Common Core. Now the PR battle is on. StateImpact Florida.
School spending. Lee County finds it’s tough to hire school therapists when they’d be on the same salary schedule as teachers and could make more elsewhere. Fort Myers News Press.
Teacher pay: The Volusia County School Board looks at pay raises and extra jobs for teachers while considering lower property taxes during tonight’s board meeting. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
PARCC: In response to questions about the costs of testing students on the new Common Core standards, the PARCC consortium issued its estimate: $29.50 per student for the computerized version, with another $3-$4 per student for the paper and pencil test. Gradebook. If Florida backs away from PARCC, other states may follow. StateImpact.
Hiring: Hillsborough County Public Schools’ extended search for a school board attorney results in seven applicants. Tampa Bay Times. The Manatee County School Board hires two new department directors and an investigator. Bradenton Herald. Manatee school officials also select internal auditors to help the embattled district with its bookkeeping. Bradenton Herald.
Grants: Pinellas County schools didn’t get the $500,000 AmeriCorps grant the district sought to boost academics at low-performing schools. Tampa Bay Times.
New post: Former Warrington Middle School Assistant Principal Cassandra Smith will lead Escambia County schools’ first “hybrid” turnaround school, Lincoln Park. Pensacola News Journal.
K12: The Broward County School Board considers renewing its virtual education contract with K12. Miami Herald.
Digital learning: Education videos are a growing cyber trend as students look for online learning opportunities. Sun-Sentinel.
School supplies: A community provider hands out more than 2,000 backpacks and other school necessities. News-Press. The Tampa Tribune lists events for Pinellas families to find free school supplies. Polk County parents join the throng of moms and dads across the nation in search of crayons, notebooks, pencils and other back-to-school supplies. Ledger.
New school: Livingstone Academy Autism Center opens this fall in Hillsborough County with room for 35 students. The Tampa Tribune.
On tape: A conversation between Hillsborough County schools Superintendent Maryellen Elias and board attorney Tom Gonzalez gets caught on tape during a school board meeting. Tampa Bay Times.
