School grades: The 114 Florida schools that received preliminary grades of incomplete in May now have their final marks from the state. Incompletes are given when fewer than 95 percent of a school's students take the Florida Standards Assessments tests. Orlando Sentinel. Both schools in Franklin County receive C grades from the state. Apalachicola Times.
Superintendent jobs: After being lobbied by community leaders who expressed support for Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, school board chairwoman Ashley Smith Suarez now says firing Vitti is no longer on the agenda for Friday's board meeting. Smith Suarez had asked Vitti to resign, and said if he didn't he would risk termination. She has accused him of being untruthful with the board and not being aggressive enough in closing the achievement gap between white and minority students. Florida Times-Union. Florida Politics. WTLV. A Sumter County School Board member says he has no confidence in an investigation that cleared Superintendent Rick Shirley of coercing employees to work on his re-election campaign. David Williams said the investigation, which was launched by school board chair Kenneth Jones without consultation with the board, was unfair and biased. Villages News.
Race-based targets: The Florida Board of Education is considering an end to race-based student achievement goals. Instead, the board would impose improvement targets for all students while still setting goals for closing the achievement gap. Gradebook. The board also is expected to consider new rules for charter school capital spending at its meeting Friday. The new rules approved by the Legislature loosen charter schools' eligibility for the funds, but also impose new restrictions. Gradebook.
Recess policy: A Duval County School District policy review committee recommends that the school board approve daily recess for all elementary students. The resolution is not binding and does not suggest a start date, but supporters of daily recess call it a step in the right direction. Florida Times-Union. (more…)
Scholarships upheld: An appeals court affirms a lower court ruling that the state's teachers union and other groups do not have legal standing to challenge the program that uses corporate tax credits to issue scholarships to low-income students. The groups claimed the program diverts fund from public schools, but the court ruled there was no evidence of harm. A further appeal is being considered. Step Up For Students, which administers the Tax Credit Scholarship Program, hosts this blog. Associated Press. redefinED. Politico. Orlando Sentinel. Pensacola News Journal. Tampa Bay Times. News Service of Florida. WFSU. WUSF. Palm Beach Post. Sunshine State News.
Retention lawsuit: A Leon County judge has decided to hold another hearing Monday in the lawsuit against the state's policy to retain third-graders who do poorly on the Florida Standards Assessments reading test or opt out. A group of parents is suing the state and six school districts, arguing that more factors should be considered if a student doesn't do well on the test, and that students who are doing well should not need a test score at all. Gradebook.
Sales tax hike: The Osceola County School Board will ask voters on Nov. 8 to approve a half-cent increase in the sales tax to renovate and maintain schools, reduce the number of portable classrooms and upgrade security and technology. The tax would begin in January and is expected to produce about $25 million a year over the next 20 years. Orlando Sentinel.
Teacher bonuses: All Bay County School District employees on the instructional salary schedule are now eligible for bonuses under the state's Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship program. Before the school board approved the change, employees such as guidance counselors, math coaches and media specialists were not eligible. Panama City News Herald. (more…)
