Charter schools. High-performing Plato Academy plans to expand in Pinellas. Tampa Bay Times. The district is moving to take over a foundering charter for at-risk students. Tampa Tribune. The Palm Beach Post rips Mavericks High School in an editorial.

Private schools. A new Christian school in Ocala hopes to grow in the upcoming year. Ocala Star-Banner.

Civil rights. A federal investigation questions whether Hillsborough minority students have less access to experienced teachers and face tougher discipline. Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Tribune.

Books. A parent's complaint gets a novel pulled from a summer reading list. Tampa Bay Times.

Campaigns. Miami-Dade school board members rake in contributions despite facing little opposition. Miami Herald.

Finance. The Hernando district is spending more than it takes in. Tampa Bay Times. Manatee's budget situation is improving. Bradenton Herald.

Superintendents. Pinellas' chief gets his contract extended to 2020. Tampa Tribune.

Boundaries. Orange County approves a plan to redraw attendance boundaries for Jones High School. Orlando Sentinel.

Administration. The Okaloosa school district moves to standardize staff at all its schools. Northwest Florida Daily News. The Lee County school board approves a reorganization plan. Fort Myers News-Press. The Orange County school system is wasting money hiring class-size officers, an Orlando Sentinel columnist argues. Hillsborough schools get new principals. Tampa Tribune.

Vals and Sals. Broward schools keep their honorary titles. Sun-Sentinel.

Common Core. The English and math standards could affect instruction in other subjects. StateImpact.

Brown v. Board. The Miami Herald takes a deep dive into the "re-segregation" of public schools. More from the St. Lucie News Tribune.

Vouchers. Following a Department of Education investigation, two schools may be barred from participating in the McKay and Tax Credit Scholarship programs after an administrative law judge found they falsely claimed two students were enrolled under the McKay program. Miami Herald. News Service of Florida.

Charter schools. Manatee school district officials discuss different ways of handling transportation for charter school students. Bradenton Herald.

Teachers. Hillsborough County teachers say they're running short on planning time. Tampa Tribune. A Hillsborough teacher gets a national award. Tribune.

Students. New research shows gay students are more likely to suffer depression and other forms of emotional turmoil. Orlando Sentinel.

Contracts. School board members defend the Leon County school district's handling of construction contracts. Tallahassee Democrat.

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Common Core. Gov. Rick Scott signs a suite of bills aimed at responding to the controversy around the standards, as well as a school grading overhaul. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. Reuters. Jeb Bush pushes back against Common Core critics – again– during an appearance in New York. The Buzz.

Charter schools. Dual enrollment programs at some Miami-Dade charter schools allow students to graduate high school with a more advanced degree already in hand. WLRN.

Virtual schools. Pasco eSchool teachers seek relief from large classes. Gradebook.

No Child Left Behind. Officials defend the learning goals in the state Department of Education's strategic plan, which have come under fire from activists. Tampa Tribune. Sentinel School Zone.

Valedictorians. "With honors" and "with distinction" are set to replace the more exclusive honors once bestowed on Bay County high school graduates. Panama City News Herald.

Reading instruction. A shortage of books can be a limiting factor for students. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Desegregation. StateImpact recalls its early days in Florida.

School safety. A state Representative who sponsored a bill that would have allowed certain school employees to carry guns said he intends to focus on adding resource officers at more campuses. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Arts. A private grant helps fund art, music and drama programs for low-income students. Sun-Sentinel. A high school band teacher joins students rallying to preserve a middle school program. Tampa Bay Times.

Transportation. Crowded bus rides to an International Baccalaureate campus are the latest flashpoint in the controversy over Hillsborough's bus system. Tampa Bay Times.

Pay raises. Orange County teachers begin voting on a new contract. School Zone.

Tax credit scholarships. The program is expanding, and more organizations are signing up to offer scholarships. Tampa Tribune. A Gainesville Sun guest column pans "privatization." A Washington Post blogger pans the Florida Legislature. The program helps Jewish families afford private schools. Chabad.org. The program is administered by non-profit organizations like Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog.

Legislative session. Sen. John Legg  recaps the session for the Pasco County School Board, including a push to encourage a new collegiate high school in the district. Gradebook. The debate in Florida this year was about how to manage a panoply of parental choice options that has matured. RedefinED.

Budgets. School-related property taxes would increase under the budget that passed the Legislature. Tampa Tribune. The Palm Beach Post calls the education budget "a source of shame" in an editorial.

Merit pay. A federal judge upholds SB 736 in its last remaining constitutional challenge, but also says the evaluation system is unfair without tests in every grade and subject. Orlando Sentinel. Associated Press.

Charter schools. A Sarasota Military Academy teacher accused of shoving a student can resign rather than being fired. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Facilities. Broward schools seek an $800 million bond referendum. Sun-Sentinel. Miami Herald.

Turnarounds. The Pinellas school district intervenes at nine schools. Tampa Bay Times.

Closures. The Hernando County school board decides to keep an elementary school open. Tampa Bay Times.

Administration. A handful of Pinellas elementary school principals are changing schools. Tampa Tribune. Parents petition the school board over an administrator's decision to discipline a popular athlete. Florida Times-Union.

Reading instruction. Zephyrhills athletes mentor younger students. Tampa Bay Times.

Transportation. The saga of Hillsborough's bus system continues. Tampa Bay Times.

Volunteers. A 79-year-old school volunteer is honored. Tampa Tribune.

Tax credit scholarships. Florida lawmakers close out their 2014 session by approving legislation that would expand eligibility for the scholarship program and increase regulation of non-profits that administer it, including Step Up For Students, which co-hosts this blog. Times/Herald. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. WFSU. Florida Current. St. Augustine Record. Tampa Bay Times columnist John Romano pans the program in another column. Paul Cottle argues he program's lack of testing in science furthers the erosion of Florida's science standards. Bridge to Tomorrow.

Education savings accounts. The bill would create a personal learning scholarship account program for special-needs students, the second of its kind in the county. RedefinED. More from Jay P. Greene's blog.

Legislature. It was a good session for Florida's schools. Times/Herald. The final budget would boost education funding. Scripps/Tribune.

Charter schools. Fox News highlights Charter Schools USA's efforts to start a charter school on MacDill Air Force Base.

Open enrollment. Marion County schools consider universal choice. Ocala Star-Banner.

Testing. Some students pass their time during FCAT season by watching movies or playing games. Miami Herald. Florida prepares for the FCAT's replacement. Gainesville Sun. Storm-battered Panhandle schools get extra testing days. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Teacher quality. The Tampa Tribune tracks down Hillsborough's "highly effective" teachers.

Special needs. Special needs students in Flagler County perform better in math than in reading. Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Graduation requirements. One bill passed this session would clear up confusion over high school graduation requirements. StateImpact.

Budgets. Brevard school closure plans are not yet contained in public records. Florida Today. Manatee Schools officials need to come up with $9.3 million to shore up their reserves. Bradenton Herald. Hernando schools officials plan a sales tax referendum to fund facilities. Tampa Bay Times.

Year-round school. An idea worth considering, Palm Beach County school board members say. Palm Beach Post.

Gardens. Students at a Manatee County high school growth their own salad. Bradenton Herald.

Transportation. A district consultant says Hillsborough's school bus system is at a "breaking point." Tampa Bay Times.

Another school choice expansion won overwhelming approval in the Florida House on Wednesday.

SB 850 is a wide-ranging education bill that, among other things, would expand career-education programs and create an "early warning system" for at-risk middle school students.

It would also require the state's community colleges to expand access to school choice programs that allow students to finish a year of college before they finish high school.

Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, said earlier in the session that he drew up the legislation after seeing the success of Tampa Bay-area programs like St. Petersburg Collegiate High School and the Collegiate Academy at Hillsborough County's Leto High School.

"You sit there and say, "Why isn't this in every school?'" he said.

The bill would require colleges to make at least one collegiate high school program available to all students in their service areas. The programs would allow high school upperclassmen to earn at least 30 college credit hours before they graduates.

It passed the House with a lone no-vote from Rep. Darryl Rouson, who called it a "good bill that has a bad provision," singling out a portion that limits schools' legal liability if they make their playgrounds available after school hours.  The rewritten version still needs final approval by the Senate.

Tax-credit scholarships. Some fear Step Up For Students could become a "taxpayer-financed monopoly" as the cap on tax-credit contributions increases, bringing in more money under the 3 percent administrative allowance used to run the program. Palm Beach Post.  Jason Bedrick of CATO responds to a Miami Herald editorial that opposed legislation expanding the program. The legislation has prompted a back-and-forth between state Rep. Ritch Workman and his local school board. Florida Today.The Heartland Institute writes up the bill, while Watchdog.org looks at the testing question. (Step Up administers the program and co-hosts this blog.)

Open enrollment. Duval Superintendent Nikolai Vitti's plan to have district-wide open enrollment would create more choices, but the most revered schools are already over-booked. Florida Times Union.

Charter schools. A collaboration between a charter school and a private college blurs lines between K-12 and higher education, and raises questions among Miami-Dade school district officials, the Miami Herald reports. Orange County school district officials want to take one charter school's application appeal before a judge, but construction has already begun. Orlando Sentinel. Sen. Nancy Detert, R-Venice, questions state funding intended to help SEED open one of its boarding schools in Miami-Dade. WFSU.

Common Core. A new Achieve survey probes public opinion on the standards. Sentinel School Zone flags one major finding: Most people still say they know little about them. The standards have become an issue in a Republican congressional primary involving state Senate Majority Leader Lizbeth Benacquisto, the Fort Myers News-Press reports.

School choice. A raft of legislation, from charter schools to education savings accounts, is proving controversial this legislative session. Miami Herald.

Career Academies. Senate President Don Gaetz touts efforts to expand them in an Orlando Sentinel op-ed.

Turnaround schools. Efforts get a mixed reception among Pinellas County parents. Tampa Bay Times.

Virtual schools. Florida Virtual School puts on a demonstration at the Capitol. WCTV.

Teacher evals. Answer Sheet picks up a post from a Hillsborough media specialist who takes aim at VAM.

Rick Scott. The governor the Republican-led Legislature has continued to "gut" public education by promoting charter schools and vouchers, says South Florida Sun Sentinel columnist Stephen Goldstein.

Student discipline. Santa Rosa County Schools plan to eliminate corporal punishment. Northwest Florida Daily News.

Substitute teachers. New laws and tight budgets are prompting some school districts to change how they manage a crucial part of their workforce, and in some cases outsourcing it. Tampa Bay Times.

Special needs. Hillsborough officials prepare to settle a case in the wake of a child's death. Times.

School grades: Schools superintendents from across the state warn Education Commissioner Tony Bennett and the Board of Education that the new school grades formula will result in more F schools. Tampa Bay Times. More from the Palm Beach Post and Orlando Sentinel.

Lawsuits: A judge has ruled that the federal discrimination suit against the Hillsborough County school district in the death of special education student Isabella Herrera can proceed. Tampa Bay Times. The Pasco County School Board sues Citigroup over allegations of bond fraud. Tampa Bay Times.

Wanted: The Hillsborough County School Board is looking for an attorney to replace Tom Gonzalez. Only three candidates have applied. Tampa Bay Times.

Charter schools: Pembroke Pines officials agree not to contract with Charter Schools USA to operate the city's charter schools for at least two years, and teachers agree to take a pay cut. Sun Sentinel.

Student count: A Lake County charter school has to prove it kept proper attendance records, but that could leave the district may have to pay back some or all of state funding it received for those students. Orlando Sentinel.

Health care: A sharp increase in employee health-insurance premiums has prompted the Seminole School Board to consider a self-insurance program. Orlando Sentinel.

New boss: The Lee County School Board voted unanimously to approve the contract for new schools Superintendent Nancy Graham. News-Press. More about Graham's $169,000 contract from Naples News.

FCAT: Sarasota County students from low-income families continue to fall behind on their FCAT scores prompting school board members to search for remedy. Sarasota Herald-Tribune.

Attendance zones: Escambia County school officials approve new attendance zones. Pensacola News-Journal.

AP classes: Schools superintendents tell state Board of Education leaders that a recent legislative bill allowing high school students to take as many advanced placement courses as they want will cost districts millions of dollars that district budgets can't support. Associated Press.