Around the state: A Brevard teacher whose contract was not renewed after she used a student's preferred name without parental consent retains her teaching certificate in a deal with the state, Gov. Ron DeSantis says the number of teaching vacancies is down 17.7% this year, teachers unions are warned not to let contract negotiations hold up raises for educators that are part of the state budget, Broward puts its proposed $115 million program to buy laptops on pause until the deal is reviewed, and four semifinalists are named for the Manatee school superintendent's job. (Note: The Florida Roundup will be on hiatus after today and will return Aug. 12). Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Broward: Increased scrutiny of a proposal to spend $115 million over five years to provide every student with a new laptop has put the project on hold. The county's Office of Inspector General has been reviewing the proposal for postential problems, and the state's announcement of a possible review by the Department of Government Efficiency prompted Superintendent Howard Hepburn to withdraw the recommendation from the school board's consideration. "I will not be bringing those back until a thorough review is completed by the (inspector general), and that will cause a delay in our deployment," Hepburn said this week. Sun Sentinel.
Hillsborough: A tentative $4.46 billion budget was approved this week by school board members. That's about 2.7% more than last year's. Tampa Bay Times. The newest district school was open for inspection by parents Wednesday. Aquilla J. Morgan High School in Wimauma will include a digital art studio, an electric vehicle maintenance shop, fully equipped art rooms, a culinary classroom and a cosmetology lab. It cost $178 million and has room for up to 3,500 students. The first day of school is Aug. 11. Tampa Bay Times. WFLA. WFTS.
Polk: Attendance boundaries for all 16 of the district's high schools are being redrawn for the first time in decades, according to school officials. Current students can stay at their school, but the zoning changes will affect new students. Planning for middle school rezoning is scheduled in 2026, with changes in elementary zones being done in 2027 or 2028, says Superintendent Frederick Heid. Lakeland Ledger.
Lee: The head football coach at North Fort Myers High School has been suspended after his arrest July 26 on a charge of misdemeanor battery against his girlfriend. Ira Riggins Jr. will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant principal Dwayne Mack. Fort Myers News-Press. WBBH.
Pinellas: School board members have tentatively approved a $1.79 billion budget, which is about the same as it was last year. Another budget workshop is scheduled Aug. 19. Tampa Bay Times. Monday and Tuesday of Thanksgiving week are no longer potential makeup days in the district for the next two years if a hurricane closes schools. School board members make the change under pressure from parents, who plan vacations months in advance and don't want a storm to disrupt their holiday week. The new set of potential makeup dates is Sept. 19, Oct. 13, Feb. 13 and Feb. 16. Tampa Bay Times. A Pinellas school police sergeant died Wednesday during an active-shooter training session at Clearwater High School. Greg Graff, 61, collapsed during the training and died at a nearby hospital. Spectrum News 9. WTVT. Tampa Bay Times. WFTS. WTSP. WFLA.
Pasco: The school district's proposed budget of $2.33 billion got the approval of the school board this week. That's 2.3% higher than last year's. Tampa Bay Times.
Brevard: Former Satellite High School teacher Melissa Calhoun will retain her teaching certificate as part of a settlement reached Wednesday with the Florida Department of Education's Education Practices Commission. Calhoun's contract was not renewed after it was discovered she had been using a student's chosen name without parental permission. She will receive a letter of reprimand, serve a year of probation, pay a fee of $750 and be required to take a college-level ethics course. DOE attorneys had argued against the settlement, but the committee disagreed, calling Calhoun an "outstanding educator" who admitted her wrongdoing. Florida Today. WFTV. WKMG. WESH.
Manatee: Four semifinalists have been named for the school superintendent's job that's been open since Jason Wysong was fired in May. They are: Laurie Breslin, the district's executive director of student support and family engagement; David Adams, director of school leadership and improvement in Montgomery County, Md.; Misty Mathis, executive director of curriculum for the Nassau County School District; and Luis Solano, deputy superintendent of Detroit schools. The selection is expected to be announced at the Aug. 26 school board meeting. WFTS.
Marion: Parents and students got their first look at the district's newest school, Winding Oaks Elementary during a tour Wednesday. They'll meet the teachers Aug. 8, and the first day of school is Aug. 11. WCJB.
Santa Rosa: A Hospitality and Tourism Academy teacher for Gulf Breeze High School has been arrested and accused of having a romantic relationship with a student. Deputies say Molly Mersereau, 37, gave a student a burner cell phone for communication, and "love letters showed there was an active relationship." She's been placed on administrative leave by the district. Pensacola News Journal. WEAR.
Okeechobee: The school board gave its tentative approval this week of the school district's proposed $160.8 million budget. The operating budget is just over $75 million, and $42 million of the $68.9 million capital budget is going toward the new Okeechobee High School building. Lake Okeechobee News.
Colleges and universities: University of Central Florida, Florida International University and University of South Florida trustees are the latest state schools raising out-of-state tuition by 10%. The University of Florida and Florida State University have already approved the same increase. Orlando Sentinel. WUSF. Florida Phoenix. Miami philanthropist Miguel Fernandez is withdrawing a $10 million donation to Miami Dade College until in-state tuition rates for undocumented students are restored. In June, he rescinded a $1 million donation to Florida International University for the same reason. Miami Herald.
Teacher vacancies down: The number of teaching vacancies around the state is down 17.7% from this time last year, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Wednesday. "We are attracting teachers," he said. "We’ve expanded a number of pathways for qualified individuals." Florida Politics. WOFL. WCTV. DeSantis and Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas also warned teachers unions not to let lagging contract negotiations delay pay raises included in the state budget to educators. Kamoutsas says districts that don't deliver raises by December will be singled out. USA Today Florida Network. WPTV.
Back-to-school tax holiday: Friday is the first day of the state's month-long back-to-school tax holiday. No taxes will be applied on sales of clothes, shoes and backpacks that cost $100 or less, school supplies that cost less than $50, learning aids that are under $30 and personal computers that cost $1,500 or less. USA Today Florida Network.
Opinions on schools: It’s misguided to suggest that there should be a single regulatory system and that every requirement used to govern public schools should apply in the same way to private schools. If private school parents are dissatisfied, they can leave. The same is not the case for every family in a traditional public school. Patricia Levesque, Tallahassee Democrat. The Palm Beach County School Board set a bad example for students by caving in to the Trump administration's threats to withhold federal funding if it didn't repeal its diversity, equity and inclusion policies. William Nix, Palm Beach Post. In the absence of significant guardrails on the new federal K-12 scholarships program, the expensive initiative is likely to deliver a scant return on investment to the nation’s students. Thomas Toch and Bella DiMarco, The 74.
