‘Schools of hope’: Just 11 struggling Florida schools are designated “schools of hope” by the Florida Board of Education. More than 50 schools applied, and the state’s new education law set aside about $52 million to provide extra funding to as many as 25 schools. Each of the 11 schools will get $2,000 extra per… Read more »
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A closer look at Orlando Sentinel story on Florida school choice programs
Quick summary: The Orlando Sentinel identified some legitimate issues that deserve fixes but also distorted the overall effectiveness of the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship and participating schools by omitting crucial information and context. The full body of evidence does not support the newspaper’s characterization of the system as broken – in fact, just the opposite…. Read more »
Orlando Sentinel unfairly targets school serving low-income, Hispanic students
Note: See a detailed response to the Orlando Sentinel from Step Up For Students here and a quick summary here. Step Up helps administer Florida’s Gardiner and Tax Credit Scholarship programs, and publishes this blog. One of the schools singled out by the Orlando Sentinel’s investigation of private school scholarship programs was founded by a… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Scholarship oversight, tests, charter ban and more
Scholarship oversight: Florida’s school scholarship programs serve about 140,000 students and redirect almost $1 billion a year to private schools, but state regulation of those schools is so weak that many employ teachers who aren’t college graduates, falsify safety records but continue to stay in business, and fail to educate students without suffering the consequences public… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: H.B. 7069 lawsuit, amendments, safety and more
H.B. 7069 suit filed: The lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the new state education law, H.B. 7069, has been filed in a Leon County circuit court. Thirteen school districts are suing over the law, which requires districts to share local property tax money with charter schools but limits the authority local boards have over those… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Waiting for aid, blaming the abused, displaced and more
Still waiting for aid: Thirteen years after Hurricane Ivan hit Florida, the Escambia County School District is still waiting to hear about claims it filed with FEMA. The district’s not alone. A review of claims shows that dozens are still pending from Ivan, Katrina and other storms that have affected the state and its schools… Read more »
Hurricanes leave uncertainty in Florida school enrollment
By Lloyd Dunkelberger News Service of Florida The impact of hurricanes may be a complicating factor as lawmakers try to figure out how many students are in Florida’s public schools this year and how many might show up next year. An enrollment estimate will be critical as the Legislature creates a roughly $24 billion public-school… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Displaced students, budgets, charters and more
Displaced students: Almost 300 students from Puerto Rico already have enrolled in Orange County schools, and officials anticipate hundreds – if not thousands – more will follow. The district also has hired some bilingual Puerto Rican teachers and plans to hire more. Orlando Sentinel. The 74. The chairman of the Osceola County School Board thinks as… Read more »
Florida charter school conversions get lawmaker attention
Christian Steen told a Florida House panel about the changes at his school this year. Students have new uniforms. A new culinary arts program has them thinking about job skills. The new principal, Cory Oliver, has boosted morale. “He’s able to connect with the kids, and now everything is running smoothly,” Steen said. “The students… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Bright Futures, trafficking, makeup days and more
In the Legislature: A bill that would make the one-year expansion of Bright Futures scholarships permanent gets the approval of the Senate Education Committee. S.B. 4 was filed by Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, and would provide full and partial college scholarships to more than 100,000 students. Sunshine State News. Politico Florida. Miami Herald. News Service… Read more »
