Plan questioned: Leaders in St. Petersburg’s black community expressed skepticism that the plan to overhaul five high-poverty elementary schools will work, and are upset that the plan was developed without their input. Members of the Concerned Organization for Quality Education for Black Students say they’ve heard promises from school officials before, but little has changed. The plan calls for… Read more »
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Florida schools roundup: District overhaul, financial literacy and more
Proposed overhaul: Pinellas County school officials announce a series of changes to address problems at several high-poverty schools in black neighborhoods of St. Petersburg. Under the plan, the district would hire a minority achievement officer, create special centers for students suspended out of school, and establish a “transformation zone” with intense support for Pinellas’ failing elementary schools that includes… Read more »
Private schools, choice, and racial exclusion
The population of students attending private schools has gotten whiter nationwide, even as the proportion of Black and Hispanic students in public schools has grown, according to a new report. But the report overlooks some compelling evidence that private school choice programs, particularly those aimed at low-income families, could mitigate the imbalance by giving more… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Education trial, higher pay, construction debt and more
Education on trial: A circuit court judge grills Education Commissioner Pam Stewart about the laws governing state vs. local control of education. Judge George Reynolds specifically wants to know who is responsible for turning around underperforming schools, the state government or the local school officials. Stewart was testifying in the nonjury civil trial in which Florida is… Read more »
This week in school choice: Saved
An archaic definition of “common schools” posed an existential threat to charter schools in Washington State. The Legislature crafted a bipartisan fix to keep them in operation. Late this week, Gov. Jay Inslee let the measure become law without his signature. For many charter-school parents, Inslee’s announcement came as a relief after months of rallies, letters and… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Testing review, a scholarship court appeal and more
Testing review: The first two weeks of computer-based standardized testing have gone well, says Education Commissioner Pam Stewart. More than 672,000 writing exams have been taken by 8th, 9th and 10th graders. The next wave of online Florida Standards Assessments test begins April 11. This week, 3rd and 4th graders are taking handwritten versions of the tests. Orlando… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Turnaround strategy, charters, uniforms and more
Turnaround strategy: A turnaround team proposes pay increases of up to $25,000 a year for teachers and administrators to work at five struggling St. Petersburg elementary schools. The team, led by Antonio Burt, also wants to lengthen the schools’ day by an hour. The proposal goes to the Pinellas County School Board April 12. The schools,… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Bright Futures, $500 bill, ethics, planning time and more
Bright Futures: A bill that allows high school students to fulfill service or religious requirements and still receive Bright Future scholarships is signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott. Gradebook. Scott also signs more than 30 other bills into law. Miami Herald. Fire-breather’s bill: Atlantic High School is being billed $500 for the fire-breather’s performance that went… Read more »
The complex simplicity of choice
The apparent simplicity of Milton Friedman’s free market model of parental choice is truly appealing. Let the parent decide. Here’s the money. Go choose. This is efficient liberty in its purest form – and so simple. Or is it? Is subsidized parental choice analogous to my easy liberty to choose Butter Brickel at Safeway, or… Read more »
Florida schools roundup: Bonuses rescinded, testing objections and more
Bonuses rescinded: The Duval County School District sends 700 notices to teachers telling them they would receive performance bonuses from the district Thursday. But an error was made, and 273 teachers who got the notices will not be getting the bonuses because they don’t qualify.The performance pay bonuses are part of Duval’s privately funded Quality Education… Read more »
