Charter schools. The Tampa Bay Times spends time with Hillsborough’s charter school gatekeepers. Charter schools with good results should be allowed to share in local property taxes collected for school construction, a municipal charter leader writes in the Fort Myers News-Press. The News-Press disagrees in an editorial. A Pensacola charter school under scrutiny has a history of issues. Pensacola News-Journal.
Busing. Hillsborough district busing of mostly black, inner-city students to the suburbs may be harming those students’ achievement. Tampa Bay Times.
Testing. A student’s anti-testing speech gets national attention. Tampa Tribune. Students prepare to sit for state assessments as lawmakers finish work on testing and accountability changes. Panama City News Herald. The legislation includes a validity check, and state officials are fine with that. Gradebook. Will computerized testing work this time around? Tampa Bay Times. Some students opt out. Panama City News Herald.
Superintendents. Hiring an outsider could take the Palm Beach school district in a different direction. Palm Beach Post. Volusia’s new superintendent prepares for his first school board meeting. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Class size. Bills giving district schools more flexibility under state class size rules keep coasting through the Legislature. Gradebook.
Boundaries. A rezoning plan irks parents. Pensacola News-Journal.
Community involvement. Elementary students on an International Baccalaureate track design projects for the greater good. Bradenton Herald. High school students get a visit from Manatee’s elections supervisor. Bradenton Herald.
Employee conduct. A charter school works through a drama teacher’s anger management issues. Gainesville Sun. A charter school employee is accused of having sexual contact with minors. Tampa Bay Times. WTSP.
Standards. Pasco school district leaders look for ways to improve in the wake of a critical report. Gradebook.
Investigation. FBI probes like the one intensifying around Leon County Schools often result in criminal charges. Tallahassee Democrat.
School safety. An Okaloosa student is accused of bringing a gun to school. Northwest Florida Daily News. A student is arrested for making multiple bomb threats. Gainesville Sun.
Prom. Students raise their “promposal” game. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Health and morals. Alachua high schools will no longer distribute condoms. Gainesville Sun.
School calendars. Legislation could lead to a shorter summer. Palm Beach Post.
Budgets. Most of Gov. Rick Scott’s priorities, including record public school funding, remain in limbo as the legislative session heads toward crunch time. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
