Districts cutting back: The Lee County School District's budget for next year calls for the elimination of about 55 jobs. Superintendent Greg Adkins says higher enrollment and stagnant funding, among other things, are forcing the district to tighten spending. Fort Myers News-Press. Hillsborough County School Board members begin consideration of a consultant's report that recommends the district shed more than 1,700 jobs. The report concluded that the district has about 1,000 teachers more than comparably sized school systems. Tampa Bay Times. Polk County School Board members are told that added costs and stagnant revenue will force the district to cut spending in some areas. Lakeland Ledger. The Bay County School District's preliminary budget forecasts a deficit of $5.6 million. Superintendent Bill Husfelt says the district will cut spending or tap its reserves to cover the difference. Panama City News Herald.
Teacher pay: Florida lags behind other states in pay for early childhood teachers, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Education. The state’s child care and preschool teachers earn median salaries of $19,820 and $24,240, respectively, and many live below the poverty line. Politico Florida. AMIKids lost its contract with the Pasco County School District to teach 120 students with behavioral issues, and now its teachers are learning that they won't be paid the rest of the money they earned. Most teachers will lose almost $4,000, even though AMIKids received all its money from the district and other sources. "The money should be there," says teacher Christa Howell. "What are they doing with the additional funds?" Tampa Bay Times.
Bathroom rights: Several pastors warn the Hillsborough County School Board that if it allows students to choose which bathrooms to use and adds "gender expression" to a list of student protections, there will be repercussions at the polls. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter contracts: The former Newpoint Pinellas High gets a one-year extension of its charter from the Pinellas County School Board. The school will change its name to Pinellas Westcoast Academy High School, as it separates itself from its former operator, Newpoint Education Partners. Newpoint was indicted in Escambia County in May for grand theft, money laundering and aggravated white collar crime. Gradebook. The First Coast Technical College board of directors vote to end the school’s charter and turn the school over to the St. Johns County School District. The school has had financial and management problems. St. Augustine Record. (more…)
Football contact: The Florida High School Athletic Association is adopting guidelines to limit contact in high school football practices to 30 minutes a day during the season, and just 80 minutes a week, in an attempt to reduce the risk of injuries. During the preseason, contact would be limited to 40 minutes a day. The new rules begin Aug. 1. Tampa Bay Times. Florida Times-Union. Florida High School Football. USA Today.
Teacher bonuses: The Florida Department of Education is touting the state's Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship Program as a recruiting tool for districts. The teacher bonus plan pays up to $10,000 to new teachers who had high SAT or ACT scores. Last year 5,332 teachers qualified, and each received $8,256. Orlando Sentinel.
Opting out: Some parents who are opting their children out of the state's standardized testing are citing 1920s-era Supreme Court decisions, known as Meyer and Pierce, as legal authority. School districts that are demanding the tests have been relying on a 2005 appeals court decision, Fields vs. Palmdale School District. Gradebook.
School absences: Suspensions are down nearly 20 percent in U.S. schools, but about 10 percent of students miss at least three full weeks of school, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Education. The report also suggests that sharp disparities remain between the ways black and white students are disciplined in schools and what types of advanced coursework are offered to black and Latino high school students. Associated Press. Education Week.
Babies and test scores: Children who spend an additional week in the womb have a slightly greater chance to be gifted or achieve higher standardized test scores, according to research from the University of Florida. But children staying in the womb 41 weeks instead of the typical 40 also have a slightly higher chance to be born with physical disabilities. University of Florida. (more…)
