Stewart resigns: Pam Stewart, Florida's education commissioner, submits her resignation effective Jan. 8 as rumors swirl around Tallahassee that former House Speaker Richard Corcoran is Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis' choice to replace her. Stewart has been education commissioner since 2013. She announced last year that she would retire when Gov. Rick Scott left office. But two months ago, the Florida Board of Education asked her to stay another year and she agreed. Tuesday, in her resignation letter, Stewart wrote: "There has never been a better time to be a student in Florida, which makes it a good time to hand over the reins so that someone can take our students to the next level of opportunity and success." News Service of Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. Politico Florida. Florida Phoenix.
Superintendent selection: Manatee County School Board members are interested in erasing the word interim from the title of Superintendent Cynthia Saunders. They say they've been impressed with how Saunders has handled several crises since stepping in for the departed Diana Greene, and will draft a contract extension for her that they hope to vote on Dec. 11. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. (more…)
Charter lawsuits: An administrative law judge rules that the Florida Department of Education can withhold money from charter schools for construction and maintenance if they receive an F grade or two straight grades below C from the state. Charter school officials challenged the state's rules, claiming DOE officials had overstepped their legal authority. News Service of Florida. For the Palm Beach County School Board, fighting the education bill in court is progression in the district's ongoing battle against charter schools. The district has lost several cases to charters recently, but is likely to have other districts on its side this time. Several have announced a plan to sue the state over H.B. 7069, which they believe is too charter-friendly - at the expense if traditional public schools. Palm Beach Post. The Indian River County School Board is still trying to decide whether to appeal a judge's ruling that the district unlawfully withheld money from five charter schools. TCPalm.
Proposed budgets: The Polk County School will consider a proposed $1.4 billion budget that has a slightly lower tax rate. The budget calls for repairs to some schools, technology improvements at 30 schools and the purchase of 50 school buses. Lakeland Ledger. The Leon County School Board will vote this week on a $305 million budget that includes an $8 million boost in spending with a slightly lower tax rate. The district will trim capital spending from $105 million last year to $103 million this year, but also sets aside $250,000 for buying additional school supplies. Tallahassee Democrat. The Volusia County School District plans to shift $2 million from its savings to help balance its proposed $869.8 million budget. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
School funding: School officials in Lake, Osceola and Seminole counties complain that the state's funding formula for schools is discriminatory against their districts and 52 others in the state. Florida’s “district cost differential” takes money from 55 districts and sends it to a dozen school districts with higher costs of living. Orlando Sentinel. Volusia County School Board chairwoman Melody Johnson will visit schools around the state to gather support against the state's district cost differential formula it uses in determining how much money each district receives. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Activists in Florida join those across the country Saturday to rally behind public education. While many across the nation were protesting what they call Education Secretary Betsy DeVos' drive to privatize schools, those in Florida are largely angry with what they see as inequities in school funding and money being moved to charter schools from traditional public schools. Miami Herald. The Pinellas County School Board and Superintendent Michael Grego ask the county's legislative delegation for help in correcting what they're calling an "unjust" movement of money from districts for charter school construction and maintenance. Gradebook. (more…)
