Desegregation case: The plaintiffs in a 50-year-old Pinellas County desegregation case are asking a federal court for help in enforcing the settlement. They allege the district is not fulfilling its commitment to provide safe schools for black students, isn't treating them fairly in discipline cases, isn't hiring and retaining black teachers, and is failing to increase the number of black students in magnets and special programs. The legal move sets into motion a process that includes negotiations between the sides, mediation and, if necessary, the appointment of a special overseer to report to the court. Tampa Bay Times.

Resume-padding: Anthony Hamlet, who was recently named to lead the Pittsburgh school district, embellished his achievements as Palm Beach County school administrator. His resume is at odds with the facts on lifting a school's grade from an F to a C, on raising a school's graduation rate by 13 percentage points, and on his district responsibilities. Hamlet called questions about his resume “a few percentage-point discrepancies” and of little consequence in the full context of his career. A Pittsburgh official says Hamlet “set himself far apart from the pool” in several ways beyond his resume. Palm Beach Post. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Supplemental pay scheme: Eastside High School paid almost $15,000 in supplemental pay over three and a half years to four staff members who did nothing to earn it and who simply passed it along to football coach Jeffrey Parker. Principal Jeff Charbonnet told a committee investigating the payments that he approved the payments after the district rejected it, and knew the money was going to Parker. Gainesville Sun.

Retention confusion: Parents and school districts in central Florida are battling over the insistence of the districts that third-grade students have test results to be promoted. One, Rhonda Nickerson, says her 9-year-old daughter got straight A's, but is being retained. Some parents say the retention threat should apply only to students with reading problems, not youngsters with no Florida Standards Assessments score but with good grades and reading skills. State official disagree, saying the retention law applies to everyone. Orlando Sentinel. Four third-graders in Palm Beach County with great grades are being retained because they didn't take the FSA, and their parents refused the district's portfolio option because it's made up of a series of tests. “If the teacher has taught the standards and the report card grades the standards, why can’t they use the report card?" asks Cindy Hamilton, an Orange County mom who cofounded the Opt Out Florida Network with Sandy Stenoff. Palm Beach Post. (more…)

Scholarships appeal: Three judges of the First District Court of Appeal hold a 50-minute hearing to consider whether the Florida Education Association and others have standing to challenge the constitutionality of the state's tax-credit scholarship program. The judges also must decide if there is a specific harm to public schools. No ruling was issued. The FEA says the program diverts money from public schools. The state says the plaintiffs have no standing to sue because no public money goes into the program. Instead, companies make donations and get tax credits in return. A circuit judge ruled in the state's favor last year. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, administers tax-credit scholarships for almost 80,000 low-income students, and also the Gardiner Scholarships for students with disabilities. Miami Herald. redefinED. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. WFSU. Associated Press.

Science tests moved: The statewide science assessments tests have been moved from March 27-31, 2017, to May 1-5, the state Department of Education announces. Administrators and teachers complained that with the earlier date, they wouldn't have been able to cover all the material the students need to know before taking the tests. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook.

Magnet plan: Pinellas County School Superintendent Michael Grego says he's prepared to kill a proposal to start magnet programs at six failing elementary schools. The programs were announced last week as a way to attract new students and improve the schools. But leaders in the black community are skeptical that the programs would address the needs of the low-performing students already there. Tampa Bay Times.

Grade changes: Some members of the Broward County School Board are pushing the district to award A+ grades, just as they give out B+, C+ and D+ grades. A school district committee did not agree, and the matter will be discussed later. Sun-Sentinel.

Sparring in Duval: Duval County School Board member Constance Hall charges that she was followed after a board meeting in November by "someone" related to Superintendent Nikolai Vitti who was driving a dark SUV. At that meeting, Hall presented a letter criticizing Vitti for what she called disrespectful communication from the superintendent toward several board members. Vitti says his wife and chief of staff were in a dark SUV that night, but were not following Hall. Florida Times-Union. (more…)

Teacher turnover: School districts in west-central Florida are struggling to find teachers willing to work in low-income and low-rated schools. Incentive money alone is not working. "It's working conditions above anything else that determines whether teachers stay or go," says Sonja Santelises, vice president of K-12 policy at the Education Trust, whose group has researched schools in poor neighborhoods that achieve high results. Tampa Bay Times. Opt-outs by teachers and principals are creating substantial numbers of openings at low-rated schools in Pinellas County that the district has targeted for turnaround. Gradebook.

Top teacher finalist: Laurie Zentz, the band director at Switzerland Point Middle School in St. Johns County, is one of five finalists for Florida Teacher of the Year. The winner will be announced in July. WJXT. Florida Times-Union. St. Augustine Record.

Debit cards and food: Orange County teachers are angry that the district is ordering them to repay any food purchases they made with their state-issued "classroom supply" debit cards. District officials said they were following orders from the state that prohibit food purchases. When asked directly about it Friday, district officials said food bought for academic lessons, such as science experiments, doesn't have to be reimbursed. That message was not shared across the district, though. Florida provides districts money for teachers to buy "classroom materials and supplies" for students. Orange County's teachers had $275 each to spend this school year. Orlando Sentinel.

Education lawsuit: A group of black pastors is urging the state NAACP to drop out of the lawsuit challenging the legality of tax-credit scholarships. “We see no principled reason to fight an education program that is targeted exclusively at low-income children and has a 14-year track record of helping black students succeed,” according to a petition directed to the NAACP. A Leon County Circuit Court judge dismissed the case last May, and an appeal will be heard Tuesday by the 1st District Court of Appeal in Tallahassee. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, administers tax-credit scholarships for about 80,000 low-income students, and also the Gardiner Scholarships for students with disabilities. Politico Florida. (more…)

Education on trial: Openings arguments are heard in the civil trial accusing Florida of not fulfilling its constitutional mandate to provide a quality education for all public school students. Attorneys for Citizens for Strong Schools argue that the state's racial achievement gap, emphasis on testing and lack of adequate funding keep it from fulfilling a 1998 constitutional amendment. Attorneys for the Department of Education and the Legislature say the state is a national leader in education and still improving. The nonjury trial in Tallahassee is expected to last five weeks. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press. WFSU.

Teacher bonuses: The teacher bonuses program was passed by the Legislature, but it continues to be a subject for debate. Some speculate that a legal challenge could be made if Gov. Rick Scott approves the $49 million program, which was extended for a year. Gradebook. Scott says he's listening to legislative leaders as he decides whether to approve or veto items in the budget. Tampa Bay Times.

FEA targets: Joanne McCall, president of the Florida Education Association, says this year's legislative elections are an opportunity to change education politics in Tallahassee. Gradebook.

Opting out: While the state says the only excuse acceptable for opting out of the Florida Standards Assessments testing is a medical one, anti-test advocates say there are loopholes. Broward Palm Beach New Times.

Charter schools issues: Florida Virtual Academy at Borward is closing when the school year ends after an audit revealed poor academic performance and allegations of ethical breaches. Also expected to close is the affiliated Florida Virtual Academy at Palm Beach. They are not part of the Florida Virtual School, the longtime state-run online education program. Also recommended for termination is a Lauderdale Lakes charter school, Pathways Academy, which allegedly falsified documents, inflated student enrollment and used state money for personal travel and expenses. Sun-Sentinel. The Ocoee City Commission is expected to decide tonight whether to approve an application from the Renaissance Charter School at Westyn Bay. The Orange County School Board has already approved. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)

K-12 spending: Legislators are touting the record spending on K-12 education in this year's budget. But Orange County school officials and the Florida Education Association say the increase of about 1 percent doesn't even cover inflation. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, says there are greater differences between the House and Senate on education spending than on any other budget issue. Politico Florida. Lawmakers defend their compromise agreement on education spending. Politico Florida.

Education bill: Amendments are being added to one of the two major education bills in the Legislature. Several involve the teacher bonus program. Among them: deleting it, allowing teachers to use LSAT scores to qualify in addition to ACT and SAT, allowing teachers to qualify if they graduated from a college or university ranked among the top 25 nationally by the Princeton Review or other national publication at the time of their graduation, and more. Politico Florida.

School testing: More than 200 Lee County students have opted out of the Florida Standards Assessments so far. WINK. A Pasco County School Board member agrees with parents who believe students ought to be able to read after finishing their Florida Standards Assessments tests. A few state districts allow it, but those in west-central Florida do not. Gradebook.

Recess benefits: Key lawmakers believe the decision to require daily recess for elementary students should be made at the local level. But advocates say the problem is local school boards won't commit, which is why the issue landed in the Legislature. The Senate bill won't be heard, but backers aren't quitting. They say the benefits of recess are too compelling. WTSP.

Workbook removed: A fifth-grade workbook is removed from the Walker Elementary School curriculum after a parent complained about the inclusion of the phrase "Muslims pray to Allah." The reference was in a lesson helping Okaloosa County students differentiate between the words pray and prey. Northwest Florida Daily News. (more…)

K-12 budgets: The Florida House budget bill would provide twice as much construction funding for charter schools as it would for traditional public schools. The Florida Senate's bill provides no construction money for charter schools. It's still early in the process, though, lawmakers from both chambers say. Gradebook. Palm Beach Post. Politico Florida. Senate leaders are looking at ways to roll the property tax hike that Gov. Rick Scott is calling for in his education budget into the $1 billion tax cuts Scott also proposes. Tampa Bay Times. WFSU. What are some of the differences between the budgets? Gradebook. School district administrators are concerned about a possible shift in construction money to charter schools. Gradebook.

Teacher bonuses: Teacher bonuses based partly on ACT or SAT scores remain in the Florida House bill with funding of $45 million, which closely aligns with Gov. Rick Scott's proposal. But the Florida Senate bill has recommended no money for the program. Orlando Sentinel.

High school free agency: If the Legislature passes a bill allowing students and athletes to choose any school, Florida would have the most lenient standards for athletics transfers. Advocates of the bill say it's merely an expansion of the school choice, while critics say it would create a recruiting free-for-all among high schools. Associated Press.

Class sizes: Two South Florida school districts are on track to avoid fines for class-size violations, according to officials in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Sun-Sentinel.

District reorganization: Brevard School Superintendent Desmond Blackburn is proposing a reorganization of administration titles, job responsibilities and the chain of command. The school board will have to approve. Florida Today. (more…)

Legislature and education: A bill that creates more educational options for students with special needs is the first to clear the Florida Senate. Tallahassee Democrat. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. WFSU. Politico Florida. A bill that would allow students to use computer coding to fulfill any foreign language requirement passes a second committee in the Florida Senate. Unresolved are worries that it creates an unfunded mandate. Politico Florida. Gradebook. The House budget chairman, Erik Fresen, R-Miami, joins senators to discuss the teacher bonuses program he helped create. Renewal of the program, which some say discriminates against older and minority teachers, faces opposition in the House and Senate. Gradebook. More than 31,000 Florida students are in classes that are too big, according to the state's class size law. Discussions on tightening the rules on the way class sizes are computed will be held in the Senate today. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. Rep. Dwayne Taylor, D-Daytona Beach, files a bill that would give local school districts more autonomy over financing, curriculum and operations. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Federal help sought: The Miami-Dade School District is asking the federal government for financial help to educate students who have arrived from Cuba and those expected to arrive soon. Superintendent Alberto Carvalho says an extra $40 million is needed. Miami Herald.

Teachers rally: More than 2,000 teachers are expected to rally at the state Capitol today to protest statewide education policies. Tampa Bay Times. Fort Myers News-Press. (more…)

School grades: State Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee, files a bill that would give all Florida schools a grade of incomplete, arguing that the formula to determine grades requires learning gains that can't be calculated. Gradebook. The recently released simulated school grade for Godby High School in Tallahassee demonstrates how the school is able to take advantage of a loophole in the state’s accountability system. Tallahassee Democrat.

Elected commissioner: Former Florida Education Commissioner Betty Castor is backing the move to make the job an elected position again, with Cabinet status. “I would argue strongly when we thought we would take politics out of education, what we did was to lose the advocacy and the understanding and the commitment to support education," Castor says. WPOC.

Teacher bonuses: Older teachers who want to qualify for the state's bonus pool are finding it's not as easy at it sounds. Archived SAT and ACT results only go back to 1978, and the companies that administer the tests say they were deluged with requests for scores. So some teachers are retaking the college entrance exams. Sun-Sentinel.

Teachers talking: When Hillsborough School Superintendent Jeff Eakins invited teachers to speak at a series of recent town hall meetings, their frustrations poured out. Tampa Bay Times.

Bus service expands: The Hillsborough Area Rapid Transit Authority is considering extending free rides for middle and high school students through June. Tampa Tribune.

Tuition-free courses: Orange and Seminole counties are adding programs that will bring tuition-free state college courses to high school campuses. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)

Graduation rates: Florida's public high school graduation rate is improving but is still below the national average and among the bottom 10 states, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Education. The country's rate increases slightly, to 82 percent. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. Sunshine State News.

School testing: State Rep. Colleen Burton, R-Lakeland, says school testing is going to be on the Legislature's agenda when it meets next month. Lakeland Ledger.

Internet connectivity: Only 40 percent of Florida's school districts meet the widely accepted Internet connectivity goal of at least 100 kbps per student, according to a report by EducationSuperHighway. THE Journal.

Threat preparations: Sarasota and Manatee school officials say they are ready if threats are made like the ones that closed down the Los Angeles school district on Tuesday. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. In Los Angeles, officials discredited the anonymous email threats and defended the unprecedented shutdown. Los Angeles Times.

Texting rules: The Hillsborough County School Board clarifies the rules for texting between teachers and students. Tampa Tribune. (more…)

School change: A working group discussing the future of Duval County's Northwestern Middle School votes unanimously to reject the district's plans to turn it into a magnet or vocational school. Area residents want it to remain a neighborhood school, which is becoming a common theme against Superintendent Nikolai Vitti's plan for changes. Florida Times-Union.

School bills: State Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, predicts no major education bills for the legislative session that begins next month. Gradebook.

Future discussions: Brevard School Superintendent Desmond Blackburn presents his plan for the future of the system and its schools at a meeting tonight. Florida Today. Manatee School Board members invite members of the community to a discussion Wednesday about the future of Manatee schools. Bradenton Herald.

System assessment: An independent oversight committee appointed after Marion County voters approved a 1-mill tax levy in November 2014 reports that the school district is doing a good job spending that money. Ocala Star Banner.

Black history course: An online African-American history course for hundreds of Florida schools is being developed by the Department of Education's African-American History Task Force. THE Journal.

Student incentives: Students who perform well academically go to the front of the line in the Woodrow Wilson Middle School cafeteria, a school incentive program that is drawing complaints from some parents. Fox 13. (more…)