Class size changes: A proposal is filed with the Constitution Revision Commission that would make it easier for school districts to comply with the 2002 amendment capping class sizes, and redirect all savings toward increasing teacher pay to the national average. Patricia Levesque, CEO of the Foundation for Excellence in Education and a member of the commission, made the proposal to would allow schools to average out the number of students rather than require them to have a maximum number in each class. If the commission approves the proposal, it would appear on the November 2018 and have to receive 60 percent support to go into effect. News Service of Florida. Gradebook.

Back-to-school tax holiday: Gov. Rick Scott is proposing a 10-day back-to-school tax holiday as part of the $180 million tax cut package in his budget. The holiday, which would run from July 27 to Aug. 5, 2018, would apply to clothing, shoes, school supplies and some computers and accessories. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. Naples Daily News and Fort Myers News-Press. Sunshine State News.

H.B. 7069 lawsuit: Florida school officials will hold a series of workshops this week to work on a draft rule for the "Schools of Hope" provision in H.B. 7069. The Department of Education is proposing to loosen the requirements by which a charter school company can be designated a "hope operator," which could then open a school within 5 miles of a persistently struggling traditional public school. Politico Florida. Miami-Dade County School Board chairman Lawrence Feldman wants to set a Jan. 16 deadline for the Legislature to amend the state's new education law, H.B. 7069. If lawmakers don't act, Miami-Dade would then join other districts in the suit challenging the constitutionality of the law. The school board is expected to vote on the proposal next week. WLRN.  (more…)