Charter schools: The Pasco County School Board approves a 15-year contract for Pepin Academies, which caters to students with learning disabilities. Tampa Bay Times. Dayspring Academy, Pasco County’s first charter school, plans to add a ninth-grade class in the 2014-15 school. Tampa Bay Times.
Religious schools: A student at Citrus Park Christian School in Hillsborough County takes her ailment and uses it to focus on a medical career. The Tampa Tribune.
Gender specific: A proposal to create more gender-specific district schools sails through the House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee. redefinED.
Career readiness: Manatee County School District works with community business leaders to step up high school career readiness programs. Bradenton Herald.
Rick Scott: School superintendents from across the state tell Gov. Scott that even with his proposed boost in education spending, they still can’t afford to pay for maintenance, new school buses, security upgrades and the technology needed to administer computer-based tests. The Buzz. More from the Florida Times-Union.
Legislation: The Senate Education Committee approves a bill that creates a “buffer of non-testing time” around the time when students take the FCAT. Orlando Sentinel. Two legislative committees gave quick, unanimous approval Tuesday to bills banning “biometric” scanning of children’s eyes and palm prints by Florida public school systems. The Florida Current.
State grades: Education Commissioner Pam Stewart wants to keep the state grading formula “simple.” The Buzz.
Teachers: Pasco County looks to address challenges for substitute teachers, including low pay and little respect. Tampa Bay Times. A Hillsborough County teacher is fired for letting special-needs student wander away. Tampa Bay Times. More from The Tampa Tribune. Highlands Grove Elementary School art teacher Christie Bassett is Polk’s Teacher of the Year. The Ledger.
Performance pay: The Hernando Classroom Teachers Association proposes eliminating experience-based raises for ones based on teachers’ annual performance evaluations. Tampa Bay Times.
Sales tax: Hernando County School Board members authorize the district to form an advisory committee to examine the potential of a new half-cent sales tax. Tampa Bay Times.
Bullying: Collier County School Board members review the state’s new anti-bullying language for district policies. Naples Daily News.
Conduct: A substitute school bus driver in Clay County is accused of choking a student. Florida Times-Union.
