Issues for BOE: In its only meeting before the legislative sessions begins March 5, the Florida Board of Education urges lawmakers to boost funding for armed security and mental health services in schools, and to give districts greater flexibility on how they deploy the guardian program that arms school staff. Also, new Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran wants to streamline the application process for Hope Scholarships for bullied students, and said unused funds could be redirected into other programs, and Escambia Superintendent Malcolm Thomas pleaded for more help for districts that were devastated by Hurricane Michael. Gradebook. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. Pensacola News Journal. BOE members say they could consider differentiated pay to help address the teacher shortage. WFSU. Corcoran will be paid $276,000 a year, the same as his predecessor Pam Stewart. Associated Press.
School closings expected: Bay County School Superintendent Bill Husfelt says a loss of students and the repair bills for schools damaged by Hurricane Michael last October will force the closing of some schools. The district has lost nearly 2,500 students, a number that could increase to 4,700, and faces repair bills of up to $300 million. Husfelt says most of the closings will be elementary schools. “Financially, we just can’t afford to keep all of our schools open at the low level some of them are at, so we’re going to have to make some decisions," he says. Panama City News Herald. (more…)
FSA test results: Florida students improved their test scores in the state's math, science and social studies exams, and in reading in some grades, according to results released Thursday by the Florida Department of Education. The Florida Standards Assessments measure reading and math for students in grades 3-12, science for 5th- and 8th-graders and end-of-course exams in biology, civics and U.S. history. Test results also show a narrowing of the achievement gap between white and nonwhite students in language arts, algebra 1 and geometry. Testing results are part of the formula used to assign grades to individual schools and districts. Orlando Sentinel. Sun-Sentinel. Bridge to Tomorrow. Florida Department of Education. More reports on how school districts around the state did in the testing. Ocala Star-Banner. Palm Beach Post. TCPalm. Tampa Bay Times. Gradebook. WJXT. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Gainesville Sun. Space Coast Daily.
Proposed tax hikes: If the Palm Beach County School Board agrees to the placement of a property tax increase on the November ballot, it would be the third school tax increase voters have been asked to approve in the past four years. This time, the request is for an extra $1 per $1,000 of taxable property value, which would be used for teacher salaries, school security and mental health care. The tax is projected to raise $200 million a year for four years. The board vote is scheduled Wednesday. Sun-Sentinel. A school tax referendum in Hillsborough County is likely to be delayed beyond November because it might take up to eight months or longer to get the financial audit that is now required by the state before voters can be asked to approve an increase in taxes. District officials say when they contacted the Legislature's Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability to request the audit, they were told there might be a six-month wait and that the results would have to be posted for two months before a vote could take place. Tampa Bay Times.
