Charter schools. ITT Technical Institute wants to try its hand operating charter schools in Florida and elsewhere. NPR. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel cheers efforts to place new limits on charter schools in an editorial.
Tax credit scholarships. A Context Florida column argues public schools should have the same flexibility as private schools accepting tax credit scholarships when it comes to standardized testing. Jason Bedrick of the Cato Institute picks apart the Sun-Sentinel’s latest opinion piece cheering a lawsuit challenging the program. The Heritage Foundation’s Daily Signal highlights parents getting involved in the suit. Opportunity Lives highlights the programs success stories. The program is administered by Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.
Budgets. Growing state revenue makes a boost for schools spending – and tax cuts – more likely. Associated Press. Tampa Bay Times.
School improvement. Florida schools that saw some of the biggest improvement last school year began by setting a culture that acknowledges every child’s potential to learn. EdFly.
Teachers unions. Intercepts highlights the Florida Education Association’s fiscal 2012-13 finances.
Community involvement. Palm Beach high school students help build a Habitat for Humanity home. Palm Beach Post.
STEM. A South Florida Science Center program teaches students the basics of computer coding and software. Sun-Sentinel. A Congressman meets with educators to discuss the importance of STEM subjects. Gainesville Sun. Miami-Dade schools teach students to teach their peers about health. StateImpact.
Testing. The Panama City News Herald argues in an editorial that computer-based testing could become a “debacle.”
Corruption. A former Broward school board member convicted of official misconduct wants out of jail time to care for her ailing mother. Sun-Sentinel.
Tragedy. Schools try to help students cope with the death of two classmates in a traffic accident. Gainesville Sun.
School boards. The Marion school board meets with city officials to resolve a dispute over stormwater fees. Ocala Star-Banner.
