Support for DeVos: Gov. Rick Scott and former Gov. Jeb Bush lobby for support for Betsy DeVos, whose confirmation hearing to become U.S. education secretary is today. Both call her a champion for school choice and for families. Democrats and teachers unions oppose DeVos, with one union official calling her severely underqualified and the “most anti-public education nominee in the history of the department.” Sunshine State News. Tampa Bay Times. Associated Press.

Union election: A Palm Beach County teacher has been told he cannot run for the union presidency because he let his union membership lapse while taking a semester leave to care for a dying relative. Justin Katz, a 32-year-old social studies teacher at Park Vista High, renewed his membership when he returned to the classroom, but says he was told by the union that the lapse makes him ineligible because the union rules require two consecutive years of membership prior to running.. The union's outgoing president, Kathi Gundlach, declined to comment. Palm Beach Post.

Teachers honored: Four finalists are named for Miami-Dade County teacher of the year. They are: Nadia German, Ojus Elementary; Rodolfo Diaz, Miami Senior High; Laura Ortiz, Robert Morgan Educational Center & Technical College; and Alfreida Dianne Joseph-Goins, Dorothy M. Wallace C.O.P.E. Center. The winner, and the winner for rookie teacher of the year, will be announced Jan. 26. Miami Herald. Longtime Bay County educator Daurhice Gibson is the winner of the first teacher of a lifetime award from the district. She retired in 2003 after 40 years of teaching. Panama City New Herald.

School boundaries: Despite facing intensive lobbying from parents, Pasco County school officials are not changing the recommendations for the rezoning of two school attendance zones. "While I wish there was a perfect solution, I have not seen one yet," says school board chairman Allen Altman. The board will hold public hearings on the proposed changes to middle and high schools attendance zones tonight. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)

Teacher bonuses: Broward County's decision to offer bonuses for highly rated teachers to work in at-risk schools is paying off, school officials say. At 28 low-income county schools, only 2 percent of teaching positions were vacant at the start of the school year. Before the bonuses program started four years ago, 30 percent of the jobs in those at-risk schools were unfilled. And about half of those 28 schools have improved their grade from the state. Sun-Sentinel.

School construction: Problems were reported in the air-conditioning systems at all 82 schools in the Brevard County School District in August, school officials say. Even as temperatures are dropping, there are still hundreds of issues reported each month. The problems are being reported at newer schools as well as the older ones. Florida Today. The Polk County School District has almost $448 million of unfunded new construction projects over the next 10 years, and $74 million in unfunded repair and renovation projects. School officials are hoping voters approve an extension of the half-cent sales tax in 2018. The tax brings in about $40 million a year. Lakeland Ledger. A new high school in Bonita Springs is just one of several projects the Lee County School District has in the works. Fort Myers News-Press.

Testing survey says: Almost 90 percent of students who took the online Florida Standards Assessments tests this year say they had no technical problems. But they still aren't happy with testing, according to a Florida Education Department survey. Students complain they are tested too much, and many prefer the paper and pencil tests to the computer versions. They also suggested breaks during the testing, refreshments, more comfortable chairs and warmer testing rooms. Orlando Sentinel.

Software deal: The Brevard County School District is considering terminating an $8 million software contract with Harris School Solutions. The software was purchased three years ago to manage the district's finances, contracts, human resource information, payroll and more. School officials say the software is not fully usable. Florida Today. (more…)