Students in Collier County head back to school Monday. And they will find some changes when they return to their classrooms.
The Collier County School System hired nearly 400 teachers over the summer and now have a total of 28-hundred. District spokesman Joe Landon says those extra teachers will get to work immediately:

“We’re welcoming 44,000 students today and that’s about 1,100 more than we welcomed a year ago. So we’ve got 1,100 students who are new to the district this year.”

The yellow and black school buses will travel more than 270 routes, transporting a total of 20-thousand kids to campuses every day. Also new this year: all student-athletes in Collier County will now be required to prove their ages before they can compete. It stems from Immokalee High School’s use of overage students in soccer and football.
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Charlotte and Lee County Schools have already returned from their summer breaks. Now they’re joined today (Monday) by their counterparts in Collier County. More than 44-thousand students start class today in Collier – an increase of a thousand over last year. The district added 400 new teachers to accommodate them. In addition, nine elementary and middle schools have added a dress code. District spokesman Joe Landon says a handful of campuses tried it last year and they noticed improvements immediately:

“Reduced discipline problems and just students overall seem to be pleased with the way things go when they’re wearing uniforms.”
Landon says the Collier school dress code usually consists of a collared shirt and khaki pants.

Also new this year: student athletes are required to prove their ages before they can take the field. The district made the change after Immokalee High School played several overage students in soccer and football.