ORLANDO, Fla. – A group of Orange County high school students will protest Tuesday afternoon against proposed changes to advanced academic programs, a move they say could impact their access to college-level coursework.
Students from Cypress Creek High School are organizing a demonstration at 3 p.m. Tuesday outside the Ronald Blocker Educational Leadership Center in Downtown Orlando. Organizers have invited students, staff and alumni, with some traveling by SunRail to join the protest.
The students are fighting a school district decision to discontinue the school’s International Baccalaureate program. Orange County Public Schools told News 6 it was phasing out the program because of a lack of student interest.
“Students who are currently enrolled in the IB program will be fully supported through the completion of their coursework and will remain eligible to earn their IB diplomas. However, beginning with the upcoming academic year, no new students will be admitted into the IB program at Cypress Creek High School,” a district spokesperson said in a statement.
The students will also be protesting changes by Florida lawmakers to how advanced academic classes are funded.
Florida lawmakers are debating how to fund incentives to get districts to offer programs like IB, Advanced Placement (AP), Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE), and other accelerated courses. These programs currently receive extra state funding when students pass exams, helping cover teacher bonuses, classroom materials, and exam fees.
What’s Changing in Tallahassee
Earlier this year, state lawmakers proposed cutting funding for advanced classes by up to 50%, raising concerns that schools would have to scale back offerings or shift exam costs to families. The House plan would have meant a $290 million loss statewide, while the Senate’s version called for a $214 million reduction.
The funds would be cut by reducing the weight given to per-student funding in those courses. For instance, a student who scored a “3″ or higher on an Advanced Placement test would lead to an extra $865 in funding for that student, according to a legislative analysis.
The bill’s sponsor, House Rep. Jenna Persons-Mulicka, R-Fort Myers, said a report from the Florida Department of Education raised concerns that school districts were using those extra funds to cover things that should be covered by regular per-student spending.
“When we look at teacher salaries in the report that we got back and we saw that teacher salaries was the largest expenditure category recorded by the district, but when we dove into those details, only 16% of the funds used for teacher compensation were used to fund teacher bonuses,” Persons-Mulicka said during a House Budget Committee Meeting on April 2, 2025.
Persons-Mulicka said the report raised the question of whether the districts had become too reliant on the extra money to pay for other needs.
“They’re using these add-on weights to pay that 40 to 64%. So that leads me to ask, where are the (Federal Education Finance Program) funds that are generated by every student going? They should be following the student to whatever course the student chooses,” Persons-Mulika said later during the meeting.
After months of continued advocacy by students, staff and parents, lawmakers are now considering a compromise. The Senate’s latest proposal would restore full funding but change how the money is distributed: 80% would go directly to schools for bonuses and academic incentives, with 20% left for discretionary spending. The House is considering a similar approach, but final details are still being negotiated.
Impact on Students and Families
Florida is among the top states for AP participation, with over 100,000 students taking at least one AP exam each year. For IB, enrollment rose from nearly 16,000 in 2023-24 to more than 17,000 for 2024-25. Most students take one or two AP exams annually, each costing about $99. IB students typically take six exams, with fees ranging from $119 to $250 each.
Students say the proposed changes threaten their ability to take advanced classes and earn college credits while still in high school. Many have spent months urging lawmakers to maintain funding, arguing that cuts would reduce opportunities for students across the state.
News 6 has reached out to Florida lawmakers for comment and will provide updates from Tuesday’s protest and from Tallahassee.