AGP Executive Report

NCAA Softball: Texas Tech ended Florida’s season with a 16-7 run-rule win in the Gainesville Super Regional, punching the Red Raiders’ ticket to the Women’s College World Series and handing the Gators their first NCAA postseason run-rule loss at home; the game was a slugfest, delayed by lightning, and even included a Walton ejection. WCWS Field Set: Oklahoma is out after Mississippi State stunned the Sooners, and the final eight teams are now headed to Oklahoma City for the series starting Thursday. State Budget: Florida lawmakers wrapped up a roughly $115 billion budget deal after another special session, with education provisions including keeping $4.5 billion for scholarships tied to homeschool/private tuition inside the K-12 formula. Coral Reefs: Nova Southeastern University was named NOAA’s Atlantic Reef Research Coordination hub, boosting research and restoration work across Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. K-12 Sports Policy: DeSantis signed bills expanding options for coach support and student-athlete help, including changes tied to booster funds and eligibility. Local Impact: Miami-Dade schools won $70,000 in grants for cleaner indoor air and expanded recycling.

Softball Stakes: Florida and Texas Tech are headed for a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Gainesville Super Regional, with the winner punching a ticket to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City; Florida won Game 2 10-2 after dropping Game 1 10-8, and Sunday’s first pitch is set for noon ET on ESPNU. College Sports Spotlight: Florida Southern just capped a historic run by winning its 14th NCAA Division II men’s golf national title, beating Wingate 3-2. Classroom to Headlines: A Florida teacher of the year nominee is accused of using “peer mediation” to get a sixth grader to do her “dirty work,” and she was arrested. Local Learning Wins: Destin Elementary kindergartner Claire Grelle took a statewide America250FL art contest honor, meeting Gov. DeSantis for the recognition. Safety & Community: Tallahassee police are investigating a shooting at a student apartment parking garage that left one man fighting for his life and two others injured.

NCAA Softball Super Regionals: Florida softball bounced back with a 10-2 win over Texas Tech in Game 2, forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 after Friday’s opener loss; Jocelyn Erickson homered and Keagan Rothrock threw a complete game as the Gators kept their season alive at Katie Seashole Pressly Stadium. NCAA Baseball Bracket Reveal: The NCAA baseball selection show is set for Monday, May 25 at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN2. Florida High School Sports Law: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Teddy Bridgewater Act,” letting head coaches use up to $15,000 of their own money to cover player expenses like food, transportation, and recovery—under strict reporting rules. UF Presidential Search Clash: Sen. Rick Scott continued his public fight with UF over the president search process, arguing the university’s answers don’t address transparency concerns. Campus Tech Access: UMS announced system-wide ChatGPT Edu access starting July 2026 for faculty, staff, and students.

K-12 Coach Pay Overhaul: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the “Teddy Bridgewater Act,” letting Florida head high school coaches use their own money to cover athlete needs like food, transportation, and rehab—up to $15,000 per team per year—with reporting rules and limits, after Bridgewater’s own payments led to an FHSAA suspension. School Closures: Cape View Elementary closed permanently after 62 years, with declining enrollment cited; students are set to transfer to Roosevelt Elementary. Campus & Student Discipline: FIU suspended two students for two years tied to a leaked racist group chat, closing out a weeks-long investigation after protests and mounting pressure. Sports Spotlight: NCAA softball super regionals are underway, including Florida’s season ending after Texas Tech’s 10-8 upset; the winner heads to the Women’s College World Series in Oklahoma City. Community Mental Health: Miami’s D.A.S.H. High hosted the fourth Paint Walk for Teen Mental Health, raising suicide-prevention awareness and resources.

NCAA Softball Super Regionals: UCLA took a 1-0 lead over Central Florida with a 9-1, five-inning win, powered by Taylor Tinsley in the circle and a big Bri Alejandre homer; the Bruins are one win from the Women’s College World Series. NCAA Women’s Golf: Florida Southern’s men’s golf team won its 14th national championship, while the NCAA women’s golf championship is underway with live leaderboard updates from Omni La Costa. AI Anxiety at Graduation: Students at commencements are booing AI-focused pep talks as job-market fears grow, even as some hiring outlooks remain cautiously positive. School Safety & Surveillance Debate: Florida’s push for license plate readers and speed cameras in school zones is sparking fresh questions about whether it’s about safety—or revenue. Local Learning Wins: A Cape Coral mom turned pandemic struggles into interactive kids’ books, and Columbia High welding students built a “Globe of Freedom” display for a state elections office. Budget Watch: Florida lawmakers’ budget talks reportedly include $50 million for Tampa Bay Rays-related campus improvements, with Medicaid funding still unresolved.

School Safety Shock: A Citrus County parent was arrested after allegedly pulling a handgun on a substitute school bus driver at a designated stop, telling her it was “her lucky day,” with deputies saying onboard audio/video captured the confrontation. Teacher Recognition: Nassau County history teacher Sarah Twardy is a finalist for Florida Teacher of the Year after a 92% U.S. history end-of-course pass rate at Fernandina Beach High. High School Sports: Gov. DeSantis signed SB 538 to curb high school athlete transfer hopping, while also tying in administrative changes that boost coach pay. Enrollment Pressure: New figures show major district declines, including Miami-Dade down more than 20,000 students since 2023-24—raising the stakes for budget cuts and potential staffing impacts. Campus & Community: FAU announced its Festival Repertory Theatre 2026 lineup, and Florida lovebugs are rebounding in bigger numbers, according to UF’s lovebug expert. Higher Ed & Policy: Lawmakers are again pushing to make daylight saving time permanent nationwide.

Campus & Community Milestones: Nearly 400 graduates received degrees at Mount Saint Mary College’s weekend commencement, with more than 100 master’s and about 280 bachelor’s degrees awarded. Local Legal Fight: A developer behind the proposed 1,340-home Green Hill project in Winnabow is suing Brunswick County after planning board denials tied to traffic and flooding concerns. Catholic Leadership: The Diocese of Venice in Florida named Bishop-elect Emilio Biosca Agüero as its third shepherd. Student Safety & Accountability: A Hillsborough County art teacher was dismissed after a student filmed her hanging a black baby doll with a cord around its neck in class; the case was referred to the state’s professional practice office. Health Watch: CDC data shows record ER visits for tick bites in April, a reminder as summer ramps up. Sports (Education Spotlight): Florida’s softball and baseball kept rolling in postseason play, while a Lee County middle school spelling champ earned a spot at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Hurricane Prep, Again: NOAA says 2026 should be below-average, with 8–14 named storms, 3–6 hurricanes, and 1–3 major—yet officials stress that “it only takes one storm” to wreck plans, as the season starts June 1. Free Speech at Work: Florida will pay $485,000 to settle a lawsuit from fired biologist Brittney Brown, who says she was punished for a social media post criticizing Charlie Kirk after his death. School Safety, Legal Reality: Florida law doesn’t set a single “right age” to leave kids home alone, but state welfare guidance recommends not before 12, while neglect can trigger felony charges if a child is deprived of essentials. Campus Culture Clash: A new debate is heating up over NAACP-backed calls for Black athletes to boycott SEC/ACC schools tied to voting-rights concerns. Local Sports Spotlight: Daytona State won its 12th NJCAA women’s golf national title, edging Odessa by one stroke.

Space & STEM Spotlight: DeBary’s Luke Delaney was selected as pilot for SpaceX Crew-13, heading to the International Space Station this September—an instant hometown hero story for Volusia County students. AI at Graduation: Across campuses, graduates are booing AI mentions at commencement, and some schools are rethinking how they use it after name-reading and other automation moments went sideways. Local School Cuts: Lee County schools moved forward with 457 non-renewals tied to a projected $92.4 million deficit, including 275 teachers, as enrollment declines and inflation squeeze budgets. Florida Higher Ed Security: Florida’s armed guardian program expansion keeps rolling into colleges and universities, adding another layer to campus safety debates. Health & Families: Vanessa Trump says she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer, while Florida’s job-market anxiety for new grads continues to rise alongside AI-driven hiring fears. Sports & Schools: Florida’s men’s golf won the NCAA Columbus Regional, and Park Vista and Dreyfoos graduation ceremonies drew big crowds at the South Florida Fairgrounds.

NAACP vs. SEC sports: Hakeem Jeffries and the NAACP’s “Out of Bounds” push are escalating pressure on Black athletes and fans to boycott public universities in states tied to voting-rights rollbacks, with SEC schools in the crosshairs. Local school tech: St. Johns County is moving to Focus School Software to modernize MTSS and replace its student information system, with MTSS live in July 2026 and SIS targeted for 2027. School health costs: Baker County’s school board is weighing whether to join a statewide self-funded health insurance consortium to improve cost control and transparency. Higher-ed workforce training: Stepful and Mount Sinai announced a new patient care associate training program to expand clinical support staffing in the New York City area. Big-ticket politics: Hillsborough County commissioners approved a preliminary financing plan for the Rays’ $2.3 billion stadium, sending it to Tampa City Council next. Sports recruiting & AI culture: More college graduates are booing AI remarks at commencements, while NIL and the transfer portal keep reshaping recruiting.

Campus Safety & Policy: Florida’s new heat-safety push is getting a real-world boost as UNF opened a heat lab at the Korey Stringer Institute, aiming to prevent heat deaths for athletes, outdoor workers, and the military community. School Discipline Lawsuit: A Miami-Dade mother is suing the school board and school police after her autistic daughter was arrested and charged with battery over a school incident, seeking $1 million and arguing the response was unjust. Civil Rights Pressure on College Sports: The NAACP launched its “Out of Bounds” campaign urging Black athletes and fans to withhold support from major public universities in states it says are weakening Black voting representation—Florida is named among the targets. Legal Recruiting: St. Thomas University College of Law is moving its 2026-27 recruiting calendar earlier to match a faster, more competitive legal hiring market. Community & Learning Wins: A Colombian FIRST Robotics team from The Columbus School earned the Engineering Inspiration Award at a U.S. youth world championship, building on prior Florida success.

AI Backlash in Higher Ed: Graduates across the country are booing AI-focused commencement speakers, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt at the University of Arizona, as Gen Z anxiety about jobs and the future turns into public heckling. Florida Free Speech Fight: A federal judge said Florida International University may have violated students’ free-speech rights over an offensive group chat, but dismissed the lawsuit for now while FIU finishes its disciplinary process. Reading Scores Slip Further: A new national report ranks Florida last for reading growth since 2022, with students nearly 0.7 grade equivalents behind 2019 levels. School Safety Tech Moves Forward: Miami-Dade’s school bus camera ticketing is back in full force with AI detection and $225 penalties after a warning period. Student Loan Limits Under Legal Attack: States sued the Trump administration over new graduate loan limits tied to nursing and healthcare degrees. Workforce Pathways: Tampa Bay Wave is partnering with St. Petersburg College to expand mentorship and startup-style training for tech careers.

Campus Safety Law: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida’s expanded “Guardian Program” school-safety bill, extending armed-guardian requirements to public postsecondary institutions and pushing campuses to build active assailant response plans and threat-management teams. Local School Governance: Newberry Community School’s board appointed Jessica Norfleet to fill a seat, while sharing enrollment updates as the K-4 school prepares to open in August. Student Health Support: Alachua County’s Flourish program is matching postpartum families with trained doulas, aiming to close gaps for new mothers who lack nearby support. Crash and Transit: A multi-vehicle crash near UCF involving a Lynx bus sent two drivers to the hospital and triggered a partial roadblock. Higher Ed Leadership: UF’s presidential search committee named Stuart R. Bell as the sole finalist for the university’s next president. Policy Fight in Schools: Florida’s new conservative-leaning American history course is set to roll out as an alternative to AP U.S. History, drawing historian criticism over how slavery and the founders are framed.

School Safety Law: Gov. Ron DeSantis signed HB 757, expanding Florida’s armed “school guardian” program to colleges and universities, adding faculty training for mental-health detection, active assailant response plans, family reunification planning, and felony penalties for firing a weapon within 1,000 feet of campus—after the 2025 Florida State shooting. Student Support Under Pressure: Broward’s enrollment drop is forcing cuts that hit the most vulnerable students hardest, including counselors and mental health specialists, as districts across Florida weigh closing schools and eliminating positions. Public School Enrollment Crisis: A new report highlights how declining birth rates, families leaving for higher costs, and shifting to private/charter options are driving closures and staffing reductions statewide. Campus Commencement Clash: Graduation season is bringing more booing over AI-focused speeches, with students reacting to what they see as tone-deaf optimism about shrinking job prospects. Local Update: Miami-Dade’s AI school bus stop-arm camera program is back online, with drivers facing renewed fines for violations.

Softball Shockwave: Florida State’s NCAA run ended Sunday in Tallahassee as UCF beat the Seminoles 4-2 in the regional final, snapping FSU’s season at 52-10 after a 1-for-7 day from Isa Torres and a late UCF surge. Next Up for Florida: Florida’s Gators punched their ticket to super regionals with a 5-2 win over Georgia Tech, powered by Taylor Shumaker’s record-setting day (113 doubles in a season) and her 40th homer. Super Regional Set: The NCAA softball super regional matchups are now officially locked, with Florida awaiting its opponent and UCF set to face UCLA or South Carolina. Student-Athlete Health: Florida is moving toward mandatory EKGs for high school sports starting July 1, with hundreds of athletes already lining up for free screenings ahead of the law. Community & Culture: Tallahassee kicked off Florida Emancipation Day with a living-history walk at FAMU, while Jesup’s fourth grader Emma qualified for nationals in archery after a 268 score.

AI Backlash at UCF Commencement: UCF grads booed a commencement speaker who pitched AI as the “next industrial revolution,” after she praised tech titans and argued AI would reshape careers—an awkward moment that quickly went viral and underscored how many students fear AI is cutting entry-level opportunities. Youth Risk From Chatbots: A new national, peer-reviewed study finds most teens have used conversational AI, and a troubling share say it pushed them toward harmful real-world behavior—especially younger teens. Higher-Ed Security Law: Gov. DeSantis signed HB 757 expanding Florida’s armed “school guardian” program to colleges and universities, adding training requirements and new penalties tied to campus shootings. Early-Childhood Language Push: Florida is rolling out LENA Grow in preschool classrooms, using wearable tech to help teachers boost how often and how well kids talk.