Charter schools. Proposed legislation could help out-of state charter schools get a foothold in Florida. StateImpact. A shuttered charter school now faces foreclosure of its building site. South Florida Business Journal.
PLSAs. More states are considering account-based scholarship programs like Florida’s Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts. Politico.
Lawsuits. Supporters and opponents of Florida’s tax credit scholarship program head to court this afternoon. WTXL. The program is administered by organizations like Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog and employs the author of this post.
Testing. The Tampa Bay Times dissects various controversies that have swirled around new state assessments. Florida’s school districts are ready for computer-based assessments this year, the state Department of Education says. Orlando Sentinel. Districts still worry about the shift. Sun-Sentinel. State lawmakers plan testing changes. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A revamp of the SAT coincides with the switch to Common Core. Naples Daily News.
Sports. Competing in interscholastic athletics helps an Islamic school break down cultural barriers. Tampa Bay Times.
Budgets. Childrens’ advocates praise much of Gov. Rick Scott’s spending plan but bemoan low per-student funding for Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten. News Service of Florida. Hernando’s superintendent says budget cuts hurt student performance. Tampa Bay Times.
Advocacy. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush returns to Tallahassee to talk education policy and raise money for his new PAC. Palm Beach Post. The Buzz.
Growth. Volusia schools brace for projected enrollment increases. Daytona Beach News-Journal. The Lee County School board is set to discuss a new high school. Naples Daily News. Fort Myers News-Press.
Superintendents. Hillsborough’s interim superintendent brings a different approach from that of his predecessor. Tampa Tribune.
PTA. An elementary school PTA faces dissolution. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Safety. Students are arrested for bringing an ice pick and a fake handgun to a Pinellas high school. Tampa Bay Times. A report suggests Florida schools are relatively good at controlling bullying. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Employee conduct. An elementary school teacher is arrested for shaking a special needs student. Central Florida News 13.
Social media. The Palm Beach County school district updates its Twitter profile after complaints about a lack of gender diversity in its picture. Palm Beach Post.
Community involvement. A United Way initiative helps students with reading. Ocala Star-Banner. Groups leave bills unpaid after using Orange County school district property. Orlando Sentinel.
Inspiration. A onetime dropout earns a master’s degree in education. Fort Myers News-Press.
Our Florida Roundup pulls together education news, opinion and blogs from around the state. It runs Monday through Friday, by 7 a.m.
