School funding suit rejected: The First District Court of Appeal rejects a challenge to the state's public school funding, saying the issue raises political questions that can't be answered by judges. Several education groups and some parents contend that the state discriminates against minorities and low-income students, which they call a violation of the state's constitutional duty to provide a "high quality system of free public schools." The argument was rejected by a circuit court judge last year, leading to this appeal. The groups suing the state say they don't know if they'll take the issue to the Florida Supreme Court. The appeal court also ruled that the McKay scholarship, which provides state money to about 30,000 disabled children, is constitutional. Associated Press. News Service of Florida. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. Sunshine State News. Politico Florida. redefinED.
Charters are public: The Florida Commission on Ethics has decided that charter schools are public agencies, not private ones. In October, the commission deadlocked on an opinion in a conflict of interest case. The opinion concluded that charter schools are not public agencies, but it was not adopted because of the tie vote. Last week, commissioner Matthew Carson cast the deciding vote and said, “Charter schools are public schools in operation, in function and by statute. Seems to me that what would be good for any other public agency under this statute would also be good for a charter school.” Politico Florida.
Charter school accused: A former Broward County charter school once accused of falsifying enrollment numbers to get more money from the state now faces allegations of fraud. New Horizons, now a private school that used to be the Pathway Academy charter school, allegedly falsified records when applying for tax credit scholarship money, and an administrative judge says the school should be cut off from scholarship funds. School officials deny the charges, and plan to file a response to the Department of Education. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the tax credit scholarship program. Sun-Sentinel.
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.
