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Total ban on in-school cellphone use coasts through first House committee

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Legislation expanding a 2023 law banning students from in-class cellphone use is advancing in the House, where lawmakers agreed that the devices have a detrimental effect on learning.

Members of the Education and Administration Subcommittee voted unanimously for legislation (HB 949) that would prohibit students from cellphone use throughout the school day, rather than just during instructional time.

The bill would also require schools to designate locations on campus where students can use their phones, with permission from a school administrator.

Coral Gables Republican Rep. Demi Busatta, the bill’s sponsor, said its language provides school districts flexibility on how to implement the change. One Miami school issued locking pouches to students so they could still have their phones but couldn’t use them, she said. At least one school in Palm Beach has done the same.

“Cellphones not only cause constant distractions to student’s focus during the school day, which impedes their ability to learn, but it also has shown to increase bullying,” she said Tuesday.

Busatta added that the most frequent argument she hears against her bill has come from parents concerned that they wouldn’t be able to get hold of their kids during school time.

“To which I’ve said, well, when we were in school, we didn’t have phones — except for maybe (Miami Republican Rep. Juan) Porras, because that was, you know, yesterday,” she said to good-natured laughs. “Our parents managed to get a hold of us by calling the front office. We figured it out, and we can continue to do that.”

Porras, who is 27, later retorted, “I had a flip phone, for the record.”

Busatta’s bill is an update to HB 379, which the Legislature unanimously approved in May 2023. That measure banned TikTok, Snapchat, Twitter and other social media platforms on school devices and prohibited students from using their cellphones during class time except for educational purposes, as directed by a teacher.

School administrators from across Florida gave lawmakers mostly positive feedback in January about the relatively new law, which more than a dozen states have since copied. Schools in Orange County have had a bell-to-bell ban for over a year.

And the results are staggering, said Nathan Hoffman, Senior Legislative Director for the education-focused Foundation for Florida’s Future nonprofit. High schools in the district have seen a 31% drop in fighting and a 21% decline in serious misconduct. Middle schools saw a 58% decrease in fighting and a 28% reduction in gross insubordination. The district overall also saw a 158% decrease in school threats.

Hoffman said research shows that 97% of students report using their phones during the school day, usually for more than an hour and a half, and that it takes students more than 23 minutes to get back on task after getting a phone notification and reacting to it. On average, he continued, they receive more than 200 notifications during school.

“This is certainly a distraction that they don’t need during class time,” he said.

Hoffman’s group supports HB 949. So does the conservative Florida Citizens Alliance.

Ocoee Democratic Rep. LaVon Bracy Davis said the bill makes sense, but expressed worry that broadening the ban more than the measure contemplates could put kids at risk.

“Things have changed, and because of school lockdowns and school shootings I do have concerns if this were to go even a step further in terms of the pouches, where students wouldn’t have access at all to their cellphones,” she said.

Miami Beach Republican Rep. Fabián Basabe spoke to the addictiveness of cellphones and noted that other countries, including the United Kingdom and France, have implemented similar restrictions.

“You see adults have a hard time. Imagine kids. It’s like psychological manipulation,” he said. “I’m glad that we’re really strengthening this and giving teachers and parents kind of that extra push they’re going to need. I mean, it’s really hard to tell a kid, ‘Hey, we need to take your phone away.’ But when you say that it’s the law, it just kind of ends the conversation there.”

HB 949 does not have a Senate companion, according to the Senate and House websites. But it’s not the only bill looking at cracking down on cellphone use in filed this year.

Zephyrhills Republican Sen. Danny Burgess, who sponsored the upper-chamber analogue of HB 379 in 2023, is carrying a measure (SB 1296) that would study the effects of a full-school-day ban on cellphones in six school districts in the 2025-26 school year.

Burgess’ bill is also without a House companion.

HB 949 will next go to the Education and Employment Committee before reaching the House floor. SB 1296 awaits a hearing before the first of three committees to which it was referred last week.


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The equation to Florida’s successful economic future includes addressing chronic absenteeism and supporting rural schools

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Florida’s future workforce depends on a strong foundation in K-12 math. As industries evolve and technology reshapes the job market, math proficiency is no longer optional — it’s imperative. Yet, 2024 annual data from the Florida Department of Education reveals that more than 128,600 students in grades 10 -12 in Florida are testing as “not proficient” in math. If this trend continues, Florida risks falling behind in its goal of becoming a top 10 global economy by 2030, as outlined in the Florida Chamber Foundation’s Florida 2030 Blueprint.

Florida’s 8th grade math proficiency has risen to 65% in recent years, but it still falls short of the 100% goal outlined in the Florida 2030 Blueprint, as shown on TheFloridaScorecard.org.

The Florida Chamber Foundation’s new research report, Math Matters: Bridging Gaps for Florida’s Future Workforce highlights this challenge and provides a roadmap for business leaders and policymakers to act. The research shows that a modest 10-percentage-point increase in 8th graders math proficiency would mean 27,000 more Florida students entering high school each year with strong foundational math skills — students who are better positioned to take advanced math courses in high school, and eventually successfully transition into college, workforce training, and high-demand career fields.

The Math Gap: A Roadblock to Economic Growth

Math proficiency isn’t just about passing tests — business leaders know it’s about building the problem-solving and analytical skills that power innovation and economic growth. Students who struggle with math may encounter further difficulties in postsecondary and/or workforce education, limiting their career options and creating long-term talent shortages in Florida’s key industries. The Florida Chamber Foundation’s guide on Top 30 High-Demand Careers (2032) shows that STEM careers and careers that rely on math skills are in-demand now and will be in the near future.

One pressing challenge is chronic absenteeism. When students miss school regularly, they fall behind in math and often never catch up. Addressing absenteeism through targeted interventions, like those recently deployed in Volusia County’s chronic absenteeism initiative, can help students stay on track and prevent learning gaps from widening.

“Ensuring every student has consistent access to education is paramount to their success and the future of Florida’s workforce. Volusia County’s targeted efforts to address chronic absenteeism are making a real difference, providing students with the support they need to stay engaged in the classroom and on track for success.”

—Rep. Chase Tramont, Volusia County

Further, rural schools are disproportionately represented among the bottom performing quartile in math proficiency. Rural school districts comprise 46% of all Florida school districts but represent 71% of the bottom quartile in math proficiency.

Investing in Early Intervention and Data-Driven Solutions

Business leaders and policymakers have a unique opportunity to drive change. The passage of House Bill 1361 (2024), which enhances the New Worlds Learning Initiative to provide resources improve early math achievement, is an important step to helping students early in their educational career. This initiative will help ensure that by the time  students reach middle and high school, they are prepared to advance through courses like Algebra 1 and Geometry. However, more could be done to make certain students stay on track as they progress through middle and high school.

Expanding access to early intervention programs, increasing support for teachers, and fostering business-education partnerships can make a significant difference. Additionally, better access to education data is fundamental. Research-driven strategies, enabled by expanded data-sharing mechanisms, can pinpoint the most effective solutions and scale them statewide.

A Call to Action: How Business Leaders Can Help

The business community has a vested interest in ensuring today’s students are ready for tomorrow’s workforce. Employers can join the movement by supporting initiatives such as math-focused internships, mentoring programs, and scholarships for students pursuing math-intensive fields. Investing in math education is not just a philanthropic effort—it’s an economic imperative.

Florida is at a turning point. The state has the potential to lead the nation in workforce development and economic innovation, but that future hinges on closing the math proficiency gap today. If we fail to act, we risk leaving thousands of students unprepared and businesses without the skilled workforce they need to thrive.

___

Florida Chamber Foundation Vice President Dr. Keith Richard can be contacted at [email protected]. Click here to read the full research report that informed this op-ed.


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Rick Scott, Maria Elvira Salazar want schools to teach evils of communism

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Republicans in Congress want to return education to the states and jettison the U.S. Department of Education. But they still want to ensure students get ideological education.

U.S. Sen. Rick Scott announced that he’s on board with the Crucial Communism Teaching Act, along with U.S. Sens. John Kennedy of Louisiana and Eric Schmitt of Missouri.

Scott isn’t the only Florida Republican backing this legislation. U.S. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar is carrying the House version.

The bill would give students nationwide a version of the anti-communist curriculum that Florida students enjoy. The measure would make sure students know that more than 100 million people have died at the hands of communist regimes, while 1.5 billion still live under them.

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation would be charged with developing the curriculum, which will contrast “freedom and patriotism” with “communism and totalitarianism.” The lessons, per the bill, would be “compatible with a variety of courses, including social studies, government, history, and economics classes.”

“For families across America, particularly many in Florida, America shines as a beacon of freedom and democracy, standing in stark contrast to the communist regimes that once stripped them of their basic freedoms and liberties. For decades, the left has worked to promote failed socialist and communist ideologies that go against the very values we and President Donald Trump are fighting so hard to protect,” Scott said.

Salazar’s bill passed the House last year, so odds are good it has a shot of doing so again, and so “will ensure future generations will remember the pain and suffering caused by the brutal communist ideology,” as she said last December.

Florida’s “History of Communism” law was passed with overwhelming bipartisan support last year.

Students in traditional public and charter K-12 schools are on track to receive instruction on the history of communism beginning in the 2026-27 academic year in what is billed as an age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate way.


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Spring 2025 INFLUENCE Magazine — featuring Rising Stars of Florida Politics

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Good Friday morning.

I want to start by thanking each and every person who has reached out to me or my family — often both — to wish me a speedy recovery from my hip replacement surgery. 

I am not exaggerating when I say that our social media channels have been overwhelmed with positive thoughts, well-wishes, and overall best intentions. The outpouring of love and support was instantly uplifting and continues to provide healing vibes. Thanks to your continued prayers and overall support, my leg already feels stronger, and the pain is quickly fading. I am confident that it is only a matter of time before I’ll be back to full strength. 

I have a special surprise in store for our readers today. While this would normally be a regular edition of Sunburn, this surprise is too exciting to cede any space to the usual rundown. 

I am excited to unveil our latest edition of INFLUENCE Magazine, featuring the 2025 class of Rising Stars in Florida Politics. These professionals are working in all corners of government, campaigns, advocacy and more, and they are the up-and-comers who will shape Florida’s future, even as they are already part of important teams shaping today’s Florida. 

Also, in this edition, we have profiles from some of this year’s legislative freshmen, which serve as glimpses into their personal backgrounds, legislative priorities, and thoughts on the overall climate in Tallahassee. 

Perhaps one of the most must-read profiles is of Jason Pizzo, a moderate Democrat who may be Democrats’ best hope of scoring a statewide win in 2026 despite a continued reddening of our state’s electorate. 

There is a slew of other features, including ranking the top lobbying firms and interviews with leading names in the process, such as Steve Crisafulli

We’ll be back to normal on Monday with a regular edition of Sunburn, but until then, please click on the graphic below to read our team’s incredible work on this edition

Thank you again, and I hope to be back at it — or at least near full strength — next week. 


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