Hillsborough back to school event held for Cuban immigrants with 20,000 expected in classrooms this year
A record number of Cubans are leaving their country because of poverty and the political situation there. The Hillsborough County school district is planning for as many as 20,000 Cuban families to come to Tampa.
Young entrepreneur jamboree collects school supplies for students heading back to class
Two Bay Area nonprofits are making sure students have what they need to go back to school.
It's normal for kids to have back-to-school anxiety, here's how to help
With the first day of school set for Wednesday in most districts, child health experts say heading back to the classroom can trigger an upswing in anxiety in a lot of kids.
Polk County middle, high schoolers to be randomly checked for weapons
Middle and high school students in Polk County are heading back to the classroom next week and will have to go through a new security check.
New programs, incentives aim to recruit and retain educators as ‘burned out’ teachers pursue other professions
A Bay Area university is looking at creative ways to recruit teachers as many leave the profession to pursue other careers.
Hillsborough County short more than 600 teachers with a week left before school starts
Hillsborough County is short 680 teachers with just a week to go before the start of the school year. The superintendent said nearly 2,000 teachers have left the county over the past year for various reasons, ranging from retirement to burnout.
Pinellas schools install ALERT system to decrease police response time in an emergency
Pinellas County schools already have mobile apps that act as panic buttons for school staff. now they're adding a new layer of protection to make sure officers can respond quickly.
Florida still needs 9,000 teachers before students return
According to the Florida Education Association, districts across the state are still looking to hire a total of about 9,000 teachers with the first day of school scheduled for August 10 in most districts.
Some school districts will raise meal prices with federal waivers gone
USDA waivers that allowed free school meals during the height of COVID-19 have ended, meaning most schools will return to free, reduced or paid meal options.
Haines City High School reaches full capacity, no longer enrolling new students
The district recently sent a letter to parents notifying them the school is at capacity and can't accept any new students for the upcoming school year, which begins August 10.
2,000 more backpacks given away at second Manatee back-to-school event
Cars lined up by the hundreds for a back-to-school giveaway Wednesday in Manatee County. The summer's first giveaway event got such a massive response, organizers had to plan a second one fast.
Busch Gardens summer camp brings kids face-to-face with exciting animals
Kids can enjoy all the fun rides and attractions at Busch Gardens while also being inspired by zoologists during day and overnight resident camps.
Hillsborough teachers, staff trained in mental health awareness ahead of new school year
Given the high and sometimes deadly stakes of students having mental health breakdowns, the district mandates the training for all 25,000 employees.
Tampa woman, Hillsborough High student team up to stock local schools with menstrual products
As students head back to school, a Tampa woman teamed up with a Hillsborough High student to tackle a seldom discussed problem in schools: Access to menstrual products.
President Biden weighs extending student loan payment pause beyond August 31
The White House said that President Biden is deliberating whether to extend the pause on federal student loan payments beyond Aug. 31 and forgive a portion of student debt per borrower.
New opt-in system keeps 16 books off Polk County school shelves
The first day of school in Polk County is two weeks away, and 16 books will no longer be on public school library shelves. Parents will have the say on what titles their children can check out and read.
Hillsborough schools faces staffing crisis ahead of new school year
School district officials in Hillsborough County recruited potential applicants at a job fair on Tuesday. This comes as the school system faces a staffing crisis with the first day of school quickly approaching.
Several Florida school boards sued over state's gender identity and sexual orientation law
A new federal lawsuit filed by Florida parents and students seeks to block several school boards from carrying out the state's new law that prohibits instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in Kindergarten through 3rd-grade classrooms.
USF hopes to fill diversity gap in STEM industry by launching new program to educate children
Programming, IT, and engineering are among the hottest jobs in Tampa Bay, but there’s a diversity gap in who fills those positions. A new USF program looks to fill it by educating minority children and girls in local schools about the STEM industry.
Doctors urge caution as COVID-19 cases rise ahead of school year
Doctors said with less than a month until the kids return to the classroom, now is the time to prepare, especially as COVID-19 cases continue to rise.