everything you need to know about Volusia County’s back to school plan]"In some cases, the supplies are limited and these items are on back order. The state has already appealed the judge’s ruling but Albert said it doesn’t affect the school board to start a conversation about other options. This, after the local teacher’s union declared an impasse Tuesday morning, regarding the school district’s re-opening plan. The Volusia County School Board briefly discussed the lawsuit during a workshop meeting.

Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson, who is slated to issue a ruling early next week, heard closing arguments in lawsuits filed by the Florida Education Association and the union that represents Orange County teachers. Schools risk losing funding if they don’t comply with Corcoran’s order, which teachers’ attorneys called “financial bullying.”But lawyers representing Gov. Ron DeSantis, Corcoran and state education officials, who are defendants in the case, maintain that the Constitution also requires the state to provide “high-quality education” to Florida schoolchildren. Although DeSantis and Corcoran have said publicly that teachers with medical conditions should be accommodated during the pandemic, local school officials have denied some educators’ requests to teach remotely. During testimony this week, the unions spotlighted the potential risks to teachers’ health, while the state focused on children’s educational needs.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Officials from the Florida Department of Education touted an “important announcement” Tuesday that ultimately ended up being the announcement of the teacher of the year. A news release provided by the department around noon only billed the virtual event as an “important announcement” but did not provide details on the nature of the 4 p.m. announcement or who would be speaking. Locally, the 10 school districts have given parents the option to choose between sending their children back to school in person or allowing them to continue classes online. In July, Florida Department of Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran issued an executive order requiring school districts to open up schools for in-person learning at the beginning of the fall semester. Tune in at 4 p.m. to watch the announcement live using the video player at the top of this story.

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. School officials in Osceola County are expected to hold a school board meeting on Tuesday evening. Earlier this month, school board members approved a plan to reopen schools on Aug. 24 instead of their original date, Aug. 10. Chairman Kelvin Soto explained that decision was made following the number of cases of COVID-19 in the state. The districts reopening plan was submitted and approved by the Florida Department of Education, which gave parents three choices to enroll their child in. Only 20 people from the public will be allowed in the board room.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. The Florida Department of Education has approved the back-to-school plan for Orange County Public Schools. @OCPSnews reopening plan has been approved- another reopening plan that allows parents the flexibility to choose the educational option that is right for their child. Orange County plans to go back to school at Aug. 21. The reopening plan from Seminole County Schools and the reopening plan for Osceola County has also been approved by the department of education. [RELATED: DOE approves reopening plan for Osceola County schools and Seminole County schools]

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. Sumter County Schools have sent the reopening plan to the Florida Department of Education. E-Learning: Students will sign in and attend school online and will follow standard school schedule and bell times. Virtual: The district said virtual learning is designed for students who want to attend school online at their own pace. School bus safetyFace coverings will be required on the bus and high-touched areas will be cleaned between runs. Secondary schoolsEach school will have a plan to discourage large gatherings in the hallways and common areas.

The Florida Department of Education has approved the reopening plan for Osceola County Schools and Seminole County Schools. OCPS gave parents three options to enroll their child in:Face-to-face instruction at school with health and safety precautions in placeDigital learning with their assigned school with a traditional school day scheduleVirtual learning for students to allow learning during non-traditional school hoursSchool will open on Aug. 24. Seminole County schools will begin class on Aug. 17. Seminole County parents can pick from four options:Traditional learning and students will follow a regular school day scheduleVirtual School where students will establish their own learning scheduleSeminole Connect is at-home learning during school hoursA hybrid option allows a family to choose from multiple learning options to meet a students needReopening plans from each county has to be sent to the Department of Education by July 31.

The Florida Department of Education will give the final OK for school reopening plans. Seminole County School Board is set to approve the final safety plan for campuses to reopen on July 14. Osceola County schools will reopen on Aug. 10 as planned, according to the school district. A draft of Lake County’s school reopening plan is available here. The Marion County School Board has a meeting scheduled Tuesday to potentially approve a plan for the upcoming academic year.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. The Orange County Public Schools School Board held a work session meeting to discuss the reopening of schools, the day after the Florida Department of Education commissioner issued an executive order calling for all Florida schools to physically reopen this fall despite the ongoing pandemic. Ahead of the board meeting, a number of parents and teachers took part in a car parade that was organized by the Orange County Classroom Teachers Association. Smith-Mangan is a parent of children who attend school in the Orange County Public School District. Dr. Raul Pino from the Orange County -Florida Department of Health, answered almost three hours worth of questions from school board members Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Orange County Public Schools announced that they would not be holding in-person graduation ceremonies due to the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Orange County.

News 6 reached out to all 10 county school districts in the Central Florida region for their reaction to the state plan. Parents and Orange County School District families also received a Connect Orange message Thursday in response to the announcement. Osceola CountySuperintendent Pace has been working with a Back-To-School Task Force on how to reopen schools in August, a statement from Osceola County Schools read. Dear SCPS Families/Staff:Today, the Governor announced that the Florida Department of Education has issued a Reopening Schools plan for the upcoming school year. As more school districts respond this story will be updated.