Legislature and education: A bill that creates more educational options for students with special needs is the first to clear the Florida Senate. Tallahassee Democrat. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. WFSU. Politico Florida. A bill that would allow students to use computer coding to fulfill any foreign language requirement passes a second committee in the Florida Senate. Unresolved are worries that it creates an unfunded mandate. Politico Florida. Gradebook. The House budget chairman, Erik Fresen, R-Miami, joins senators to discuss the teacher bonuses program he helped create. Renewal of the program, which some say discriminates against older and minority teachers, faces opposition in the House and Senate. Gradebook. More than 31,000 Florida students are in classes that are too big, according to the state's class size law. Discussions on tightening the rules on the way class sizes are computed will be held in the Senate today. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach, files a bill that would give local school districts more autonomy over financing, curriculum and operations. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Federal help sought: The Miami-Dade School District is asking the federal government for financial help to educate students who have arrived from Cuba and those expected to arrive soon. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho says an extra $40 million is needed. Miami Herald.
Teachers rally: More than 2,000 teachers are expected to rally at the state Capitol today to protest statewide education policies. Tampa Bay Times. Fort Myers News-Press. (more…)
Au revoir to French?: A bill filed by State Sen. Jeremy Ring, D-Parkland, would alter the requirements for Bright Futures scholarships from two years of a foreign language to two years of computer coding. Tallahassee Democrat.
School choice bills: Several school choice bills have been filed for the next legislative session. One, by State Rep. Chris Sprowls, R-Clearwater, would allow schools with openings to accept students from other counties. Gradebook.
Charter enrollment flattens: Wild growth in charter school enrollment in Duval County is tailing off. After years of double-digit percentage increases, growth is just 1.5 percent this year. Florida Times-Union.
School testing: Maryland is looking into the use of standardized testing and the company that provides most of it, NSC Pearson. It is a leading test company nationwide, though it has lost contracts with Florida and several other states. Maryland Reporter. The highest pass rates in Advanced Placement class exams by black Florida students are in French, art and psychology. Bridge to Tomorrow. (more…)
Vitti
Charter school debate. Interesting debate in Duval over the performance of charter schools. Says new superintendent Nikolai Vitti, according to the Florida Times Union: “I want the conversation in Florida and in Jacksonville to shift toward what’s best for kids, what’s best for communities, and not a conversation driven by ideology. The conversation in Florida regarding charters has been too focused and dominated by ideology and not data.”
More paths to graduation. Sen. John Legg, R-New Port Richey, says the ed policy committee will look at expanding the list of courses that can satisfy graduation requirements and find ways to make 11th and 12th grades more meaningful, reports Gradebook.
Disabled students. The Hillsborough school district asks for dismissal of a case involving the death of a disabled 7-year-old on a school bus. Tampa Bay Times. More from the Tampa Tribune. New school board chair April Griffin says finding solutions to the district’s problems with disabled students is a top priority, the Tribune also reports.
More class size. Alachua County is one of the districts most out of compliance, reports the Gainesville Sun. So is Marion County, reports the Ocala Star Banner.
From ports to … education? Democrats criticize Gov. Rick Scott’s position on a pending strike by Florida port workers, then pivot to get in a word about education funding. The Buzz.
Synthetic marijuana. School officials in Santa Rosa see progress in a crackdown on students who use “spice.” Pensacola News Journal.
Ed stories to watch in 2013. StateImpact Florida.
