Storm recovery: Lack of power is the primary problem for Florida schools trying to reopen their doors. Fifty-five of the state's 67 public districts were still closed Wednesday. Education Week. WKMG. School districts around the state announce plans to resume classes, with many reassessing on a daily basis. Florida Department of Education. Florida Times-Union. Orlando Sentinel. Florida Today. Sun-Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. Fort Myers News-Press. Naples Daily News. Gainesville Sun. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Flagler Live. WFLA. Some Orlando community centers are offering free child care today to help parents who need to go to work but have children who are still out of school. Orlando Sentinel. Several schools in Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Indian River counties will offer free meals to students and their families today and Friday. Palm Beach Post. TCPalm. Traditional public schools stepped up this week to provide protection and other aid for residents fleeing from the hurricane. redefinED. Tampa Bay Times. The hurricane delays the choice of 25 struggling schools to receive extra financial assistance through the state's "schools of hope" program. The state Board of Education was supposed to select the winners Wednesday. Fifty-seven schools applied. Miami Herald. Irma causes a gaping sinkhole to open behind an Apopka school. WOFL. Orlando Sentinel. Parents scramble to keep their children occupied while schools are closed. Tampa Bay Times.
State education budget: The Florida Board of Education approves a $21.4 billion request to the Legislature for education funding for the 2018-2019 school year. That's an increase of 1.85 percent over last year. The request includes an increase in the Florida Education Finance Program of $200 per K-12 student, $421 million for Bright Futures scholarships, $20.6 million more to meet the class size amendment, and $22 million extra for capital projects. Orlando Sentinel. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida.
After the fire: Students and teachers displaced after a fire destroyed Lee Elementary School in Tampa will be moved together to Lockhart Elementary, about a mile and a half away, Hillsborough County School District officials announce. Older students from Lee will attend classes at nearby Young Middle Magnet School until portable classrooms can be set up at Lockhart. Tampa Bay Times. WFLA.
Retention lawsuit: Parents who launched a legal challenge against the state's policies on 3rd-grade retention are now asking a court to dismiss the case. They had challenged the policy that required students to take the Florida Standards Assessments reading test to be eligible for promotion, regardless of their academic performance. But they lost that case, and an appeal for the Florida Supreme Court to consider it, largely on the question of venue. The state contended the suits should have been filed in local courts. Gradebook.
H.B. 7069 lawsuit: Leon County school officials won't ask the school board to join the lawsuit challenging the state's new education law, H.B. 7069. The Florida Association of District School Superintendents also says it will not join the suit, saying those decisions are for local school boards. Eleven school boards have voted to join the suing coalition. They say the new law is unconstitutional because the bill covers more than one subject, and it forces districts to share tax money with charter schools while stripping those districts of authority over charters. WFSU.
DeVos visit: U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos tours a private religious school and a charter school during a stop in Tallahassee, and touted the schools as "examples of what schools should aspire to be.” Her trip extends into today, when she will visit another private religious school. News Service of Florida. Tallahassee Democrat. Miami Herald. USA Today. Sunshine State News. WFSU. Leon County School Superintendent Rocky Hanna is critical of DeVos' trip, saying "it’s insulting that she’s going to visit the capital of the state of Florida, to visit a charter school, a private school and a voucher school." Tallahassee Democrat. DeVos gave no indication during her trip if the U.S. Department of Education would be receptive to Florida's request for a waiver from requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Politico Florida.
H.B. 7069: According to recently revealed text messages, state Sen. Jack Latvala, R-Clearwater, worked behind the scenes to try to kill H.B. 7069, the education bill that provides money for a major expansion of charter schools in Florida. The messages show that Latvala worked with Sen. Gary Farmer, D-Fort Lauderdale, on a plan to derail the bill. Details of the plan were not discussed in the texts, and neither Latvala not Farmer responded to questions about it. Latvala, chairman of the Senate appropriations committee, is considering running for governor in 2018. Politico Florida.
ESSA proposal: A coalition of civil rights group is asking the Florida Department of Education to give due consideration to the needs of poor, at-risk children when it submits its federal education accountability plan under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). In a letter, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights says it's critical that the plan uphold the spirit of the law, which pledges to provide "all children significant opportunity to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education, and close educational achievement gaps." The state has to submit its plan by Sept. 18. Gradebook.
School safety: Pasco County students are now being told to fight back against violent threats at their schools, instead of simply hiding. One of the key messages of the new approach is: "It is okay to do whatever you have to do to get away from Stranger Danger." Superintendent Kurt Browning says "the decision to defend one's self or others is a personal decision and will never be required." But the district wants to give students options, he says, and to empower them "not to be victims." Gradebook.
Recess rules: After hearing complaints from parents, Pinellas County school officials say they are reconsidering their idea to count student time in math and engineering centers toward the required 20 minutes a day for recess. Shana Rafalski, the county's executive director for elementary education, acknowledged that "doesn't necessarily reflect the spirit of (the law). ... This probably is out of context in the teaching and learning handbook, and I'll revisit this," she says. Gradebook.
State seeks ESSA waivers: The Florida Department of Education is seeking waivers to the new federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in its draft for public comment. The state wants a transition period for students who aren't fluent in English, a waiver on reporting student learning gains, and a waiver on the rule that requires school grade changes if 95 percent of every subgroup doesn't participate in testing. The public can submit comments here until July 31. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook.
Religious expression: School districts around the state are starting to prepare for the implementation of the new freedom of religious expression in schools law. Students will now be permitted to include religious beliefs in their schoolwork, and pray at school. Some educators expect little change, since the law already permits those things. Others worry that the law will encourage some teachers to veer into religion-based instruction that ignores commonly accepted facts. Many districts are waiting for guidance on the issue from the Florida Department of Education before writing local policies. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter marketing: An Orange County charter school has budgeted almost $250,000 of taxpayer money over three years to advertise for students. The K-6 Renaissance Charter School will open later this summer on the south side of Orange County, with 661 students expected. To help fill those seats, the school has budgeted $148,725 for marketing in 2017-2018, $55,539 in 2018-2019 and $40,498 in 2019-2020. A spokesperson for Charter Schools USA, the for-profit company that was hired by Renaissance to run its schools, says the ad spending is “smart marketing,” and added, “Parents choose charters for a variety of reasons. We have to market it to let parents know it is there.” Orange County School Board member Linda Kobert says, "Charters have a different set of rules. The school district, the state of Florida, and the taxpayers have no say in how charters spend those taxpayer dollars.” WFTV.
Meal policies reconsidered: Schools across the United States are reconsidering how they deal with students' meal debts. This month, the U.S. Agriculture Department is requiring districts to inform parents about school meal payments at the start of a school year, and encouraging districts to contact parents directly about delinquent accounts so children don't go hungry. Several states are going one step further, prohibiting meal shaming or denying food to delinquent students. Associated Press. The Clay County School District is hiking prices for school meals next year. Breakfast at all schools will be $1.50, up 25 cents. Lunch at elementary schools will be $2 for, 25 cents more, and $2.25 at secondary schools, up 15 cents. Florida Times-Union. (more…)
ESSA implementation: The Florida Department of Education is going ahead with the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) despite Congress' decision to repeal many of its key provisions. ESSA sets benchmarks of minimum student performances in a variety of areas. A group of school district leaders from around the state are working on the plan, and are expected to finish it by Sept. 18. Gradebook.
Brown convicted: Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, is convicted on 18 of 22 corruption counts ranging from mail fraud to filing a false federal tax return. Prosecutors say she used her office to collect $800,000 in contributions for her phony education charity, One Door for Education. Florida Times-Union. Associated Press. Politico Florida.
Teacher honored: Katelyn Fiori, a fourth-grade teacher at Vero Beach Elementary School, is chosen as one of five finalists for the Department of Education's 2018 Florida teacher of the year award. Fiori was awarded $5,000. The winner will be announced July 13. TCPalm.
Charters and tax revenue: Some lawmakers have been trying for six years to direct property tax revenue to charter schools. This year, that measure was finally passed, and in the next school year charters may get almost twice the $75 million they received this year. redefinED.
School security: The education bill that allots $654,000 to improve security at Jewish day schools draws criticism from those who say that other religious schools - such as Muslim and Sikh - have also seen a recent spike in violent threats.“The fact that the funding singles out one religion raises serious concerns about unconstitutional discrimination, whether intentional or not,” says Kara Gross, ACLU of Florida’s legislative counsel. Miami Herald. (more…)
Financial problems: Heavy debt and growing infrastructure problems are putting the Hillsborough County School District in an increasingly dire financial situation. Deferred maintenance issues alone could cost the district $800 million, and up to 80 schools have air-conditioning problems. Meanwhile, payment on debt totals $65 million a year, and the district's reserves have dropped by more than $200 million in four years. Tampa Bay Times. WTSP. Hillsborough schools will phase out some courtesy busing to save money. More than 12,400 students now can ride a bus even if they live within 2 miles of their school. District officials will study routes and make recommendations on ending some for middle school and high school students in the 2017-2018 school year. Routes for elementary students will be tightened the following year. Tampa Bay Times.
Achievement gap: The Pinellas County School District announces its strategy for closing the achievement gap between white and minority students on state assessment tests over the next 10 years, and how it will communicate its progress with the community. The plan includes aggressive goals, monitoring, extended learning and greater family and community engagement. Gradebook.
Prayer lawsuit: Cambridge Christian School files a federal lawsuit against the Florida High School Athletic Association, alleging that the organization violated its football players' religious freedom. The FHSAA denied a request from the school to use a loudspeaker to broadcast a prayer before the state championship game Dec. 4 in Orlando. Tampa Bay Times. News Service of Florida. WFLA.
Principal-sharing: Ten Orange County schools are sharing five "master principals" this year. District officials say the move will help develop assistant principals and create a pipeline of future principals. Principals who take on two schools receive an extra $30,000, but the district is expected to save about $280,000. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)
Oops. A principal and a teacher are reprimanded after a botched fire-breathing stunt at a Palm Beach pep rally that had been intended to get students fired up for testing season. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel.
Misfire. Pinellas parents hoping to make it off a school choice waiting list receive a robo-call by mistake. Gradebook.
Change needed. Pinellas school board candidates agree something needs to be done about academic struggles in South St. Petersburg, but find things to disagree on. Saint Petersblog. Gradebook.
Accountability. Florida seeks public input on new federal school accountability guidelines. Gradebook.
Leadership. Alachua County's superintendent resigns, stoking tensions with the black community. Gainesville Sun. Five apply to be Sarasota schools' next chief. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. A top Hernando administrator suddenly resigns. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)
Accountability guidelines: The U.S. Department of Education proposes accountability guidelines that allow states discretion in using test scores, academic growth and other measures to identify failing schools and struggling students. The transfer of authority to states is part of the Obama administration's Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced the No Child Left Behind Act. Associated Press. Education Week.
Rules of retention: Parents of third-graders from around the state who opt out of state testing and decline to take alternative tests are discovering that school districts don't feel they have discretion to promote the students to fourth grade. There are cases in Manatee and Seminole counties of high-performing students who may be held back by the state's rules requiring test scores for promotion. Bob Schaeffer, public education director for the National Center for Fair & Open Testing, says the policy is "insane" because it "would mean that a third-grader who takes the FSA and scores poorly can still be promoted. Yet, an outstanding student who regularly produces proficient school work will be retained simply for not taking the exam." Gradebook. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. WTSP.
AP test issue: The College Board is looking into allegations that 140-150 Lake Nona High School students who took Advanced Placement chemistry, environmental science and physics exams were sitting too close together. Last week, 114 students at the school had to retake the AP psychology exam because their desks were 4 feet apart instead of the required 5 feet. Orlando Sentinel.
Bathroom fight: Gov. Rick Scott is getting pressured to join 11 other states in suing the Obama administration for telling school districts to permit transgender students to use their bathroom of choice or risk the loss of federal funds. Florida Family Policy Council president John Stemberger says Scott needs to “protect our children.” Palm Beach Post. (more…)
For the school choice movement, and education policy in general, most of the action happens at the state and local level. But participants in the Thomas B. Fordham Institute's latest annual Wonkathon found a few gems in the new federal education law that could give students more options.
Brian Kisida of the University of Missouri notes that while the Every Student Succeeds Act doesn't make big changes to promote school choice, it contains a few provisions that could make school funding systems more choice-friendly.
Among other things, it contains a pilot program that should encourage more districts to experiment with weighted funding based on individual students' needs. And it requires states to report spending at the individual school level.
So what are the implications for school choice? By shining a brighter light on actual school expenditures and, most importantly, solidifying the principle that dollars should follow students, the increased ESSA focus on expenditures will be a game changer with meaningful spillover effects for choice systems. Currently, students enrolled in charter schools and those participating in voucher and tax credit programs receive far fewer public dollars than traditional public schools would garner for educating the same students. This imposes a burden on school choice providers and is a significant barrier for many non-participating schools. Once it becomes more widely accepted that every dollar allocated for a student should be spent on that student, the same logic can be easily applied to students participating in choice programs. As a result, current choice schools will have more resources to educate their students and new schools of choice will have a greater incentive to participate.
Low graduation rates: Thirty percent of Florida's high schools were considered to be "low-graduation rate high schools" in 2014, according to a report by America’s Promise Alliance and other advocacy groups. Only Alaska and New Mexico were worse. Politico Florida.
Pre-K spending: Florida ranks just 39th in spending on pre-kindergarten, according to the annual State of Preschool Yearbook from the National Institute for Early Education Research. The state spends $2,304 per child. The national average is $4,489. The state's enrollment fell by 3 percent, or 3,744, from 2013-14 to 2014-15. Florida Times-Union.
IG urged for district: Broward County School Board member Laurie Rich Levinson wants the district to hire an inspector general to investigate fraud, waste and mismanagement in the district. An outside auditor made that recommendation five years ago after a grand jury report found widespread corruption and misuse of money. The idea was not supported then, but recent financial problems in the district led Levinson to suggest it was time. Sun-Sentinel.
Superintendent under fire: The St. Petersburg NAACP is calling for the resignation of Pinellas County School Superintendent Mike Grego, alleging that he has not taken responsibility for the problems at five predominantly black, failing elementary schools in St. Petersburg or come up with a plan to improve them. Grego says he has no plans to resign. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter debt forgiven: Newpoint Education Partners is forgiving the nearly $1 million debt it says it is owed by Windsor Prep Academy, according to a lawyer for the school. Newpoint was indicted last week by an Escambia County grand jury on grand theft and money laundering charges. The Pinellas County School Board will vote next week on a proposal to terminate the contracts with Windsor Prep and two other Newpoint charter schools in the county. WFLA. (more…)
