Bullying scholarship verification: The Florida Department of Education is advising school districts not to verify students' bullying claims before deciding whether to award them Hope Scholarships to attend different public schools or private schools. Doing so would violate state law, the DOE told superintendents in a memo that also warned that "any district that is adding this requirement is in violation of statute and administrative rule and will be dealt with according to law.” The Pasco County School District, which had announced it was considering verifying incidents before offering the scholarship, has abandoned that idea. Gradebook.
Teachers protest: Teachers around the state rallied Monday for more financial support for schools from the Legislature. The “fund our future” events were organized by the Florida Education Association, the state's largest teachers union. The union wants a boost in per-student spending of $743, or about 10 percent, to better fund schools and would allow higher pay to combat the shortage of teachers statewide. The 60-day legislative session begins today, and Gov. Ron DeSantis will deliver his State of the State message at 11 a.m. Orlando Sentinel. Keynoter. Florida Phoenix. Florida Politics. WKMG. WINK. Daytona Beach News-Journal. (more…)
Education agenda: Gov. Ron DeSantis and legislative leaders outline an ambitious agenda for reshaping education in the legislative session that begins March 5. DeSantis says his budget, due next week to the Legislature, will include changes in the Best and Brightest program for teacher bonuses and will allow willing teachers to carry guns in classrooms. Senate President Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, suggests the Legislature will also consider cutting the number of mandatory standardized tests and adding funding for teacher pay raises as a way to address the shortage of teachers. Orlando Sentinel. Tallahassee Democrat. WUFT.
Workforce training: Gov. DeSantis also said Wednesday that he intends to improve Florida schools' U.S. ranking in career and technical training programs from 24th to 1st by 2030. His first step was to order Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran to audit the state's current programs and make recommendations that will bring them "in line with market demand." DeSantis says his budget request to the Legislature will include $10 million for workforce apprenticeships and $26 million on vocational programs in state colleges. Gradebook. WTVT. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. WFLA. (more…)
Bright Futures: A bill that would make the expansion of Bright Futures scholarships permanent passes a Florida Senate committee and is headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee next month. S.B. 4, filed by state Sen. Bill Galvano, R-Bradenton, provides full funding for tuition and fees and summer classes to Bright Futures academics scholars, plus $300 for books. Bright Futures scholars must have a 3.5 GPA and score a 1,290 on the SAT test or a 29 on the ACT. The bill also covers 75 percent of the expenses for medallion scholars. Sunshine State News.
Help for states: The U.S. Education Department is making $2 million available for Florida officials to help students and educators who were affected by several devastating hurricanes. The money will go to the Florida Department of Education for mental health assessments; overtime pay for teachers, counselors and law enforcement; substitute teachers; and emergency transportation. The U.S. department has already awarded the Texas Education Agency $2 million, and the Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands education departments also will get $2 million each. U.S. News & World Report. The 74.
ESSA plan questioned: Civil rights and education groups are lobbying U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to reject Florida's plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In a letter to DeVos, the groups allege Florida's plan does not protect minority, disabled and low-income students and those who are learning English. "ESSA plans that allow schools to shirk their responsibility to all children, especially groups of children who have been shortchanged for too long, fail to meet the intent of the law and should be rejected," the letter states. Gradebook. Politico Florida. Education Week.
Teacher bonuses: Each Florida school district will be responsible for determining the eligibility of teachers for state bonuses under the "Best & Brightest" teacher bonuses program, the Department of Education says. The program was redefined as part of the new education bill, H.B. 7069, which also calls for $1,200 payments to teachers rated "highly effective," up to $800 for those rated "effective," plus bonuses for those teachers who scored in the top 20 percent on the SAT or ACT test. Teachers are expected to receive the bonuses April 1. Principals are also eligible for bonuses for the first time, but the state has yet to say how that program will work. Miami Herald.
H.B. 7069: Orange County School Board members informally say they are likely to join the lawsuit against the new state education law, H.B. 7069. All eight members support the suit, saying the law infringes on the authority of school boards and could hurt students. The board expects to take an official, binding vote next week. Orlando Sentinel. WMFE. Florida Senate President Joe Negron, R-Stuart, has removed state Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, from his assignment as chairman of a Senate budget subcommittee for pre-K-12 education. Replacing him is first-term Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples. Simmons angered many Republican leaders by voting against the House's top priority, H.B. 7069. Negron denies the change was made as punishment. Gradebook. Naples Daily News. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. Simmons says he plans to remain involved in education issues. Gradebook.
Eclipse schedules: School districts around the state are deciding if their students will be permitted to view the solar eclipse Monday, and if they will be, how they might do so safely. Sun-Sentinel. Gradebook. WPLG. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Bradenton Herald. Ocala Star-Banner. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Flagler Live. WFTV. Florida Today. WQAM. Panama City News Herald. Lakeland Ledger. WJAX. WFLA. WTSP.
Budget priorities: Preliminary education budget numbers from the Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee include a big bump for student uniforms and a big cut in teacher bonuses. The optional districtwide K-8 student uniforms program is budgeted for $14 million, up from $3.75 million a year ago. The Best and Brightest teacher bonuses program, which received $48 million last year, is tentatively budgeted for $13.95 million. Subcommittee chairman Rep. Manny Diaz, R-Hialeah, has told committee members that millions of dollars need to be cut from the budget for schools, and that no program should be considered off-limits. Gradebook.
A teacher's Oscar: Lukas Hefty, the magnet program coordinator at Douglas L. Jamerson Elementary in St. Petersburg, is one of 35 U.S. educators to win a 2016-17 Milken Educator Award, which is often called the "Oscars of Teaching." Hefty is the only educator from Florida selected. He wins $25,000 and will attend a Milken educator forum in New Orleans in March. Tampa Bay Times. WUSF.
False addresses: An investigation reveals that 97 addresses given by Calusa Elementary School parents and guardians are questionable and need to be checked further. About 370 students are scheduled to be rezoned out of Calusa's boundaries to ease overcrowding, and many parents have long suspected that some students are there because they use false addresses. The Palm Beach County School District has not said what its next step will be. Sun-Sentinel.
District rezoning: Almost 1,000 students in Seminole County will change schools in August to relieve overcrowding at six elementary schools: Highlands, Keeth, Lake Mary, Layer, Winter Springs and Woodlands. Public hearings on the boundary changes are Tuesday and Jan. 24. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)
Teacher evaluations: Orange County teachers and school officials agree on a new evaluation process that will drastically increase the number of teachers earning a "highly effective" rating. Teachers need that rating to be eligible for bonuses under the state's Best and Brightest program. Only 2.4 percent of the district's 13,000 teachers received highly effective ratings in the 2014-2015 school year. With the changes, as many as 78 percent will. Orlando Sentinel. Not a single Orange or Seminole county teacher will receive an unsatisfactory rating for the 2015-2016 school year. Orlando Sentinel.
Teacher pay raises: The Palm Beach County School Board approves an average 3 percent pay raise for the district's teachers. Most of the district's 13,000 teachers will get at least $1,300 more, and some could get as much as $1,700. Starting pay increases slightly from $40,775 to $41,000. The union still has to ratify the agreement. Sun-Sentinel.
Teacher job security: Pasco County School Superintendent Kurt Browning says the move by some districts to guarantee annual contract renewals to teachers with effective or highly effective ratings goes against the legislative intent when tenure was ended. Gradebook. (more…)
Board actions: The Florida Board of Education approves a budget request of $20.9 billion for the state's K-12 schools. The request, which now goes to Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature, calls for a 3.4 percent increase in overall spending and a 2.5 percent boost in per-pupil spending. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. The board approves a proposal to end the $49 million Best and Brightest teacher bonuses plan. In its place would be a $43 million recruitment and retention program. Tampa Bay Times. Orlando Sentinel. The board also approves rules that tie charter school facilities funding to the types of students they serve. redefinED. Politico Florida. Board members are enthusiastic about the Department of Education's strategic plan that sets a goal of a 6- or 7-point increase in state test scores by students by 2020. Gradebook. Politico Florida. Turnaround plans for eight struggling Polk County schools are tabled by the board while 40 others are conditionally approved. Members say the Polk plans were submitted too late for proper review, and will be considered at the Oct. 26 meeting. Lakeland Ledger. Politico Florida.
Mediation for Duval: The Duval County School Board is considering hiring a mediator to resolve its differences with Superintendent Nikolai Vitti. Board chairwoman Ashley Smith Suarez has accused Vitti of being untruthful with the board and not being aggressive enough in trying to close the achievement gap between white and minority students. Florida Times-Union. Can mediation work after a year of crumbling relationships? Experts say it could, but everyone involved has to buy in to the process. Florida Times-Union.
School elections: A TV ad attacking his opponent is creating problems for Leon County Superintendent Jackie Pons. The ad focuses on a 2013 paternity lawsuit filed against Pons' opponent, Rocky Hanna. Several prominent members of Pons' re-election team have resigned over the ad, which they call an embarrassment. Tallahassee Democrat.
Opt-out promotions: Nine-year-old Broward County twins who opted out of the Florida Standards Assessments testing are promoted to fourth grade. Their mother, Brandy Paternoster, was one of the parents suing the state and several school districts over retention policies for students who choose not to take the tests. Sun-Sentinel. (more…)
Civil rights complaint: A federal civil rights complaint is filed against the Pinellas County School District. The Southern Poverty Law Center charges that the district punishes black students and students with disabilities more often and more harshly than it does white students. The organization is asking the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate. Southern Poverty Law Center. Huffington Post.
School closings: Many Florida school districts, including all in the Big Bend area, decide to close today as a tropical system nears the state. Some will also close Friday. Tallahassee Democrat. WFSU. WUSF. WTXL. Citrus County Chronicle. WFTV. WJHG. WWSB. WTSP. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Panama City News Herald. St. Augustine Record. Bradenton Herald.
Act of kindness: Bo Paske, who is autistic, usually sits alone at lunch in the Montford Middle School cafeteria. But this week, Florida State wide receiver Travis Rudolph was visiting the Tallahassee school, saw Bo alone at lunch and joined him. “I'm not sure what exactly made this incredibly kind man share a lunch table with my son, but I'm happy to say that it will not soon be forgotten,” Bo's mom Leah Paske wrote on Facebook. Tallahassee Democrat. Associated Press. Fox News. Tampa Bay Times.
Turnaround plans: Three of the five Polk County School District's plans to turn around struggling middle schools are approved by the Florida Board of Education. But the state says a condition of the approval is that it gets to remove teachers it deems as unsatisfactory. The board says new principals and teachers are needed at Lake Alfred-Addair and Westwood, and told the district to submit updated plans for those schools by Sept. 23. Lakeland Ledger. (more…)
Retention hearing: Parents from around the state testify in a hearing to determine if the state's retention policy for third-graders is legal. The law calls for the retention of third-graders who don't pass the state reading test or refuse to take it. The 14 parents suing the state and six school districts say retention should be based on a child's readiness for fourth grade and teacher recommendations, not on the results of a test. Rocco Testani, an attorney for the Florida Department of Education, says "this is a potential undermining of the entire assessment and accountability system." Leon County Judge Karen Gievers did not rule on a request to allow about a dozen students to be promoted immediately. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. WFSU.
Day 1 and Zika: The first day of school in Miami-Dade County included a new ritual - bug spray to guard against the Zika virus. Miami Herald. Broward and Palm Beach students are not in the Zika zone, like Miami-Dade, but they are receiving insect repellent and tips on preventing the spread of the Zika virus. Sun-Sentinel. Opening day is smooth for Broward and Sarasota county schools. Sun-Sentinel. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
District loses lawsuit: A judge has ruled that while the Polk County School Board can decide whether to ask voters to renew an extra half-cent in the sales tax for capital projects, the county has the power to decide when the election will be held. The board does not want the measure on the Nov. 8 ballot, which the county was planning on doing, and meets today to consider its options. Lakeland Ledger.
Teacher bonuses: Florida school districts are cautious when determining eligibility for the state's Best and Brightest teacher bonuses, even after a recent ruling in Sarasota County that a noninstructional speech pathologist should be eligible for the bonus. Sumter County recently asked the Florida Department of Education for guidance, and was told the bonuses were "only for classroom teachers." Gradebook. (more…)
