Report cards: Palm Beach County second-graders won't see traditional A-F grades on report cards this year as the district moves toward a standard-based system. Sun Sentinel.

Charter schools: There are already 40 charter schools in Palm Beach County, serving 12,000 students, with another 11 set to open this fall. Palm Beach Post.

More magnets: Palm Beach County school board members want more arts high school and middle school magnet programs. Palm Beach Post.

Tony Bennett: Indiana school officials continue to investigate school grading manipulation that could result in changes to that state's system created by Tony Bennett. Associated Press.

Back to school: One of Central Florida's largest back-to-school events, which has drawn 30,000 people, will be held this year at the Citrus Bowl. Orlando Sentinel. 

FCAT: "Don't, don't, don't focus on the FCAT," Pasco County schools Superintendent Kurt Browning tells the staff at Lacoochee Elementary, a D school tapped by the state for a turnaround. "I don't care about FCAT. I don't." Tampa Bay Times.

Teacher conduct: A special-education specialist fired for her role in a high-profile scandal is reinstated by the Miami-Dade School Board. Miami Herald. Another Manatee County school administrator is placed on paid leave during an ongoing investigation into a former football coach accused of groping students. The Tampa Tribune. More from the Bradenton Herald.

Library cuts: The Miami-Dade School Board may open some of the district’s libraries after hours to offset the closure of some 14 facilities. Miami Herald. (more…)

Charter schools. A new charter opening in Broward this fall will offer blended learning. THE Journal. The Imagine in Pasco offers an expanded expansion request. Gradebook.

Magnet schools. The Palm Beach district is speeding up its annual lottery process. Palm Beach Post.

Single-gender schools. The Palm Beach district finds a new home for an all-boys academy. Palm Beach Post.

School choice. Orange will allow students at overcrowded schools to transfer to less-crowded schools. Orlando Sentinel. Okaloosa is ending a horticulture program at one of its high school in part because of lack of interest. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Dual enrollment. The Bradenton Herald writes up the potential effect on Manatee of the Legislature's cost shift to districts.

NAEP. Scores for older students remain at the same level they were 40 years ago, but achievement is trending up for younger, minority students. Associated Press.

Science. The vast majority of commenters during a review period want Florida to adopt Next Generation Science Standards. Orlando Sentinel.

Jeb Bush. His Foundation for Florida's Future issues its annual legislative report card.

Rick Scott. In a discussion with teachers of the year from around the state, he stresses increased funding for education. Palm Beach Post. More from the Tallahassee Democrat.

School spending. The Pinellas school board turns down the idea of contracting its police force out to the sheriff's office, even though it might save money. Gradebook. More from the Tampa Tribune.

Superintendents. Brevard's Brian Binggeli gets a positive eval and an offer of a three-year contact. Florida Today.

Charter schools. They're becoming more involved in the political process, reports the Florida Times Union. The Bradenton Herald takes a look at the challenges ahead for Rowlett Elementary, the Bradenton magnet that's becoming a charter school. So does the Sarasota Herald Tribune. (Sidebar on other charter school conversions here.) The fledgling Ben Gamla charterschool  in Pinellas closes because of a dispute with its national board, reports the Tampa Bay Times. The Lake Wales Charter School system has more than 400 students on a waiting list for its middle school, prompting debate how to expand, reports the Lakeland Ledger.

Dual enrollment. Districts are chafing at having to pick up the tab, reports the Tampa Bay Times. More from the Northwest Florida Daily News.

School choice. The lottery process will be a topic for discussion at a school choice summit in Palm Beach County. Extra Credit.

Common Core. Training helps teachers instill love of math, reports StateImpact Florida. It's clear, concise and good for kids, says a teacher at a high-poverty school in this column by Karin Choweth at Ed Trust (H/T Tampa Bay Times).

Testing. The Happy Scientist raises questions about the science FCAT. Miami Herald.

Humanities. Don't forget them amidst the growing emphasis on STEM. Tampa Bay Times.

School technology. Hillsborough teachers like BYOD. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)

Charter schools: Pembroke Pines city leaders release a privatization plan for its charter schools system that could result in hundreds of teachers losing their jobs. Miami Herald. The city plans to contract with Charter Schools USA for $10 million a year to operate the system. Sun-Sentinel.

School grades: Education officials from across the state head to Tampa today to talk with Board of Education members about the state's school-grading formula. Miami Herald.

Budget cuts: Lake County School Board members on Monday discussed changing school start times and cutting courtesy busing to fill a $16.3 million budget shortfall for next fiscal year. Orlando Sentinel.

Prison: Former Rosarian Academy teacher Stephen Budd faces a life in prison surrounding allegations that he traded candy for sex with 9-year-old students. Palm Beach Post.

Lawsuit: Palm Beach County schools sues the city of West Palm Beach for unpaid stormwater fees. Palm Beach Post.

Tony: Education Commissioner Tony Bennett talks Common Core, charter schools, teacher quality and more. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)

Going charter: An overwhelming number of parents and teachers voted in favor of converting Rowlett Magnet Elementary in Bradenton into a charter school. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. More from the Bradenton Herald.

Job cuts: Plans to cut and downgrade Polk County school district positions are put on hold. Ledger.

Budget fix: Residents tell a local newspaper how Polk County schools can offset its $12.7 million shortfall. One common solution: eliminate school board salaries. Ledger.

Black males: Broward County looks to figure out how to boost academic success of young black boys. Miami Herald.

Disney ED: Broward County schools hopes the Disney Institute can help the South Florida district make its schools a more pleasant place for students, parents, and district employees. Miami Herald.

In debt: Palm Bay Academy charter school in Brevard County is $12.2 million in debt and way behind on bond payments. Florida Today.

High demand: Sarasota County Technical Institute gets a new precision-machining lab that will help the school train students for high-skilled manufacturing jobs. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Music man: Flagler Beach music teacher Rodney Harshbarger is up for a national award. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Outsourcing: Volusia County school district looks at using a private company for groundskeeper services to help plug a $19 million shortfall. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Common Core: A quick primer on the new national education standards that have divided conservatives and created a backlash of criticism. Miami Herald.

Bang for the buck. Florida's education system gets a lot of it. Florida Watchdog.

Charter schools. Broward sees its eighth charter school close this year, raising questions about accountability, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel. The Imagine charter schools network will close its struggling elementary school in Pinellas, but keep its middle school open, reports Gradebook. The C-rated Athenian Academy charter school in Pasco is suing the school district for barring its plans to grow enrollment, reports the Tampa Bay Times.

Career education. A Pasco student in Wiregrass Ranch High's information technology career academy highlights the potential of choice and career education. Tampa Bay Times. The Tampa Tribune writes up the changes in graduation requirements that put more value on career education.

Dual enrollment. The Palm Beach County school district and Palm Beach State College are hoping to hash out an agreement over dual enrollment costs in the wake of a legislative change. Palm Beach Post.

FCAT. More results coming this week. Gradebook. (more…)

Tony Bennett. Interview with Alexander Russo.

School choice. Pasco Superintendent Kurt Browning is forming a high-level task force to examine expansion of district options, reports Gradebook. Miami-Dade is planning to expand its partnership with the academically rigorous Cambridge program from 20 programs in 16 schools to 100 programs in 86, reports the Miami Herald.

Charter schools. Manatee district officials stress the downside to parents considering the conversion of a magnet school to a charter school, reports the Bradenton Herald. More from the Sarasota Herald Tribune. A proposed Somerset Academy charter school, initially shot down by the Palmetto Bay Village Council, will be reconsidered. Miami Herald.

School spending. Florida ranks among the lowest per-pupil. StateImpact Florida. Associated Press.

School grading. Maine, don't hide your problems. EdFly Blog. Here's the message a second time, from former Board of Education Chairmen Phil Handy and T. Willard Fair in an op-ed for the Bangor Daily News.

School security. Wellington High in Palm Beach County bans backpacks in the wake of an alleged bomb threat, reports the Palm Beach Post. Orange will begin screening students with metal detectors after a high school student is arrested with a loaded gun in his backpack, reports the Orlando Sentinel. (more…)

Kiera Wilmot. Prosecutors won't file criminal charges against Kiera Wilmot, the Polk County student who has become a cause celebre after igniting a small chemical explosion on school grounds, reports the Lakeland Ledger. Beth Kassab says the arrest took things way too far. In the aftermath, neighboring Orange will get clarification on its zero tolerance policies, reports SchoolZone. Huffington Post op-ed: "Five ways to stop a black scientist."

Online learning. Privatization, everywhere. Bradenton Herald.

School choice. A private transportation option - at $1,350 annually per student - has emerged for students in Brevard's district choice schools, reports Florida Today.  The Palm Beach County school board is urged to move ahead with plans to create an all-boys middle school, reports the Palm Beach Post.

School administration. Pinellas Superintendent Mike Grego shuffles the team at the top. Gradebook.

School uniforms. The Volusia school board plans to again discuss the possibility - for students and teachers. Daytona Beach News Journal. (more…)

Charter schools. Excel Leadership Academy in West Palm Beach makes its case to stay open before an administrative law judge, reports Extra Credit. The Daytona Beach News Journal looks at a struggling charter in Flagler.

Virtual schools. The Palm Beach Post looks at the potential financial hit to Florida Virtual School from recent legislative changes. Education Week offers a short write-up on Florida's online expansion.

School rankings. Take some with a grain of salt, some with a truckload, writes Matt Di Carlo at the Shanker Blog. Three Marion high schools are among the best in U.S. News & World Report, reports the Ocala Star Banner.

School closures. Dozens rally against proposed closures in Brevard. Florida Today.

School spending. Increased funding from the Legislature still may not be enough to get Marion out of a hole, reports the Ocala Star Banner. The school board in financially troubled Manatee takes a closer-than-usual look at contracts and spending, reports the Bradenton Herald.

Teacher evals. The Quick & The Ed offers a legal analysis of the recently filed lawsuit. (more…)

Parent trigger. Citing anonymous sources, Sunshine State News says Gov. Rick Scott helped kill parent trigger. Five GOP senators tell The Buzz he had nothing to do with it. Arne Duncan sorta kinda maybe a wee little bit endorses the concept of parent trigger, notes This Week In Education. Parents would have been at the mercy of for-profit charters because "parents of students in failing schools don’t necessarily have the skill sets to develop corrective plans," writes Florida Voices columnist Rick Outzen.

Tutoring. Lawmakers, including Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, try but fail to keep the mandated program for low-income kids after all. Tampa Bay Times.

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School doesn't get as much as it expected due to funding changes. Times/Herald.

Turnaround schools. An attempt to restaff a struggling Pasco elementary school doesn't draw many applicants beyond existing teachers. Tampa Bay Times.

Private schools. A Christian school in Orlando plans to begin drug testing students. Orlando Sentinel.

Charter schools. The City of Cape Coral Charter School System has a new superintendent. Fort Myers News Press.

Teacher pay. Teachers won't have to wait for raises, reports the Tampa Bay Times and Tallahassee Democrat. Lawmakers ultimately do the right thing, writes the Tallahassee Democrat. (more…)