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USDA ends program that helped schools serve food from local farmers

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The U.S. Agriculture Department is ending two pandemic-era programs that provided more than $1 billion for schools and food banks to purchase food from local farmers and producers.

About $660 million of that went to schools and childcare centers to buy food for meals through the Local Foods for Schools program. A separate program provided money to food banks.

In Maine, the money allowed the coastal RSU 23 school district to buy food directly from fisherman, dairy producers and farmers for school meals, said Caroline Trinder, the district’s food and nutrition services director.

“I think everyone can say that they want kids at school to receive the healthiest meals possible,” Trinder said. “It’s the least processed, and we’re helping our local economy, we’re helping farmers that may be the parents of our students.”

The cuts will hurt school districts with “chronically underfunded” school meal budgets, said Shannon Gleave, president of the School Nutrition Association.

“In addition to losing the benefits for our kids, this loss of funds is a huge blow to community farmers and ranchers and is detrimental to school meal programs struggling to manage rising food and labor costs,” Gleave said in a statement.

USDA said the programs are a legacy of the pandemic and no longer supported the agency’s priorities.

“The COVID era is over — USDA’s approach to nutrition programs will reflect that reality moving forward,” a USDA spokesperson said in a statement.

Massachusetts received roughly $12 million in federal funding for school districts and childcare programs to buy food from local producers.

“The signaling that’s coming out of Washington in recent weeks, it’s obviously deeply disappointing,” said Patrick Tutwiler, the state’s education secretary. “There’s clear misalignment around what is important and what matters. We are seeing this cut of the LFS program as a first step towards deeper cuts.”

School nutrition directors are bracing for potential rollbacks to programs that expanded funding for school meals, which for some children can be their only reliable source of food.

Proposed spending cuts to fund Republican’s tax bill include raising the poverty level needed for schools to provide universal free meals without an application. Restricting eligibility for food assistance programs and requiring income verification for free or reduced price school meals, two proposals for cutting costs, would also likely cut out eligible families from accessing food, the School Nutrition Association said.

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Republished with permission of The Associated Press.


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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.

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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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