Florida Department of Education

The emergency order points to a “disproportionate numbers of educationally disadvantaged students learning off-campus or not attending school at all" due to the coronavirus pandemic.

He says school districts should "stay the course" and reiterated that schools "have been operating safely for in-person instruction since last August."

Florida lawmakers will deal with the pandemic’s impact on education when they reconvene in Tallahassee in March. Among the issues: a steep drop in student attendance, growing concerns about learning losses and a Republican effort to consolidate the state’s school choice programs.

Schools are worried their grades could fall, triggering consequences as severe as closure.

They estimate nearly 90,000 fewer students have enrolled in public schools than was expected for this academic year.

Among other things, the proposal would expand school vouchers and allow parents to use education savings accounts to pay for private schools and other costs.

Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran accused some teachers unions of putting raises on hold while teachers in other districts had salary increases in time for the holidays.

Gov. Ron DeSantis said closing schools was a public blunder, and parents can choose between in-school and virtual learning.

He said the Florida Legislature will make closing the "digital divide" a priority, ensuring that students have access to the technology needed for remote learning.

The Florida Education Association and other plaintiffs are asking the 1st District Court of Appeal to reassess its ruling, citing continuing safety threats to teachers and other school employees.

A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal flatly rejected the conclusions of Leon County Circuit Judge Charles Dodson, who in August sided with teachers unions that challenged Corcoran’s order.

The school-specific data was posted after a coalition of news organizations threatened to sue Gov. Ron DeSantis for violating the state public records law,