School safety bill: The Florida House votes today on the school safety bill passed by the Senate on Monday. Tuesday, representatives turned away every amendment to put limits on guns beyond those already approved by senators and agreed to the provisions in the Senate bill, including a voluntary program to arm some school personnel, a three-day waiting period to buy firearms and an increase in the legal age for buying guns from 18 to 21. The House vote is expected to be close. Sun-Sentinel. Tampa Bay Times. Orlando Sentinel. Palm Beach Post. GateHouse. Tallahassee Democrat. News Service of Florida. Politico Florida. Families of all 17 victims of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting urge the House to pass the bill. Miami Herald. There's plenty to like - and hate - in the school safety bill. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The U.S. House will vote next week on the STOP School Violence Act of 2018, a bill that would create a grant program to train students, teachers and other school staff on identifying and intervening when someone shows signs of violence. Associated Press. About a dozen Florida senators receive jars filled with tar and feathers after the school safety bill passed, labeled “From the Children of Bradford County.” Miami Herald. Politico Florida. House leaders pull at least $10 million worth of projects out of the budget that had been requested by Republicans who oppose the school safety bill. Politico Florida.
Districts' actions: The Broward County School Board passes a resolution calling for the ban of semiautomatic weapons and tougher federal background checks for gun buyers. Sun-Sentinel. Hillsborough County School Board members vote unanimously against arming anyone on campuses other than law enforcement officials. Gradebook. Pasco County School Board members say that school safety measures called for in the Legislature's bill could take money away from other district priorities, such as boosting teacher pay, adding guidance counselors and expanding prekindergarten programs. Gradebook. Superintendent Jacqueline Byrd says Polk County schools won't be arming teachers and staff. Lakeland Ledger. St. Lucie County Sheriff Ken Mascara says there is now an armed deputy at all county schools. TCPalm. Sarasota County School Board members agree to a five-year, $25 million plan to improve school security. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
State budget: A disagreement over how to fund hospitals will force the Legislature to work overtime to complete a budget. House Speaker Richard Corcoran, R-Land O'Lakes, told representatives to expect to work through Saturday, or even Monday. The House and Senate agree on K-12 and university spending, on the expansion of Bright Futures and on teacher bonuses, but could not come to a consensus on how to reimburse hospitals for Medicaid. There's a 72-hour hour cooling off period after agreement is reached on a budget, which meant it had to be completed Tuesday night for the Legislature to finish as scheduled on Friday. News Service of Florida. Tampa Bay Times. Politico Florida.
Adequacy review: Plaintiffs are asking the Florida Supreme Court to review a lower court's decision denying their claim that the state doesn't adequately fund public schools and therefore violates the state constitution. The lower court ruled that funding was adequate and that the lawsuit dealt with “political questions not subject to judicial review.” An appeals court agreed. The case, Citizens for Strong Schools v. Florida State Board of Education, was filed in 2009. Orlando Sentinel.
Payments to charters: The Palm Beach County School District's request to block payments to charter schools is denied by a Leon County circuit judge. The district asked the court to temporarily block the provision of the new state education law that requires districts to share money district collect through local property taxes for school construction and maintenance. That law requires the Palm Beach County district to pay county charter schools $9.3 million by Feb. 1. School board chairman Chuck Shaw said, “We will continue to fight to protect local school board constitutional rights to control and operate our schools, and that includes making sure that every penny is properly spent with our oversight and not put into the hands of private property owners and managers." Palm Beach Post. redefinED.
Teachers honored: Nicole Grebosz, a technology special area teacher at Citrus Grove Elementary School in DeLand, is named the Volusia County School District's teacher of the year. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Cynthia Johnson, a music resource teacher for the Brevard County School District, wins the Florida Music Education Association Leadership Award. Space Coast Daily.
Test-subbing questioned: Florida's plan to let school districts decide whether to substitute state standardized assessment tests with the SAT or ACT probably won't work, according to a report prepared by the Assessments Solutions Group and presented to the Florida Department of Education and the Legislature. The study's authors say neither of the college admissions exams meet all of Florida’s academic standards for algebra 1 or for 10th-grade language arts. And because the two national exams would produce different results than the Florida Standards Assessments, it wouldn't produce fair results for the school grading system, they argue. The $420,338 study was mandated by H.B. 7069, the education bill that passed the Legislature last year. Orlando Sentinel.
Teacher bonuses: State Rep. Loranne Ausley, D-Tallahassee, files a bill that would end the state's Best and Brightest bonus program for teachers and principals. She also has objections to using SAT and ACT tests to help determine if teachers are eligible, and to giving principals bonuses based on the number of teachers in their school qualifying for the bonuses. "I have a problem with this Legislature's focus on one-time bonuses vs. annual salary increases," she says. "It's not a responsible way for people to be able to plan their lives." Gradebook.
Contract negotiations: The Brevard County teachers union is encouraging its members to work only the hours and duties required by the contract as a way of protesting the latest pay raise offered by the district. The district is offering a 1.3 percent pay raise, or $600, for teachers rated "effective," and a 1.8 percent raise, or $875, to "highly effective" teachers The union wants $200 more than the offer for each set of teachers. Florida Today.
Testing extension: The Florida Department of Education has agreed to extend the window for the Florida Standards Assessments testing and all state end-of-course exams. School districts had asked for a delay in the testing because of a busy hurricane season that caused many districts to miss days of school. Instead, K-12 Chancellor Herschel Lyons extended the testing time-frame by a week. The decision gives districts the option of delaying the tests, or using the full two weeks to complete them. Gradebook.
ESSA plans: A group of 45 bipartisan reviewers gives Florida's plan to comply with the federal Every Student Succeeds Act mixed reviews, with no one awarding the state the highest rating in any of the nine categories studied. The strengths of the plan include a clear, student-focused vision of high standards, an easy-to-understand grading system, inclusion of science and social studies assessments, and the identification of struggling schools. The highest marks came in academic progress, for measuring learning gains, and in continuous improvement for identifying struggling schools and helping them improve. The weaknesses: incorporating subgroups into the accountability system, and in marking progress toward English language proficiency. The 74.
Dangerous school zones: Miami-Dade County has the most dangerous school zones in Florida, according to an analysis of vehicle crash data from the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles by San Diego company 1Point21Interactive. Eight schools in the county are in the state's top 10 most dangerous school zones. Miami Herald.
Scholarship reforms: School choice advocates recommend a series of reforms at a House education subcommittee hearing Wednesday called to discuss concerns about oversight of private K-12 schools that receive money from one of the state's scholarship programs. Doug Tuthill, president of Step Up For Students, which helps administer two of the programs and hosts this blog, says the state should eliminate the cap on inspections of those private schools, have fire and inspection reports submitted directly to the state, and demand those schools adopt stronger financial reporting requirements. Orlando Sentinel. redefinED.
Bright Futures: The Senate Appropriations Committee unanimously approves a bill that would permanently expand Bright Futures scholarships. S.B. 4 would fully fund Bright Futures scholarships for about 41,000 students who have a grade point average of at least a 3.5 as well as a score of 1,290 on the SAT or a 29 on the ACT, and provide 75 percent funding to Medallion scholars. It now goes to the Senate floor. Sunshine State News. Meanwhile, a House committee approves a "Sunshine scholarship" proposal that would cover tuition and fees for students entering the Florida College System whose family income is less than $50,000. Politico Florida.
Virtual teachers' union: Administrators of the Florida Virtual School are fighting back against a drive to unionize the school's teachers. "We believe that a union is not needed here at FLVS and that bringing a union into our school can drastically affect our relationship with you," CEO Jodi Marshall wrote in an email to the staff. "That is why we intend to oppose the union by every legal means available to us." Gradebook.
Scholarship oversight: Florida's school scholarship programs serve about 140,000 students and redirect almost $1 billion a year to private schools, but state regulation of those schools is so weak that many employ teachers who aren't college graduates, falsify safety records but continue to stay in business, and fail to educate students without suffering the consequences public schools face, according to a newspaper’s investigation. The number of students using tax credit, Gardiner or McKay scholarships has more than tripled in the past decade. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the tax credit and Gardiner scholarship programs. Orlando Sentinel.
Testing the tests: The Florida Department of Education hires a company to evaluate whether the SAT and ACT tests can replace the state's 10th-grade language arts Florida Standards Assessments and algebra I end-of-course exams. The Legislature required the review as part of the new education law, H.B. 7069. The assessment is expected to be finished in time for Education Commissioner Pam Stewart to make a recommendation on the substitution by Jan. 1. Meanwhile, Stewart says the department won't decide on whether to delay the spring assessments testing window until after the hurricane season is over. Gradebook.
Charters schools: For the first time, the 50 or so charter schools in Palm Beach County were banned from this year's "Showcase of Schools," an event to show parents some of the most popular programs offered in county schools. School Superintendent Robert Avossa says the charter movement is "about spurring competition. So if that’s the case, why would you invite the competition to your event?” The incident is the latest in the escalating fight between district officials and charter schools. Palm Beach Post. The Florida Commission on Ethics rules that charter schools are not public agencies, but instead are more similar to business entities. Politico Florida.
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.
Opt-out decision: The Florida Supreme Court announces it will not consider a lawsuit brought by parents against several school districts for retaining their 3rd-graders because they opted out of taking the Florida Standards Assessments tests. The decision lets stand a court of appeal ruling that the lawsuits should have been filed in the home counties of the districts, rather than in Leon County. News Service of Florida.
Alternative exams: Florida students who fail two key tests needed to graduate have alternative tests they can take - but the standards for those alternatives could be changing. Students have to pass the algebra 1 test and the 10th-grade language arts exam that is part of the Florida Standards Assessments to earn a diploma. Students who fail can take the SAT or ACT for language arts, or the PERT for algebra. But a state panel is recommending that the PERT be eliminated, with the PSAT replacing it, and that the passing score on the SAT be raised from 430 to 500. The Florida Board of Education will decide on the proposed changes. Orlando Sentinel.
Gardiner scholarships: The expansion of the state's Gardiner scholarships for students with disabilities has been so broad and rapid that even the namesake, former state Sen. Andy Gardiner, worries that the program is straying from the original intent to provide help for children with the most severe disabilities. The program has grown from $20 million in 2014 to $100 million this year, and the criteria for qualifying has broadened so much that students with peanut allergies now are eligible for vouchers. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the program. Politico Florida.
Turnaround schools: Today, the Florida Board of Education will consider a turnaround plan for the newly combined Gadsden County High School, which is merging East and West high schools. Both schools received D grades from the state this year, and both have had ongoing disciplinary problems. The plan would likely mean a change in administrators, teachers, curriculum and the length of school days. Turnaround plans will also be considered for Hawthorne Middle School in Alachua County and Hamilton County High School. Tallahassee Democrat. (more…)
H.B. 7069 suit: The St. Lucie County School Board unanimously agrees to join Broward County in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of H.B. 7069. The board authorizes spending up to $10,000 to fight the new law in court. The broadly drawn bill provides additional money for charter schools, expands a bonus program for teachers and principals and requires 20 minutes of daily recess for elementary students, among other things. Board member Kathryn Hensley says the bad in the bill outweighs the good. "I am not willing to do that trade-off," Hensley said. Other school districts also are considering joining the court challenge, which has not yet been filed. TCPalm.
Algebra 2 test ends: The algebra 2 end-of-course testing is no longer being given, the Florida Department of Education has announced. "There is no statutory requirement for students to obtain a passing score, so it is up to districts as to how to address course grades moving forward," Department of Education spokeswoman Audrey Walden wrote on Facebook. Gradebook.
Dispute over funding: If the Duval County School District withdraws funding for several community-school initiatives at high-poverty schools, the Quality Education for All Fund (QEA) says, it will sever ties with the district. “If you are not willing to invest in those programs that have proven successful, we must consider that this bond has been broken and we will have no choice but to step back our part of this arrangement until a new understanding can be established,” according to a letter QEA has sent the district. School officials say they have to tighten the budget. Florida Times-Union.
Raise for superintendent: The Brevard County School Board approves a 5 percent raise and a contract extension to 2020 for Superintendent Desmond Blackburn. Blackburn will be paid $220,500 a year, which makes him the 10th-highest paid superintendent in the state. Florida Today. (more…)
Charter schools: Florida charter schools could get an extra $96.3 million from school districts that will now have to share the tax money they collect for capital projects, according to Florida House estimates. That's nearly 7 percent of the money school districts could have after debt service is subtracted, as H.B. 7069 stipulates. The $96.3 million is a maximum estimate, says Rep. Manny Diaz Jr., R-Hialeah. Charter schools need to meet certain academic and financial standards and have been operating for two or more years to be eligible for the money. Miami-Dade and Broward will be among the districts hardest hit in sheer dollars, but tiny Sumter and Franklin counties will have the highest percentages of shared dollars, at 33 and 24 percent, respectively. Miami Herald. Manatee and Sarasota counties are two of the counties that will have share higher percentages of their capital funding with charter schools under the new education law. Sarasota is third in the state at 13.54 percent, and Manatee is 11th at 9.26 percent. Manatee School Superintendent Diana Greene says the district will continue with plans to build three new schools, but the law could have an impact on smaller projects. Bradenton Herald. Wayman Academy of the Arts is one of five charter schools in Duval County to earn an A grade from the state this year. The school, which draws its students from a poor neighborhood in Jacksonville, now has received every possible grade from the state in its 17-year existence. Florida Times-Union.
District hacked: The St. Lucie County School District's Twitter account was hacked last week, and several racially charged messages were posted and stayed online for more than nine hours before being removed. The cyberattack was just one of several against school districts around the United States, according to St. Lucie School Superintendent Wayne Gent. School officials are unhappy with the difficulty they had contacting Twitter and its response time. “It took way too long,” Gent said. “It should’ve been done immediately.” TCPalm.
Fighting failure: As the 2016-2017 school year began, another first year of a rebuilding process began at Fairmount Park Elementary School. It had a new principal, new and inexperienced teachers, and a history of failure. Fairmount is located in a poor St. Petersburg neighborhood and in 2014, was one of five city elementary schools labeled a "failure factory." But this year it had a plan, and better resources, and hope. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)
