Several school districts are changing their policies surrounding the devices, with some implementing new restrictions and others focusing on education as concerns grow over student safety
The district said it needs about 50 more drivers to be fully staffed, an issue that can affect families when the district is understaffed.
Redding, a teacher and single mother of two, says rising prices have made it harder to keep up with everyday needs — and she’s not alone. That’s why the nonprofit A Gift For Teaching has spent decades providing free school supplies to teachers and students.
Orange County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Maria F. Vazquez announced Monday she will retire at the end of the 2026–2027 school year, closing a 35-year career in education that took her from a classroom teacher to the leader of one of the largest school districts in the country.
Eatonville residents met at St. Lawrence A.M.E. Church to discuss the town’s history and the disputed sale of the former Hungerford School property. The property, sold to Dr. Phillips Charities for redevelopment, is the subject of a legal challenge alleging improper negotiation. Participants emphasized the importance of preserving Eatonville’s legacy as one of the nation’s first self-governing Black towns and ensuring community voices shape its future. The lawsuit over the land sale remains unresolved.
Orange County Public Schools will host a community meeting Thursday July 23rd to hear neighbors' concerns about a proposed affordable housing development intended to help teachers and other OCPS employees.
School board members are set to review a draft policy Tuesday that would ban elementary students from bringing or riding e-bikes or e-scooters on school property. A final vote could come as early as next week.
The City of Orlando has approved the sale of eight newly built homes in Parramore, marking a new milestone in a long-running effort to expand homeownership opportunities in the historic downtown neighborhood.
OCPS has already signed a lease for 100 new apartments on a nearby 8.5-acre lot, an area currently zoned for single-family homes. The project may be allowed under a state law known as the Live Local Act, which can override some local zoning rules for certain affordable housing developments.
Orange County Public Schools leaders are considering whether to ban e-bikes and electric scooters on school campuses following concerns about student safety.
A new update to Florida's Live Local Act allows school districts to build affordable housing on their properties, bypassing traditional zoning rules — and Orange County residents are pushing back after learning their single-family neighborhood could soon be home to a 100-unit apartment complex on a former school site.
This month, Orange County Public Schools launched its first-ever “Summer Production Series,” with a performance set for this weekend.
Healthcare costs are at the center of a contract dispute between Orange County Public Schools and its teachers union, with educators warning proposed changes could make it harder for some employees to afford staying in the profession.
Contract negotiations between Orange County Public Schools and its teachers union remain stalled as district leaders say rising healthcare costs are creating financial challenges, while educators push for better wages, benefits and transparency.
Orange County Public Schools leaders on Tuesday reflected on a year marked by school closures, staffing reductions and financial challenges, while warning that additional budget decisions could be necessary as student enrollment continues to decline.
OCPS is among several local districts that use Canvas. Instructure has since confirmed that no data from the district was leaked in the breach.
If a recipe calls for 3 1/4 quarts of milk, how many cups of milk is that? If you could answer this question correctly, you could have taken home the big trophy in the 2026 Orange County Public Schools Math Bee Invitational on Thursday.
How should Orange County’s schools allow AI usage? The school board discussing that issue today, with the hopes of having a policy in place before the next school year. The proposal bans OpenAI programs and chatbots for emotional support, and but allows it for instruction in specific cases.
Opposition is growing in an Orlando neighborhood as residents push back against a proposal to open a new high school near Lake Cherokee, citing concerns over traffic, parking and safety ahead of a public meeting Monday evening.
Winter Park city commissioners are considering an ordinance that would allow single-family homes to be built on school district property at 901 W. Webster Ave., previously occupied by Orange Technical College.
More than 200 positions are being eliminated at Orange County Public Schools as part of a districtwide effort to reduce spending amid declining enrollment and funding challenges.
As Orange County Public Schools moves forward with plans to close seven schools, some families say they are facing uncertainty over how their children will get to class.
A decision to eliminate a group of school-based support staff who help students in crisis is drawing concern from parents, students and educators in one of Florida’s largest school districts.
Just days before the start of track season, parents at Legacy Middle School reached out to News 6, mentioning they were concerned after the school’s track was suddenly torn up for construction. We took those concerns to the Orange County School District.
The Orange County school board is holding public hearings Tuesday night for closure plans for seven public schools. How did we get here? It depends on who you ask.
The Orange County school board is holding public hearings tonight for closure plans for seven public schools, and it’s the last time parents and the community can plead to keep the schools open.
Osceola County School District is considering hiring a third-party consultant to persuade families to return students to district schools, a step that could cost $935 for each student who re-enrolls.
Over recent years, Florida public schools have seen falling enrollment amid declining birth rates and expansion of the state’s school voucher program.
Walkout protests over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity have spread to high schools across Central Florida, prompting warnings from state and local school officials that students who leave class during instructional time could face disciplinary consequences.
A "prank" near Lake Nona Middle School sparked a heavy response by law enforcement on Wednesday evening, according to the Orlando Police Department.
A workshop in Orange County on Tuesday discussed a plan to potentially consolidate seven public schools to deal with falling enrollment.ng enrollment.
According to a report, the text began with strategy aimed at Timber Creek’s defense, but quickly shifted to a profane rant about the opposing school and its community.
Orange County Public Schools has received reports of unsafe incidents involving e-bikes and scooters. These concerns have prompted discussions on how to protect students and others nearby.
Orange County Public Schools said Sunday that all district schools will open Monday except for Summerlake Elementary School after the campus suffered facility issues caused by recent extreme cold.
The district is preparing to decide whether to close seven Orange County schools because of low enrollment. A workshop will discuss community meetings and review survey results from families.
Orange County Public Schools are operating under capacity due to a decline in birth rates, an aging population, and increased school choice, which have drastically lowered enrollment numbers and impacted the district financially.
Emotions ran high during a crowded Orange County community meeting Tuesday night as parents and residents questioned district leaders about the possible closure of their children’s schools.
One day after Orange County Public Schools approved the sale of the historic Hungerford property to Dr. Phillips Charities, the Town of Eatonville is preparing to take its next step forward after a long-running debate over the future of the land.
Statewide, the Florida high school graduation rate is at 92.2%, up from 89.7% the previous year. Central Florida's school districts are also touting improved rates.
After years of debate, the Orange County School Board on Tuesday is set to give the final signoff on the sale of the historic Hungerford property.
A state audit is recommending that Orange County Public Schools maintain attendance records to demonstrate that at least one school resource officer is present at each school every day.
Bonneville, Chickasaw, Eccleston, McCoy, Meadow Woods, and Orlo Vista elementary schools, and Union Park Middle School in Orange County could all potentially close. An email obtained by News 6 explains what could happen to the schools after.
Several parents are now speaking out after Orange County Public Schools announced it is moving forward with a plan that could lead to the closure of seven schools, including McCoy Elementary.
Orange County school board members will hold a special meeting on Tuesday at 1 p.m. to discuss the possible closure of several schools as the district grapples with declining enrollment.
As winter break approaches, many Orange County families are facing a familiar concern: how to put food on the table when school meals stop.
As the Orange County School Board prepares to vote, members express skepticism about a costly recruitment strategy aimed at reversing enrollment declines.
On Tuesday night, the Eatonville council will vote on a resolution to clarify the mayor’s executive powers and reaffirm that council approval is required for certain actions. The resolution comes after the mayor’s involvement with the transfer of the Hungerford property from Orange County Public Schools to Dr. Phillips Charities in late September.
A teenager accused in a deadly shooting of a classmate near Oak Ridge High School will remain in jail while awaiting trial.
A judge is delaying a pre-trial detention hearing for a teenager accused in a deadly shooting of a classmate near Oak Ridge High School.
According to an arrest affidavit, students at Howard Middle School said the substitute teacher was aroused, touching himself, and viewing nude photos on his phone while supervising the class.
Eatonville residents gathered Friday night to discuss the future of the historic Hungerford property and review the town’s updated master plan. The meeting focused on this week’s land purchase agreement between Orange County Public Schools (OCPS) and the Dr. Phillips Foundation.
As Orange County Public Schools prepares to sell more than 100 acres of land in Eatonville to Dr. Phillips Charities, the town council is scheduled to meet and discuss the plan.
This week, a legal group announced that it sent a demand letter to Orange County Public Schools over a “Witchy Wednesday” video series at a local high school.
A portable on an Orange County Public Schools administrative campus along John Young Parkway may look unassuming, but inside are shelves of donations for some of the county’s most needy students.
District leaders had projected a loss of about 3,000 students, but the school board has been informed the actual decline is more than double that.
LGBTQ+ History and Awareness Month will remain on the Orange County Public School Board calendar after the school board voted down a proposal to remove it this week.
Drivers heading past Lake Gem Mary along Gatlin Avenue may be familiar with an old sealed-off building stashed away on the lakeside.
Orange County’s superintendent joined school-board members, law-enforcement leaders and more for a back-to-school news conference at Dr. Phillips High School.
Orange County Public Schools is gearing up for the first day of class amid a continuing shortage of bus drivers.
Sheeler High School is a small, public charter school in Apopka that’s rewriting the script and giving students a second chance.
Data obtained by News 6 from Orange County Public Schools shows the district identified 8,828 homeless students last year, up over 50% since the 2019 school year. What that means for families and for the district.
A Maitland camp counselor accused of molesting a child is now facing a second criminal charge, and his public defender has withdrawn from the case citing a conflict of interest.
A group of Orange County high school students will protest Tuesday afternoon against proposed changes to advanced academic programs, a move they say could impact their access to college-level coursework.
Orange County currently leads the state in student homelessness, according to the school district. Our partner, Vox Populi, looked at how schools help homeless students in west Orange County.
After a decade marked by rapid expansion, Orange County Public Schools is hitting the brakes on building new campuses, a move driven by a notable dip in student enrollment projections.
Jessica Rivera was taken into custody at Whispering Oak Elementary School in Winter Garden on charges of tampering with evidence during a capital felony proceeding.
A spokesperson for Orange County Public Schools confirms to News 6 that hundreds of teachers have received letters stating they won't be returning to their current positions next year, as the district deals with a drop in enrollment and budget cuts.
A bill in Tallahassee which would require EpiPen and anaphylaxis training for some schools is one step closer to becoming law.
A bill championed by an Orange County mother that would require EpiPen and anaphylaxis training in some school programs is a step closer to getting to Gov. DeSantis’ desk.
The City of Winter Park is set to vote on whether to move forward with a new agreement to keep police officers on public school campuses, ending a monthslong standoff with Orange County Public Schools.
Orange County Public Schools could soon pay a consultant nearly $1,000 per student to help bring families back to traditional public schools.
A proposed bill in Tallahassee that would require EpiPen and anaphylaxis training for some schools is being heard in its final Senate committee Monday afternoon.
Five local governments will provide officers for public schools in tentative agreements reached by Orange County Public Schools.
Orange County Public Schools says it prioritized venues for graduation based on graduating class size, not how close the venues were to the school. But Jones High School parents say many parents or students may not have transportation across the county to UCF.
An Orange County Public Schools math teacher is turning learning into a slam dunk by combining her two passions: education and basketball. Jennifer Lopez teaches fourth grade at Stonewyck Elementary School and has developed what she calls “Magic Math.”
Leaders at Orange County Public Schools are trying to solve the issue of staff shortages by giving some of the district's employees priority access to affordable housing.
An Orange County judge has ruled against a woman who sued the public school district after an anonymous tip that she modeled for OnlyFans led to her being told she could no longer volunteer at her child's elementary school.
The Foundation for Orange County Public Schools has established a memorial fund in honor of the 6-year-old boy who was hit and killed while riding his bicycle in an Apopka mobile home park on Saturday.
