Juan Garcia was proud to walk across a stage this spring at Venture Academy in Stockton to receive a medal for the state seal of biliteracy, proof that he can speak, read, and write in English and Spanish.

Yet many students, particularly English learners, don’t receive the state seal of biliteracy—even though they are bilingual—because there aren’t enough options to show students are proficient in English. A new bill aims to change that.

For many institutions, the critical lens through which law enforcement has been viewed following the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer is contributing to lower enrollments in criminal justice programs.

But some two-year colleges are seeing a steady or even increasing enrollments in those programs, thanks in part to staying flexible in the courses offered and how they are presented.

New College of Florida, a public college on the state's west coast with fewer than a thousand students, is known for its focus on sustainability and lack of traditional grading. Over the past year, the school has become a focal point for Governor Ron DeSantis to roll out his higher education agenda.

This episode of the NPR Politics Podcast dives into the evolution of New College of Florida and its leading role in DeSantis's fight to reshape education in the Sunshine State.