Charter donations: Charter school companies have donated heavily to statewide candidates over the past 20 years. Now, increasingly, the donations are trickling down to the school board level. That development is causing concern for some in educational circles, while others see the money flow as a counterbalance to donations from teachers unions. Florida Times-Union.

School budgeting: The Hillsborough County School Board approves a tentative $2.8 billion budget that includes a drop in the tax millage rate. Increasing property values will more than offset the drop. Tampa Bay Times. The 3 percent pay raises Pasco school officials wanted to hand out this year are down to 2.6 or 2.7 percent, School Superintendent Kurt Browning says. The $1.2 billion budget could continue to change until its final approval next month. Gradebook. The Leon County School Board approves a tentative $498 million budget that includes money to put an armed resource officer at every elementary school. Tallahassee Democrat. The St. Johns County School Board approves a tentative budget that calls for per-pupil spending of $7,008.93. St. Augustine Record. The Florida Cabinet agrees to borrow $285 million to build and maintain facilities for schools at all levels. It's the first time the state will borrow money for educational infrastructure since the 2010-2011 budget year. News Service of Florida. WFOR.

Bathroom policy: The Sarasota County School Board again declines to set a districtwide policiy that would, among other things, allow transgender students to use restrooms corresponding with their gender identities. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Gifted plan delayed: The Duval County School Board delays a vote on adding gifted programs to more elementary and middle schools. The board wants even more gifted programs spread throughout the county. Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says some schools don't have enough gifted students to justify a fulltime program. Florida Times-Union. (more…)