Charter schools. The Naples Daily News takes a closer look at the 269 charter schools that have closed since Florida opened the door to charters in 1996. The Associated Press picks up the story.

Magnet schools. It's time for action on poor-performing charter schools in the Broward County School District. South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Career academies. The Lee County School District will beef up its career education programs under a partnership with Ford Motor Company's Next Generation Learning program. Fort Myers News Press.

School choice. Pinellas public school enrollment increases for the first time in a decade, as charter schools gain more ground and the district, after adding new choice programs, mitigates its losses. Tampa Bay Times. (Enrollment is up in the Leon County School District too. Tallahassee Democrat.)

Crist v. Scott. The Wall Street Journal rips into Charlie Crist for not denouncing the suit to kill the tax credit scholarships. By not denouncing the suit, Charlie Crist may have alienated black voters and cost himself the election. Tampa Tribune. Both pro- and anti- school choice forces are making big contributions. Sarasota Herald Tribune.

More school choice politics? The state NAACP moves to shut down the St. Petersburg branch, headed by Rev. Manuel Sykes, who happens to be at odds with the state chapter over school choice. Tampa Bay Times.

Standardized testing. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano says there's too much of it. So do some teachers and parents in Brevard. Florida Today. Despite testing angst, the Lee County School District continues to roll out the new state standards. Fort Myers News Press.

Common Core. A look at how it is changing kindergarten. Sarasota Herald Tribune.

Parents. The Alachua County School District wants to see more dads involved in their kids' education. Gainesville Sun. (more…)

Tax credit scholarships. Creative Loafing gives Charlie Crist's "evolution" on tax credit scholarships some ink after the Miami Herald story about his refusal to denounce the FSBA/FEA suit to kill them.

School choice. Private schools still serve the public good, writes William Mattox of the James Madison Institute, in an op-ed for Hernando Today. Watchdog.org notes that Fund Education Now's Kathleen Oropeza filed a motion to have the judge in the adequacy/funding/choice suit recuse herself because of Catholic ties, but doesn't note the judge granted the request.

Charter schools. The state Board of Education is moving ahead with creation of standard contracts for charter schools. Gradebook. Things are quiet in the simmering dispute between the Hillsborough County School District and Charter Schools USA. Gradebook. Duval County School Board members raise concerns about the performance of schools serving at-risk students, including several charter schools. WJCT.

Florida's progress. Florida gets A's in 3 of 11 categories in a new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce - in parental options, data quality and academic achievement for low-income and minority students.

School spending. StateImpact Florida writes up concerns that black-owned businesses aren't getting their fair share of contracts from the Miami-Dade County School District.

Testing. The Alachua County superintendent offers qualified support for the kindergarten teacher who refuses to administer a standardized test for diagnostic purposes. Gainesville Sun.

Teachers. Tension continues between the Pasco district and teachers union over planning time. Tampa Bay Times.

9/11. Middle school students in Manatee learn about victim advocate dogs. Bradenton Herald.

Tax credit scholarships. Charlie Crist, a staunch supporter of tax credit scholarships in the past, won't denounce the lawsuit filed by the FSBA and FEA to end the program. Miami Herald. The head of the Florida Association of School Administrators explains his support for the suit. Crestview News Bulletin (Hat tip: Gradebook).

School choice. A 'bumper crop of litigation' threatens school choice in Florida. Watchdog.org.

Charter schools. The West Palm Beach mayor and Palm Beach County superintendent will meet to discuss a proposed city-run charter school. Palm Beach Post.

Magnet schools. The Pasco County School District will open its first in 2015, in part to ease overcrowding concerns at other schools. Gradebook.

Virtual school. Florida Virtual School snags an area superintendent from the Orange County School District to be its COO. SchoolZone.

Single-gender classrooms. Ones in the Broward County School District are among those targeted in an ACLU complaint. South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Parents. Dads march in Daytona to show support for their children's education. Daytona Beach News Journal.

Testing. The Palm Beach County School Board opts not to opt out. South Florida Sun Sentinel. Support grows for an Alachua County kindergarten teacher who refuses to administer a standardized test used for diagnostic purposes. Gainesville Sun.

School boards. A new report looks at how much board members are paid, county by county. Gradebook. (more…)

Campaigns. Gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist campaigns with a national teachers union leader. WSVN. Miami Times. School board candidates spar over Common Core. Bradenton Herald.

Turnarounds. Pinellas schools rush to expand a pilot program aimed at helping struggling schools improve. Tampa Bay Times.

Budgets. Broward schools propose a five-year, $1.4 billion school improvement plan. Sun-Sentinel. The Brevard school district signs off on a budget with historically low tax rates. Florida Today.

Discipline. A Duval civil rights attorney argues too many Jacksonville students face criminal penalties for problems at school. Florida Times-Union.

Superintendents. Okaloosa's school chief spars with former superintedent and outgoing Senate President Don Gaetz. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Crowding. Enrollment falls in Hernando, but some schools are still short on space for students. Tampa Bay Times.

Nutrition. The Panama City News Herald looks at the quality of school lunches.

Employee conduct. A teacher of a child with autism who died as a result of child abuse faces faces professional sanctions for failing to report signs of neglect. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Teachers unions. United School Employees of Pasco complains employees are barred from gathering signatures for a grievance petition during their work day. Gradebook.

School boards. The Marion County School Board perpares to hire a staff attorney. Ocala Star-Banner.

Transportation. A Hillsborough bus driver takes a special needs student to the wrong school. Tampa Bay Times.

Textbooks. Books that did not arrive in time for the start of the school year show up in Hernando. Tampa Bay Times.

Florida's Republican governor says he wants to expand the pool of children who would qualify for the state's new personal learning accounts.

In the midst of a contentious back-and-forth over education, Gov. Rick Scott's campaign released a second-term agenda Monday morning. The Associated Press has fleshed out some details already, but one noteworthy proposal hasn't gotten much attention: A declaration that, if re-elected, the governor "will expand the list of disabilities that are eligible for the Florida Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts."

Now in their first year, the accounts are available to children in eight categories of significant special needs, including autism, cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. Scott indicated during previous campaign events that he planned to expand the accounts, but had not specified what form he hoped that expansion would take.

Education has become a central issue in the the governor's race. Former Republican Gov. Charlie Crist, who is expected to gain the Democratic nomination after Tuesday's primary, recently attacked Scott on education funding during a statewide bus tour.

Scott has responded with pledges to spend a record amount on public schools next year, followed by the more detailed education agenda released Monday. The agenda also includes an idea Crist has also endorsed: Allowing businesses to apply for tax credits if they donate to public schools. That plan is intended to mimic the state's tax credit scholarship program, which allows companies to receive tax credits if they help fund tuition for private-school students. It's not clear exactly how the idea would work in practice.

Both the tax credit scholarships and personal learning accounts are administered by scholarship funding organizations like Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.

The Crist campaign dismissed the Monday announcement, with a spokesman repeating its attacks on education cuts during Scott's first year in office to the the Miami Herald.

Charter schools. Pinellas plans to review charter contracts after a back to school "calamity" at one school. Tampa Bay Times. The Tampa Tribune editorializes in favor of a charter at MacDill Air Force Base. The first vote is coming soon on a planned municipal charter in West Palm Beach. Palm Beach Post. Charters are expected to enroll nearly 10 percent of the Palm Beach district's students in the new school year, the Post reports.

School choice. Miami-Dade's superintendent says the district is riding a "tsunami' of choice. Miami-Herald.

Dual enrollment. Daytona State College looks to boost the number of high school students taking classes. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Technology. An unexpected enrollment spike means there won't be an iPad for every student at one Lake County high school. Orlando Sentinel.

Home education. It's not back to school season for Florida's 'unschoolers.' Tampa Bay Times.

Facilities. Lee County's new lobbyist says he plans to wring more money, especially capital funding. out of the Legislature. Fort Myers News-Press.

Turnarounds. The Pinellas school district wants to expand a program that aims to increase parent involvement at struggling schools. Tampa Bay Times.

Campaigns. The Tampa Bay Times asks gubernatorial challenger Charlie Crist about education policies, including charters and choice, during a recent bus tour. It might not have been legal for him to campaign in a real school bus. Tampa Tribune. The Bradenton Herald looks at a group that aims to shake up the Manatee school board.

Superintendents. Senate President Don Gaetz debates industry certfications with the current Okaloosa County schools superintendent. Northwest Florida Daily News. More here. The Clay County Commission faces a lawsuit from the school board over an effort to switch to an appointed superintendent. Florida Times-Union. An emergency meeting on the issue is planned for today.

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Charter schools. Citing a lack of space with a building unfinished, a Pinellas charter turns away students and holds a new lottery days before school starts. Tampa Bay Times. A charter school opens in a former airport facility. Panama City News Herald. The Tampa Bay Times editorial board weighs in the Hillsborough charter school conflict.

Private schools. A new private school will cater to children with autism and other special needs. Tampa Bay Times. Elite private schools in Miami-Dade get new leadership. Miami Herald.

School choice. Do private school choice programs obliterate public school enrollment? No, Matthew Ladner writes on Jay P. Greene's Blog.

Career education. A Hernando aviation program hopes to attract more students. Tampa Bay Times.

Campaigns. Charlie Crist talks education on a statewide bus tour. Tampa Tribune. Naked Politics. WFTV. The Tampa Bay Times compares his positions with Democratic primary challenger Nan Rich. The Palm Beach PTA surveys school board candidates. Palm Beach Post. A crowded field vies for a Volusia school board seat. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Retirement. Experienced Sarasota teachers are headed for the exits. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Facilities. Hillsborough opens a new LEED-certified elementary school. Tampa Bay Times. Brevard schools upgrade their security systems. Florida Today.

Back to school. Hundreds of first-year teachers gear up in Volusia. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Miami-Dade bus drivers prepare for the new year. Miami Herald. School staring means less crowded beaches in the Panhandle. Northwest Florida Daily News. Bay County teachers collaborate. Panama City News Herald.

Teacher conduct. A teacher who came to school drunk resigns. Tampa Tribune.

Charter schools. The boards of three schools threatened with losing their charters offer to meet with Hillsborough district officials. Gradebook.

Parental choice. The parent of a child expected to benefit from a Personal Learning Scholarship Account criticizes the Florida Education Association's lawsuit against parental choice legislation in a Tallahassee Democrat guest column. The Naples Daily News looks at Charlie Crist's past positions on charter schools and tax credit scholarships.

Campaigns. A district manager for Florida Virtual School is mounting a viable campaign against a Broward school board incumbent dogged by controversy over a racial slur. Miami Herald. The Tallahassee Democrat endorses the challenger in Leon County's only contested school board race. A Hillsborough candidate faces an ethnically charged attack. Gradebook. The Daytona Beach News-Journal catches two Flagler candidates plagiarizing.

CAPE. Walton High School adds aeronautics lessons through a dual enrollment program. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Early learning. Pinellas prepares to open a district-run early learning center. Tampa Tribune.

Turnarounds. The Volusia school district focuses on three schools identified as needing intervention. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Back to school. Manatee teachers are overhauling their lessons as they get ready for new state standards. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.The Orlando Sentinel runs down what's new in Central Florida. Tampa children prepare for the new year. Tampa Tribune. A picnic helps prepare homeless students for the school year in St. Johns. St. Augustine Record. The Bradford school district is staggering start times to help kindergarteners adjust. Gainesville Sun. Duval officials christen the renamed Westside High School. Florida Times-Union.

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Charter schools. Hillsborough's superintendent tells parents the district won't close charter schools it is scrutinizing, but may take over their operations. Gradebook. An Orlando TV station airs claims, but little evidence, that charter schools are promoting "resegregation." WFTV.

CAPE. The Hernando school district prepares to launch an aerospace career academy. Tampa Bay Times. The Okaloosa school district may be among the first in the country to combine an Advanced Placement course with an industry certification course. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Parental choice. Families should have access to options like Florida's Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts, the Tampa Tribune writes in an editorial.

Campaigns. A Manatee school board candidate is accused of mimicking a logo of a district facility in her campaign materials. Bradenton Herald. The Florida Times-Union profiles a four-way school board race in Duval. The Tampa Tribune profiles a four-way race in Hillsborough. Pinellas candidates' "claws came out" during a recent Tiger Bay meeting. Tampa Tribune.

Common Core. Gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist says the state should pause accountability measures while the new standards take effect. StateImpact.

Closures. The Palm Beach school board considers closing schools that are below capacity. Sun-Sentinel.

Superintendents. Hillsborough's superintendent gets high ratings from the school board. Tampa Tribune.

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Personal Learning Scholarship Accounts. The Orlando Sentinel takes an in-depth look at the newest education option for special needs students.

Lawsuits. Parents of children with special needs ask to be allowed to join the state in defending Florida's new school choice law. WFSU. Saint Petersblog. Gradebook.

Charter schools. The backers of a charter school at MacDill Air Force Base try again with a new application. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune. The Hillsborough superintendent threatens to close three charter schools with the same operator. WTSP. Gradebook.

Campaigns. The Pinellas school district asks gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist to pull an ad shot at one of its schools. Tampa Tribune. The Buzz. WTSP. School board candidates debate in Pinellas and Brevard. Tampa Bay Times. Florida Today.

Back to school. New choice programs will be available to Pinellas students when school starts again. Tampa Bay Times. New standards will change the way students learn in the coming year. Tampa Bay Times. The Martin County district sets up a "university" to inform parents about policy changes. Palm Beach Post. A sales tax holiday starts today. Tampa Bay Times. Ocala Star-Banner.

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