Top high schools: The Pine View School in Osprey is rated the top high school in Florida and seventh-best in the United States, according to ratings by U.S. News & World Report. Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami is ranked second in the state and 20th nationwide. Miami's International Studies Charter High School is third in the state and 21st in the United States. Fourth in Florida is Edgewood Junior/Senior High School in Merritt Island, and fifth is Stanton College Preparatory School in Jacksonville. The complete Florida rankings are here, and the complete U.S. rankings are here. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Naples Daily News. Orlando Sentinel.

Career academies: The proliferation of career academies, especially in Florida, is giving more high school students an entryway into a career by blending traditional and technical courses. But some experts worry that the academies may inadvertently promote inequality, since many are started at schools that have a majority nonwhite population. The Atlantic.

Spending tightens: The Escambia and Santa Rosa school districts are cutting back on discretionary spending in their budgets for the 2016-2017 school year. The districts will receive just a 1 percent increase in state money, and school officials don't expect the financial picture to improve for the next school year. Pensacola News Journal.

New high school: The Lee County School Board approves spending $11 million to buy a 77-acre property for a high school in Bonita Springs. Nearby residents protested the selection of the land, known as the Imperial Parkway site, citing traffic concerns. Fort Myers News-Press. Naples Daily News. (more…)