U.S. school safety report: The federal safety commission looking into school shootings is recommending an end to Obama administration guidance for schools that was intended to curb discipline disparities for students of color and those with disabilities. The panel, led by U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, also urges schools “to seriously consider the option of partnering with local law enforcement in the training and arming of school personnel,” but stopped short of saying it should be a mandate. The 177-page report says school buildings should be hardened and journalists should be "be more responsible in their coverage of school shootings." The report promptly drew criticism. Associated Press. New York Times. Washington Post. Washington Times. NBC News. Politico. Politico Florida. Education Week. Chalkbeat. The 74. Sun Sentinel. The state commission's report takes a stronger stance on arming school employees than the federal panel's does. Politico Florida. Does the future of teacher training include treating gunshot wounds? It could, as soon as next year. WLRN.

A whopping bill: An engineering report concludes that the Duval County School District needs $1.08 billion to repair or replace its 159 schools if it chooses to keep them all open. The report by Jacob Engineers says Duval has some of the oldest school buildings in the state, and 56 need to be replaced. School officials are considering ways to raise money for repairs, saying they need about $80 million a year but receive just $22 million from the state. Florida Times-Union. (more…)

Schools of Hope: The Florida Department of Education is looking for a financial partner to provide loans to build charter schools near persistently struggling, traditional public schools. The partner would oversee the $100 million "Schools of Hope" loan program that was passed by the Legislature in 2017. The DOE expects to provide two loans a year to charter schools to build in areas where traditional public schools have received grades of D or F from the state for three consecutive years. Politico Florida.

Corcoran reaction: Reaction to the report that former House Speaker Richard Corcoran could be named the education commission by Gov.-elect Ron DeSantis draws strong reactions for and against the appointment. Former Senate president Don Gaetz says Corcoran, a fellow Republican and a staunch supporter of school choice, would become "the most disruptive education reformer in our state's history." Fedrick Ingram, the president of the state's biggest teachers union, the Florida Education Association, says "Richard Corcoran may be the worst possible candidate to lead Florida's Department of Education." Gradebook. Orlando Sentinel. (more…)

New superintendent: Diana Greene is chosen as the new superintendent of the Duval County School System. Greene, who has been superintendent of the Manatee County district since 2015, was unanimously approved by the school board. She replaces Nikolai Vitti, who left last summer to take the top job in Detroit. Greene started her teaching career in Duval before moving into administration. At Manatee, she is credited with turning around a difficult financial situation while improving student achievement. In Duval, Greene will immediately have to contend with a $62 million budget deficit. Greene's start date and salary have yet to be negotiated. Florida Times-Union. WJXT. Bradenton Herald. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Smooth testing season: Florida Standards Assessments testing ended last week, and Florida Department of Education officials say there were few reports of problems with the test. Students took 4.2 million computerized tests and another 1.2 million with paper and pencil, and the only issues reported were local Internet and power outages. Results are expected in June. Gradebook.

Ad rebuts 47-cent claim: Florida House Republican leaders are fighting back against the claim by educators that the Legislature's funding for schools amounts to just 47 more cents for each student. Calling it the "47 cent myth," the lawmakers contend in a 5-minute online ad that they bumped per-student spending by $101.50, an all-time high, and that they put requirements on some of the increases to stop districts from squandering the extra money. "That's why we put this $100 increase in per student funding directly into the classroom, bypassing the bureaucracy," the narrator of the ads says. "To them [bureaucrats], it's not about kids. It's about control." Gradebook. (more…)

Charter schools. An Orange County charter that served dyslexic students is closing after seven months because of financial problems, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The parents of a charter in Miami-Dade are in limbo after a church decides unexpectedly to end the school's lease, reports the Miami Herald.

Virtual charter schools. In a repeat of last year, the charter school appeals commission sides with the Orange and Seminole school boards in their rejection of applications for Florida Virtual Academy schools. The state Board of Education will make the final call. SchoolZone.

Parent trigger. Two civil rights groups in Florida, LULAC and the NAACP, are opposed. StateImpact Florida.

Magnet schools. Parents plead with the St. Lucie County School Board to not close an arts magnet because of budget cuts, reports TCPalm.com. A new elementary school arts academy is in the works in Okaloosa, reports the Northwest Florida Daily News.

Career and technical. A bill filed by Sen. John Legg, R-Port Richey, would allow students to substitute industry certifications for other graduation requirements, reports Gradebook. More from the Orlando Sentinel. The Pinellas school district plans to create several new career academies for middle schools and put STEM labs in every elementary school in an effort to boost career education, reports the Tampa Bay Times. River Ridge Middle School in Pasco is realigning its curriculum to better reflect career education, the Times also reports. (more…)