Around the state: A Flagler County elementary school principal has resigned after her school held an assembly for black students only to discuss low test scores, Hillsborough’s school board approves a $4.4 billion budget and Lee’s passes a $2.77 billion spending plan, University of Florida President Ben Sasse’s 10-year plan includes improving the school’s rankings in several categories, Alachua’s school district continues to work on a LGBTQ guide that will conform to state laws, and Citrus school officials announce two of the days lost to Hurricane Idalia will be made up. Here are details about those stories and others from the state’s districts, private schools, and colleges and universities:
Broward: The new state law opening vouchers and education savings accounts to all state K-12 students is fueling a demand for spots in private and religious schools. But for some schools, satisfying that demand is stalled by local zoning and land-use regulations. State laws that make it easier for charter schools to open do not apply to religious schools, which is one reason why the proposed Hollywood Jewish school Bet Midrash Ohr Ha-Chayim Ho-Kadosh has yet to be cleared to open in a building that already houses a charter school. reimaginED. When school security officer Scott Weissman recently collapsed with cardiac arrest in the car pool line at Greentree Preparatory Charter School in Southwest Ranches, three teachers and a parent immediately began administering CPR to keep him alive until paramedics took over. Weissman thanked teachers Pam Farran, Monica Merchan and Jeannie Luna-Verdes and said, “This staff saved my life.” WTVJ. WSVN.
Hillsborough: A $4.4 billion budget was approved Thursday by the school board, which is an increase of $100 million over last year’s spending. And despite higher costs for health care, utilities and state pension contributions, the district is forecast to end the coming year with a 19 percent reserve balance. Some of that is expected to go toward teacher raises. Union officials are asking the district to pay starting teachers $50,000 a year and veterans with 25 years of experience up to $80,000. The district countered this week with a starting pay proposal of $47,500 and a ceiling of $70,750. Tampa Bay Times.
Orange: Ten students were treated after being exposed to an “unknown substance” on a school bus at Forsyth Woods Elementary School on Thursday, said Orange County Fire Rescue officials. About 50 people were on the bus at the time. None had to be hospitalized. Principal Kelly Maldonado said, “Contrary to rumors that are spreading, there is no evidence that pepper spray was deployed on the school bus.” WKMG. WFTV.
Lee: Four school construction projects are underway as the district continues its recovery from Hurricane Ian a year ago and tries to keep pace with growing enrollment. The projects are: a new pre-K center being built at G. Weaver Hipps Elementary, a new science building and gymnasium at Riverdale High, the restoration of the historic Fort Myers Beach Elementary, and a new K-8 school near Hector A. Cafferata Jr. Elementary. Both Cafferata and Fort Myers Beach Elementary were destroyed by the storm. Fort Myers News-Press. School board members approved a $2.77 billion budget this week that includes $77 million in “leftover” funds. Teachers are asking the district to use that money for compensation. Superintendent Christopher Bernier said he will look into the possibility of using the funds for bonuses. Lehigh Acres Citizen. WBBH.
Pasco: Promoting daily school attendance of students has been a priority for Superintendent Kurt Browning since he took office in 2012, after the national organization Attendance Works began calling attention to chronic absenteeism as a “problem hidden in plain sight.” Even with the emphasis, attendance continues to be a problem. On Sept. 1, Browning called on students and their parents to make daily attendance a priority. “When you’re in school, you’re learning new things every day,” Browning told students in a video he recorded for YouTube. “If you’re not at school, you’re missing out on that learning and, quite honestly, falling behind. … It’s a fact that students who show up more often have higher academic achievement.” Tampa Bay Times. Student absentee rates went up during the pandemic and test scores went down, suggesting a “clear association,” according to a recent analysis published by the National Center for Education Statistics. K-12 Dive.
Brevard: A Titusville woman has been arrested and is accused of firing a gun at a school bus Wednesday afternoon. Ashley Wyns, 32, of Titusville, is charged with shooting a deadly missile at a dwelling, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, exhibition of a weapon on school property and use of a weapon during a criminal offense. Police said after a girl and boy got into an argument at school that carried over onto the bus, someone called Wyns, who met the bus and tried to board it to “handle” the situation and pick up her daughter. She was turned away and returned to her car, where police said she took a shot at the bus and then drove away. WKMG. WOFL.
Volusia: A teacher at Indian River Elementary School in Edgewater has been arrested and accused of striking a 4-year-old autistic child. Police said Stacy Strnad, 48, pulled the child’s arm, causing the student a minor arm injury when it struck a bookcase. Strnad has been charged with child abuse. WESH. WFTV.
Sarasota: Ryan Chase, the principal of Brookside Middle School in Sarasota, has been named the new principal of Sarasota High School. He starts Sept. 25, replacing David Jones, who was promoted last month to the position of executive director of learning and professional development. WWSB.
Alachua: A draft of the revised district LGBTQ guide was presented at a school board meeting this week. While some speakers at the meeting pressed for greater protections for gay students, Jane Spear, president of the gay rights organization PFLAG, said, “It’s not perfect. But with the new state laws, it cannot be perfect.” Revisions were made to bring the guide into compliance with state laws. Editing will continue, board members said, before a final guide is adopted. WUFT. Clear bags will be the only ones allowed into district high school football games for the rest of this season, school officials announced this week. The change in policy comes less than two weeks after two men with guns were arrested at a high school football game in neighboring Columbia County. WCJB.
Martin: A Port St. Lucie police sergeant and four other people have been arrested and warrants have been issued for three others in connection with “a scheme to falsify records to allow high school football athletes to attend and compete for schools outside their residential boundaries,” according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. All have been charged with perjury and grand theft. Authorities said the eight fraudulently used the addresses of former and current Port St. Lucie police officers and others to claim residency in Martin County and be eligible to play football for Martin County High School during the 2022 season. TCPalm. WPEC. WPTV.
Citrus: Classes will be held Sept. 27 and Oct. 18 to make up some of the instructional time district students missed when Hurricane Idalia swept up the west coast of the state and made landfall about 100 miles north of the county last week. Schools were closed most of the week. WTSP.
Flagler: The Bunnell Elementary School principal who approved a segregated assembly for black students to discuss low standardized testing scores has resigned. Donelle Evensen, who was the district’s assistant principal of the year for 2022-2023 and had just been promoted to lead the school, and faculty member Anthony Hines were put on paid administrative leave pending the results of an investigation. Evenson said in a letter to school employees and Superintendent LaShakia Moore that she did not deserve what was happening to her. Moore said former school principal Marcus Sanfilippo will return in an interim capacity. WKMG. WJXT. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Flagler Live. WOFL. WFTV. WMFE. WESH. School board members have approved the hiring of Victor Rivera as director of the Flagler Youth Orchestra. He replaces Cheryl Tristam, who resigned July 3 after board members questioned why a bank account she and her husband had access to had never been audited. Flagler schools will fund the orchestra and provide facilities at Indian Trails Middle School. Daytona Beach News-Journal. A teacher’s aide who was badly beaten by a student at Matanzas High School in February has returned to work at a different school. Joan Naydich said she was given an ultimatum by the district to return to work or resign. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Colleges and universities: University of Florida President Ben Sasse’s 10-year plan includes earning top 10 status among U.S. universities in such fields as artificial intelligence, agriculture, and space and engineering. Other details are unknown, but Sasse said they do not include lowering tuition, cutting the number of university departments and tracking faculty who don’t teach or produce research. Gainesville Sun. UF increased its spending on research by almost 15 percent this past fiscal year, to $1.25 billion, it announced this week. Main Street Daily News. UF President Sasse has said he’s taking a “pledge of political celibacy” in running the state’s flagship school, but his appointment in February and subsequent legislation pushed through the Legislature by Gov. Ron DeSantis have made the state and UF anything but neutral territory. New York Times. New College alumni have filed a civil rights complaint against the school’s administration and trustees that alleges discrimination against “protected groups” such as LGBTQ+ students. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Recent political intervention in university presidential searches have left organizations specializing in those searches carefully considering the circumstances at an individual school before agreeing to help Florida universities find a new leader. Inside Higher Ed.
Opinions on schools: Students receiving vouchers should have to show that they are learning and if they are not, their vouchers should be in jeopardy. A famous Republican once said we should “trust but verify.” Florida’s school voucher program could use some of that common sense. Tampa Bay Times. It is true that not everyone wants to go to college, should go to college or is even prepared to go to college. But for those who do want to go and are prepared for college, the gender gap on college campuses has far-reaching consequences and it needs to be addressed. Andrew Selepak, Tampa Bay Times. This is what Miami-Dade County School Board meetings have become under the grip of Gov. DeSantis’ Florida: a cesspool of right-wing extremism. Fabiola Santiago, Miami Herald. If elected president, Gov. DeSantis would drain schools of their breadth and depth, of students’ ability to learn hard truths on all sides of an issue, of teachers’ ability to speak them. His constricted view of the world will have broad implications on the society we become, which is his goal. Americans should ask: Is that the kind of society we want? Miami Herald.
