Around the state: Home-school parents say they are still having problems getting reimbursed for educational expenses through the state’s universal school voucher program, Florida’s Board of Governors is considering a rule change that would require the board chair to approve any list of finalists for university presidencies, Florida A&M University’s faculty union is suing the state over the new threshold required for it to remain certified, Broward’s superintendent names nine schools that could be closed or repurposed, teachers in Orange and Alachua counties declare an impasse in contract negotiations with their districts, and Volusia students caught vaping at school will have to complete a nine-week online course. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Miami-Dade: Three students and three adults were taken to a hospital for treatment Tuesday after a school bus and a landscape truck collided in Hialeah. Injuries to the students are minor, according to police. Three people from the truck are hospitalized in serious condition. WPLG. WSVN. WFOR. WTVJ.
Broward: Five underenrolled district schools were named Tuesday by Superintendent Howard Hepburn as candidates to be closed or repurposed to save money. Four made a list of schools that could change their grade configurations. Hepburn will make a recommendation next month to the school board to close five schools, and he cautioned that the list can change between now and then. Some school board members questioned naming the schools before the list is final, but director of demographics and enrollment planning Joe Beck said, “We wanted to draw the focus around the schools that might need the most immediate attention.” Sun Sentinel. WTVJ.
Hillsborough: A 16-year-old Plant City High School student was arrested Tuesday and accused of having a gun on campus. Police said they found a loaded handgun and ammunition in the boy’s car. WTSP.
Orange: For the third time in the past four years, the school district and the teachers union are at an impasse in contract negotiations. District officials said they have offered a 2 percent raise, an offer that union president Clinton McCracken called “unacceptable.” Beginning teachers’ salaries are $49,375. Another issue is working conditions, particularly air-conditioning malfunctions in schools. The union expects an impasse hearing before the school board next month. Orlando Weekly. Superintendent Maria Vazquez said this week that the district wants to add metal detectors to schools, but can’t afford the personnel needed to operate them. WFTV. WOFL.
Duval: At a time when many Florida school districts still have a shortage of teachers, Duval has a surplus of 75, according to district officials. They will be reassigned. “At the beginning of each school year, when there are shifts in student enrollment, staffing is adjusted accordingly. Teachers and staff may be surplussed, but they are not cut. We do anticipate moving surplussed teachers into existing vacancies as the school year progresses,” said a district spokesperson. WJAX.
Polk: Students at Lake Wales Charter Schools will not be given controversial pamphlets containing the U.S. Constitution and an opinion piece by a conservative law firm, said school trustees chair Danny Gill. The pamphlets are “inappropriate” for distribution, Gill said. They were donated by former Lake Wales City Commissioner Danny Krueger. Lakeland Ledger.
Pinellas: Complying with a new state law that pushes back school starting times for middle and high school students by the fall of 2026 will be complicated, school officials said in a workshop meeting this week. Two of the biggest issues are transportation and school choice programs, and the associated costs. Even a seemingly simple solution of moving elementary schools to the earliest schedule, followed by high schools and middle schools, could cost the district an extra $3 million a year for transportation. So, says Superintendent Kevin Hendrick, “we have to start the discussion now.” Tampa Bay Times.
Volusia: Students caught with a vape on campus this school year are being required to complete a nine-week online course as punishment. If they don’t, they will be sent to an alternative school. The course includes sections on the dangers of vaping on mental health, and after completion the offender will have to give a presentation to his or her peers. So far 107 students have been caught, and all have opted to take the course. WFTV. Superintendent Carmen Balgobin is “proficient” in nearly every category in her evaluation from school board members. Proficient is the highest rating. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
St. Lucie: School board members have approved a $1.2 billion budget that lowers the tax rate slightly but brings in additional revenue because of higher property valuations and new construction. The operating budget will be $523 million, with the difference going toward capital projects, food service and special funds. TCPalm.
Sarasota: The nomination of a former school board member to a district audit selection committee has been questioned by school board member Tom Edwards, who cited Eric Robinson’s past comments about transgender students and their families. Edwards’ concerns were dismissed by other board members, and the board is expected to choose an auditor Oct. 1. Board members also approved a $1.3 billion budget, discussed school security and approved a $750,000 contract with a staffing agency to fill 13 positions: a school psychologist, three elementary school counselors, three high school counselors, a registered nurse, four licensed practical nurses and a certified nursing assistant. Charlotte Sun. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
Santa Rosa: District teachers will receive raises ranging from $741 to $1,073 after the union and school officials reached a tentative agreement on how to disburse $1.55 million in state funds earmarked for teacher salaries. School board members have already approved the deal, and union members will vote on it next week. If it’s approved, teachers should see the raises in November. Pensacola News Journal.
Alachua: An impasse in contract negotiations has been declared by the union representing the district’s teachers. Union president Carmen Ward said the district is offering a 1.6 percent pay raise while the union is asking for 3.2 percent, and won’t make any raises retroactive to the start of the school year. District officials said the offer is 2.6 percent. The dispute will now go to a mediator. Mainstreet Daily News. WCJB. Rawlings Elementary School has begun Year 2 in the state’s turnaround program, which it entered because it consistently got grades lower than a C from the state. Support being provided includes additional academic and behavioral programs, and the school also is taking part in a state pilot program of year-round schooling that began July 16. School board members have to approve the turnaround plan by Oct. 1 and submit it to the state for consideration. WCJB.
Gadsden: The air-conditioning went out at Gadsden County High School on Monday, school officials announced on social media Tuesday. The problem has been located they said, and repairs are in progress. WCTV.
Gulf, Franklin: Both the Gulf and Franklin school districts are asking voters Nov. 5 to approve tax measures that will help them better compensate teachers and other staff. Gulf is campaigning for renewal of a 1-mill levy that has been in place 16 years, and Superintendent Jim Norton said, “If the matter loses, our schools will be dumpster fires. They will become literally undesirable.” Franklin is asking for a half-mill in taxes. “The only way we are going to recruit and retain highly qualified and certified teachers is to pay them what they are worth, and that’s what we have to do,” said Superintendent Steve Lanier. Apalachicola Times.
Colleges and universities: Florida’s Board of Governors is considering a rule change that would require the board chair to approve any list of finalists for university presidencies. Another change would give the chair an additional appointment to each university search committee. The board is expected to consider the rule at its October meeting. Today, it meets to discuss the investigation into Florida A&M University’s fraudulent donation, and operating budgets for each of the 12 universities in the state system. Florida Phoenix. Tallahassee Democrat. FAMU’s faculty union has filed a lawsuit against the new state law setting 60 percent of eligible members paying dues as a requirement to maintain certification. The union has fallen slightly short of that mark, and its suit challenges the constitutionality of the threshold. Tallahassee Democrat. Tallahassee State College trustees have awarded 4 percent salary increase for President Jim Murdaugh, the faculty and college staff. Murdaugh’s pay of $325,149 will rise to $338,155. Tallahassee Democrat.
Voucher payment problems: Two months into the state’s voucher reimbursement cycle, families of home-schooled children say the delay in payments first reported last year has continued as the companies processing the requests for payments struggle to handle the rising demand. One of those companies is Step Up for Students, which also hosts this blog. It says it expects 2 million reimbursement requests this year, up from 1.2 million last year. “We have heard our families’ frustrations and are continuing to simplify our processes, increase the speed of payments, and resolve issues quickly and efficiently,” says Gretchen Schoenhaar, CEO of Step Up. Tampa Bay Times.
School threats continue: The surge of threats being made against school districts in Florida continued Tuesday. Hillsborough. Pinellas. Brevard. St. Lucie. Escambia. Santa Rosa. Leon. Alachua. Bay. Putnam.
Around the nation: U.S. middle school students continue to lag months behind behind their pre-pandemic science test results, according to a new study from the nonprofit testing company NWEA. The 74. NextSteps. K-12 Dive.
Opinions on schools: The latest data demands that school districts move beyond the traditional, one-size-fits-all model of education. Schools must become more flexible, adapting to students rather than forcing them to conform to outdated norms, such as a single teacher per classroom and ineffective special education programs. Robin Lake, The 74. The reality is that Florida’s system of higher education has become a system of higher grifting. It’s personal and political profiteering under the guise of culture-warring. Scream about gender studies loudly enough, and maybe nobody will notice that you spent $38,610 on a sushi bar. Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel.
