Florida lawmakers aim to ease difficult school door lock rules

The big story: Last year, Florida lawmakers aimed to make schools more secure by requiring all doors and gates be staffed or locked whenever students are present.

Though well intentioned, the rule caused logistical nightmares for students and staff as they worked to conduct a normal school day. Many education officials made their concerns clear — some even before the rules went into effect.

Heeding the many explanations of how the law hasn’t worked out, the Legislature is working on fixes.

“These amendments all seek to … make some changes to demonstrate that we’re listening and also that we’re reflecting the needed balance between actually being able to implement these requirements against the efficiencies and the need to maintain strong school safety standards,” sponsor Sen. Danny Burgess said during a committee meeting Monday.

The Senate bill has one more committee before heading to the floor. A House companion has been heard in two of four assigned committees.

Read more from Florida Politics, Spectrum 13.

Child labor laws: Florida lawmakers are poised to let teens work overnight shifts in a major reversal of the state’s child labor laws.

New College: The chairperson of New College’s Alumni Association resigned, raising questions about the school’s leadership and its handling of a $50 million endowment.

New schools: The Polk County school district is considering a permanent move of students at an elementary school that is being renovated, so the newly done campus can transform into a K-8 school with a different set of students, the Ledger reports.

RIP: Recently retired Hernando County school board member Linda Prescott died after a battle with cancer, Suncoast News reports.

School books: Lawmakers moved ahead with requirements to have future school textbooks include references to the “Gulf of America,” Politico Florida reports. • The Legislature is considering a proposal to make it easier to remove school library books that make reference to materials suspected of being “harmful to minors,” USA Today Florida Network reports.

Spending: The Alachua County school district is looking at spending cuts as it confronts millions in reduced state funding because of lower than expected enrollment, Alachua Chronicle reports.

Superintendents: Departing Marion County superintendent Diane Gullett’s next move is to work with community schools through the University of Central Florida, WCJB reports.

Trustees: University of West Florida trustee Scott Yenor, under fire for antisemitic and misogynistic comments, made calls on key lawmakers in advance of a possible confirmation hearing, the Pensacola News-Journal reports. The hearing has yet to be scheduled, WEAR reports.

Up in the tree: Students at a Seminole County middle school were abuzz with news that a bear was sleeping in a tree outside the school, WKMG reports. They called it Wriggly.

Today in Tallahassee ... The House Careers and Workforce Subcommittee will consider four bills when it meets at 9 a.m. • The Senate Education PreK-12 Committee will take up five bills when it meets at 11 a.m. • The House Student Academic Success Subcommittee will review four bills when it meets at noon. • The House Higher Education Budget Subcommittee will hear the chairperson’s budget recommendation when it meets at 3:30 p.m. • The House PreK-12 Budget Subcommittee will consider four bills, including a proposed committee bill on voucher funding, and hear the chair’s budget recommendation when it meets at 3:30 p.m.

Don’t miss a story. Here’s a link to yesterday’s roundup.

Before you go ... Love those Japanese game shows.