Education budget: The Florida Board of Education is requesting that the state increase per-pupil spending from $7,183 this year to $7,359 next year, with the overall budget increasing about 3.4 percent to $20.9 billion. The proposal would kill the current teachers bonuses program and create a new $43 million plan, and boost funding for Bright Futures scholarships by $29 million. If approved at today's meeting, the request goes to Gov. Rick Scott and the Legislature. News Service of Florida.

Teachers needed: More than a month after school has started, several central Florida school districts are still trying to fill almost 100 open teaching positions. Orange County has 62 openings, Lake 22 and Seminole 11. Orlando Sentinel.

Cash gift for teachers: The mayor of Parkland wants to give $25,000 of the city's money to give to teachers as a gift. With matching grants, the gift money could grow to $45,000. Sun-Sentinel.

School grades: Some Florida schools improve their grades from the state after appealing the grades they were originally given. Gradebook. Virtual schools in Florida are among those to receive final letter grades from the state. redefinED. (more…)

Enrollment growth: Florida's school population is expected to grow from 2.77 million this year to 2.9 million in the next five years, a rate that is straining the resources of many school districts. St. Johns County is growing the fastest, with a 20 percent increase expected by 2020-2021. Other districts, such as Hillsborough and Pasco, anticipate an 8 percent increase in the number of students in that time. Tampa Bay Times.

School expulsions: The Sarasota County School District expelled the second-highest number of students in Florida between 2010 and 2014. More than 350 were kicked out of school - more than Miami-Dade, Broward, Duval, Pinellas, Lee, Volusia, Charlotte, Manatee, Collier, Hernando, Indian River, Santa Rosa and St. Johns counties combined. And generally, punishment disproportionately fell on students of color. Polk County was the only school district to expel more, with 446 over five years. Sarasota-Herald-Tribune. The Miami-Dade County School District has drastically cut out-of-school suspensions with an alternative program called the Youth Engagement Program. It's an intensive counseling program for misbehaving students, with an emphasis on participation in civic activities. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The Polk County School District has cut down on the number of expulsions, from a state-high of 155 students in 2012-13 to 89 last year and only 30 so far this year. But out-of-school suspensions have gone up. Lakeland Ledger.

Smooth testing: The state's standardized testing, which ended Friday, went smoothly this year, according to the Florida Department of Education. More than 3 million computer-based exams and  650,000 written exams were taken. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. As far as state officials can determine, the percentage of third-graders who opted out of state testing declined slightly, from 0.11 percent in 2015 to 0.10 percent this year. Palm Beach Post. (more…)