🌅 🏫 School Districts Get A Grades

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Indian River County, St. Lucie, Martin County and school districts all received A ratings in the Florida Department of Education's 2025-26 district accountability grades 🏫.

St. Lucie Public Schools earned its second consecutive A with 77% of schools receiving an A or B rating, 22 schools improving by at least one letter grade or maintaining an A, and no schools earning a D or F. The district also ranked 8th statewide in middle school acceleration and 10th in college and career acceleration.

Indian River County earned its fourth consecutive A and remained the highest performing district on the Treasure Coast, finishing among Florida's top five performing school districts for the second year in a row. 23 of its 24 traditional public schools earned an A this year.

Martin County earned its second straight A as well, raising its overall accountability score from 785 to 808 points. Four schools improved their letter grades this year including Stuart Middle, Indiantown Middle and South Fork High, each moving from a B to an A.

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Indian River County School District will provide free breakfast and lunch through federal nutrition programs at six schools during the 2026-2027 school year. Fellsmere Academy will offer both free breakfast and lunch to all students, while Pelican Island Classical Magnet, Citrus Elementary, Dodgertown Elementary, Vero Beach Elementary and Indian River Academy will provide free breakfast only. Other families in the district may still qualify for free or reduced-price meals based on household size and income. Application letters are being sent to all homes, with families able to apply online and return applications to their child's school.

👉 Read more (WPTV)

The Shoppes at Southern Grove in Port St. Lucie continues expanding with confirmed and planned tenants including the Treasure Coast's first Tesla dealership, Chipotle with drive-thru, Wawa fuel station and convenience store, Panda Express with drive-thru and Taco Bell with drive-thru and outdoor patio. The 3,605-acre Southern Grove area along I-95 is designed to create thousands of jobs near Interstate 95 and Becker Road. A new Lowe's store with six additional outparcels anchors the development.

👉 Read more (TCPalm subscription may be required)

Former Stuart Mayor Christopher Collins filed suit June 17 seeking to remove fellow Martin County Commission District 2 candidate Susan O'Rourke from the ballot, alleging she falsely stated her legal residence when qualifying for the race. Collins contends O'Rourke listed a Stuart address while maintaining her legal domicile in St. Lucie County, making her ineligible under Florida election law. The complaint cites homestead exemption records, property records and O'Rourke's public statements as evidence. The lawsuit requests an expedited hearing and asks the court to remove O'Rourke's name from the ballot if Collins prevails.

👉 Read more (WQCS)

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