Latest reporting from the Education desk.
Latest reporting from the Education desk.
Latest reporting from the Education desk.
Education
Florida's Department of Health is accepting public comment through Sept. 14 on a proposal to drop chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal vaccine requirements for Pre-K through 12th grade students, a change that would affect all Pinellas County schools as local immunization rates continue to decline.
Education
Florida's Department of Health is accepting public comment through Sept. 14 on a proposal to drop chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal vaccine requirements for Pre-K through 12th grade students, a change that would affect all Pinellas County schools as local immunization rates continue to decline.
Florida's Department of Health is accepting public comment through Sept. 14 on a proposal to drop chickenpox, Hepatitis B, Hib and pneumococcal vaccine requirements for Pre-K through 12th grade students, a change that would affect all Pinellas County schools as local immunization rates continue to decline.
Education
The head of the Pinellas Classroom Teachers Association says the Amira Learning AI program, which K-3 students use 30 to 40 minutes weekly, frequently mismarks words — a concern with high stakes because Amira scores can determine whether a third-grader advances to fourth grade.
Education
Pinellas County Schools expects 3,800 fewer students this fall, costing $13 million in state funding and driving consolidation talks that could affect Dunedin and Palm Harbor campuses, even as the district adds dual enrollment programs and new campus rules for the 2026-27 year.
Education
Pinellas County Schools banned smart glasses, including Meta Ray-Ban models, from all campuses starting Aug. 11, citing student privacy concerns, while smart watches are restricted to location tracking and telling time only.
Education
State data shows all five Dunedin public schools started the 2025-26 year as part of a district that lost 3.5% of its students, with consolidation recommendations expected before Labor Day.
Education
New state data shows Palm Harbor University High School enrolled 2,413 students in 2024-25, making it the largest school in Pinellas County even as the district lost more than 3,100 students overall.
Education
Carwise Middle School in Palm Harbor welcomes Karen Huzar as its new principal for the 2026-2027 school year, while Palm Harbor University High and Dunedin High retain their current leaders as classes resume Aug. 11.
Education
The Juvenile Welfare Board's free Turbo Babies program is expanding into Pinellas County preschools, bringing "Pit Crew" bags of books, toys and brain-building activities to families with children under 3, including those in Palm Harbor and Dunedin.
Education
Pinellas County Schools and the Pinellas Education Foundation held their fourth Boys Study Summer Symposium on Aug. 3, training teachers in strategies to close the gender achievement gap just days before the Aug. 11 start of school, with direct ties to Palm Harbor University High and Dunedin High through the initiative's reading competition.
Education
The Pinellas County School Board's July 21 workshop confirmed the district is on track to bring school closure and consolidation recommendations to a fall 2026 vote, with high schools including Palm Harbor University High and Dunedin High not targeted for closure in this round.
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©2026 Palm Harbor-Dunedin Beacon
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