Open enrollment: A bill that would allow any student to enroll in any school that has an opening is headed for a full House vote. Two changes were made to the bill. One would give enrollment preferences to those who live in communities that donated land for the school. The other would require middle and high school teachers to provide a class syllabus to any parent who asks for it. Three other education bills also moved along in the House. One would require daily recess in elementary schools. Another would eliminate the Florida School Board Association's ability to use taxpayer money to sue the state. The third would ask voters to approve a statewide body to govern charter schools. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. WFSU.
State testing: The Florida Department of Education is warning superintendents that some of their computer systems may not be able to properly run the 2016 Florida Standards Assessments tests. Gradebook. Fort Myers News-Press. Sunshine State News.
Computer coding: A House committee adds $79,326 in appropriations for a bill that would allow students to fulfill their foreign language requirements by taking computer coding. The bill is at odds with the Senate version. Politico Florida. Tampa Bay Times.
Charter construction: A bill that would require districts to finance charter school infrastructure moves ahead in the House. Districts now may use money from property taxes for charter school construction and maintenance, but it's not mandatory. The bill also places limits on how much school districts may spend, with penalties attached for exceeding those limits. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida.
Superintendent loses support: Three of the seven Polk County School Board members say they no longer support School Superintendent Kathryn LeRoy. She was the target of a complaint that alleged sexual harassment, unprofessional conduct and mismanagement. She was cleared, but advised to take sexual harassment training. The board votes Friday whether to fire LeRoy. Lakeland Ledger. (more…)
School recess: Supporters of daily recess for elementary students are worried that the bill they support still isn't getting a hearing in the Senate. They blame Sen. John Legg, R-Lutz, for the inactivity. Legg, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, says other issues have a higher priority. Gradebook.
Charters and construction: Today, the House Appropriations Committee will consider a bill that would place limits on the money school districts can spend on construction and share local capital projects tax revenue with charter schools. Gradebook. WFSU.
Elected commissioner: A website has been launched to help lobby for an elected education commissioner who will also be in the Cabinet. Fund Education Now created the page to push for an amendment to be decided by voters. Florida Politics.
New SAT concerns: Some experts worry that the new SAT, with its longer and harder reading passages and more words in math problems, will cause problems for some students. Testing begins in March. New York Times. New Boston Post. Should you take the new SAT or the ACT? Huffington Post.
Book removed: Seminole County school officials remove a book from three elementary school libraries after a parent's complaint. Mariko Tamaki's This One Summer contains sexual references and obscenities. WFTV. (more…)
School grades: The Florida Department of Education could issue school grades as early as Tuesday. Many think their meaning will be tainted by the controversy over the Florida Standards Assessments tests, which are a major component of the grades. Tampa Bay Times.
Alternative tests: Education experts are split on the benefits of a proposed bill that would give school districts the choice of using tests like the SAT and ACT instead of the Florida Standards Assessments. Politico Florida.
Score reports: Newly designed reports are meant to make it easy for parents to see how their children scored on state testing. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. Sunshine State News.
Education bills: Some of the less-publicized education bills are moving in the Legislature. Here's a look at a few, and where they stand. Gradebook.
Construction spending: The chairman of the House Education Budget Subcommittee brushes aside school superintendents' denial that they're wasting school construction money. Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, says he won't change his plans to press for more accountability. Orlando Sentinel. Politico Florida. WFSU.
After-school funding: Florida Senate leaders are discussing changes to the state's after-school programs. They want to increase funding but spread it around to more agencies. Agencies that have been providing after-school services, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Boys & Girls Clubs, worry about the effect on their programs. Miami Herald.
School start times: A study in the journal Sleep links later high school starting times to lower rates of tardiness and discipline issues. THE Journal. (more…)
Pledge of Allegiance: A Florida House committee approves a bill that would give school districts options on how and where to post notice of a student's right not to say the Pledge of Allegiance at school. Objections to prominent disclaimer notices in classrooms in Santa Rosa County schools prompted the bill. Miami Herald. Politico Florida.
Testing troubles: About 15 percent of Florida students say they had computer problems during the Florida Standards Assessments testing last spring, according to the Department of Education. Orlando Sentinel.
School threats: Experts talk about the uptick in school threats across the United States, how real the threats are, how they're being made and how schools might respond. Mother Jones.
Teacher evaluations: Of the 54,000 teacher evaluations done in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties from 2010-2015, only 18 were rated as unsatisfactory, according to the Department of Education. Sun-Sentinel. In Orange County, the number of teachers rated highly effective drops from 81.2 percent to 2.4 percent. Across the state, 98 percent of teachers are rated either effective or highly effective. Orlando Sentinel.
Loan forgiveness: A study by the Center for Analysis and Longitudinal Data in Education Research finds that teachers who get loan forgiveness in return for working in high-need areas stay on the job longer than other teachers. GoodCall News.
No-tobacco zones: Brevard County schools are eliminating the use of all forms of tobacco on all school properties, officials announce. WKMG. (more…)
School recess: A bill requiring a daily 20-minute recess in every Florida elementary school goes before the House's K-12 education committee today. The bill, pushed hard by parents' groups, would also prohibit schools from withholding recess as punishment. Orlando Sentinel. Gradebook. A large number of parents will rally for recess at the Capitol today. Tallahassee Democrat.
School transfers: A Florida Senate education committee passes a bill that would allow students to transfer to any school in Florida that has an opening, for academics or athletic reasons. Orlando Sentinel.
Capital spending: Public schools are exceeding a state-imposed limit for spending on construction projects, according to House education budget chairman Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, and he wants to reduce that cap. Some Democrats and school officials say Fresen's conclusions are oversimplified. Miami Herald.
School uniforms: The Volusia County School Board votes tonight on whether to require school uniforms for every K-12 student. Parents seem to be split on the measure, while most board members have spoken in favor. Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Charter schools: The Jacksonville Urban Education Symposium on Feb. 6 will focus on charter schools as a viable educational option. Florida Politics.
Private schools. The Human Experience, a private middle school in Orlando, urges its 30 students to "do good, love well, and pursue your passion." The unconventional school has its critics, but founder Nathan Smith says the at-risk students are becoming confident and unafraid. WMFE.
Measuring progress: Lee County School Superintendent Greg Adkins says the district will create its own scorecard for measuring school progress. "The state has changed its accountability system over 60 times. If you keep changing the system, how will we really know how well we are doing when we are being measured against a moving target?" Adkins asked at a public forum this week. Naples Daily News.
Special needs scholarships: Gov. Rick Scott signs the bill that widens educational and scholarship options for developmentally disabled students. The bill increases funding for the Personal Learning Scholarship Account program by 33 percent, to $73 million a year. Step Up For Students, which hosts this blog, helps administer the accounts. Sunshine State News.
City school districts: A constitutional amendment that would allow cities to form their own school districts is still under consideration, says its sponsor. But Rep. Matt Caldwell, R-North Fort Myers, says he is still getting feedback and it may take more than one legislative session to get it going. The Florida Constitution now requires districts to be drawn on county lines. News Service of Florida.
Charter schools: Two virtual charter schools in Broward and Palm Beach counties could be closed after an audit discloses poor student performance, allegations of ethical breaches and hostility between the schools' governing board and management company. Florida Virtual Academy at Broward's governing board oversees both schools. Sun-Sentinel. The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools files a brief to Florida's Fourth District Appeals Court supporting the Department of Educations's contention that it can review appeals when charter school applications are rejected by local school boards. National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. The Pasco Charter Academy, which was initially rejected but later approved by the Pasco County School Board, won't open until the 2017-2018 school year. The school will be run by Charter Schools USA. Gradebook.
School recess: A bill moving through the Florida Legislature would require recess for elementary students. The playtime would be supervised and unstructured, and could not be withheld as punishment. The biggest issue appears to be finding 20 minutes in the day for recess. Bradenton Herald. (more…)
Teachers rally: Thousands of teachers rally at the state Capitol to protest the state's education system. Their primary issues are overall state education funding, teacher pay and bonuses, and the reliance of testing for judging student achievement. Miami Herald. Palm Beach Post. Tallahassee Democrat. Fort Myers News-Press. Lakeland Ledger. Gainesville Sun. WSVN. WFSU. Politico Florida. Sunshine State News. Florida Politics.
Bill to governor: A bill that would expand educational options for developmentally disabled students is passed by the House and has been sent to the governor. Palm Beach Post. Florida Politics.
Athletic changes: A bill that would allow schools to join the Florida High School Athletic Association on a per-sport basis and students to transfer and immediately play sports is moving through the Florida House. Miami Herald. Politico Florida. News Service of Florida. Florida Politics.
Opting out of tests: House Democratic Leader Mark Pafford is urging parents to opt out of standarized assessment tests as the Legislature continues to consider further changes to the program. WFSU.
Education bills primer: Hundreds of education bills are floating around the Legislature. Here's a look at some of the most important ones. Tallahassee Democrat.
Pledge of Allegiance: Removing the requirement of posting notices that students do not have to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance will infringe on students' first amendment rights, according to the American Humanist Association. Bills in the Legislature would allow the notice to be limited to student handbooks instead of being posted in a prominent place. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Teacher shortage: More teachers retiring and leaving and fewer students going into teaching add up to a shortage in several South Florida school districts. Many counties are getting creative to offer incentives to bring in new teachers. Sun-Sentinel.
School start times: The Orange County School Board is asking for community input on starting times for high schools. Orlando Sentinel. Some parents in Collier County are petitioning against starting school Aug. 10, a week earlier. They want the district to start Aug. 15. The board voted this week in favor of the earlier date. WZVN.
Gifted center: The Hillsborough County School District is taking applications for its first full-time elementary school program for gifted students. The Center for Gifted Studies opens in in the fall at Boyette Springs Elementary School. Tampa Bay Times.
School plan changes: After community input, Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti says he is changing his mind about bringing middle school students into the plan that would make Ed White High School a magnet school concentrating on military leadership. Florida Times-Union.
Deaf academy closing: The National Deaf Academy in Mount Dora is closing after a series of lawsuits alleging neglect and abuse. Orlando Sentinel.
New online rules: The Pasco County School District revises its rules for online students, with more specific statements on cheating and makeup work. Gradebook.
New buses: The first nine of 200 new Hillsborough County school buses are in, the first step in replacing one of the oldest fleets in Florida. Some of the buses are propane fueled and the others are diesel. The district plans to buy 100 buses a year for 10 years. Tampa Tribune.
School impact fees: Manatee County School Superintendent Diana Greene talks to a local Republican group about school impact fees and the extension of a half-cent sales tax. Bradenton Herald.
Superintendent suit: Greg Rivers, the associate superintendent in the Polk County School District who has filed a complaint against Superintendent Kathryn LeRoy, has received generally high marks on evaluations but was once reprimanded for verbally abusing an employee. Lakeland Ledger.
Water polo: Gainesville High School becomes the 73rd school in the state to start a water polo team. Gainesville Sun.
Student arrested: A girl is arrested and accused of slashing her ex-boyfriend with a knife during lunch at Charles W. Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines. Sun-Sentinel.
Principal disciplined: Boca High School Principal Geoff McKee is reprimanded for using the school's football field to propose to his girlfriend. He hadn't formally leased the field, which is a violation of school district policy. Palm Beach Post.
Bus fight sentencing: A West Palm Beach woman who attacked a Palm Beach County school bus driver two years ago is sentenced to three days in jail. She and two others were angry that the bus driver was making students from Westwood Elementary School line up before they could get off the bus. Palm Beach Post.
Opinions on schools: Finally, there are signs of sanity prevailing in Florida on student testing. Sun-Sentinel. For many people, school choice is an issue of equality. Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin, Florida Times-Union. Changes in the state's school grading system don't change the value of Martin County schools. Charles Gerardi, TCPalm. The disparity between school dress codes for boys and girls is no secret, and should be eliminated immediately. Niyin Smith, Gainesville Sun.
Student enrichment: The St. Johns Middle School Athletic Association has stepped in to help a Sebastian Middle School soccer player who is diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma. St. Augustine Record. Pinellas Technical College is offering free instruction in STEM subjects to elementary and middle school students in south St. Petersburg on six Saturdays from February through April. Gradebook. Florida Virtual School students, teachers and parents take a field trip to the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge Zoological Park near Crestview. Crestview News Bulletin. Some students at Seacrest Country Day School in Naples are lobbying the school to join the Blue Zones Solution, a project encouraging wellness in Southwest Florida by changing the environment around the people who live there. Naples Daily News. About 24,000 copies of a book, Inside the Human Body, are donated to Goodwill Manasota with the stipulation that they be distributed to every child in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Engineering projects are stimulating students at the first-year Flagler County STEM Academy in Palm Coast. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Students at Woodlawn Beach Middle School in Gulf Breeze are doing DNA testing to determine the impact the invasive lionfish is having in Florida waters. Northwest Florida Daily News.
Guns, other bills: State Rep. Greg Steube, R-Sarasota, files a bill that would permit licensed concealed-carry holders to bring their firearms to elementary and secondary schools. It's the third bill he's filed that would expand rights to concealed carry permit holders. Bradenton Herald. WUSF. Dozens of education bills are filed as the Legislature opens. Politico Florida. Florida's legislative leaders promise record spending for K-12 education and an expansion of education options for people with disabilities. Politico Florida.
Proficiency questions: Bob Schaeffer, the Sanibel Island-based public education director of FairTest, doubts that the Florida Department of Education has any evidence to support its contention that scoring at Level 5 in the state assessment tests means a student is "highly likely to excel in the next grade level." Gradebook.
Teacher retention: The Lee County School Board is considering a variety of incentives, such as tuition reimbursement and helping teachers pay for their credentials, to stem teacher turnover, especially among minorities. Superintendent Greg Adkins says the district loses about 10 percent of its teachers every year. Fort Myers News-Press.
School nurse shortage: Duval County has fewer than one-third of the school nurses a federal agency says it needs, and the school board has approved a plan for fixing the problem. But any solution will cost millions and will have to wait until the district begins budget talks. Florida Times-Union.
Online curriculum: Duval County School Superintendent Nikolai Vitti wants to switch middle schools to online materials, as the district has done with elementary schools. But several school board members are skeptical of the move, citing problems with the elementary curriculum. Florida Times-Union. (more…)
Testing standards: The Florida Board of Education votes 6-1 to follow the recommendation of Education Commissioner Pam Stewart on how to use the Florida Standards Assessments tests to rate student progress and grade schools. Board vice chairman John Padget and many business and education officials were calling for harder scoring and grading plans. School grades will be issued Feb. 9. Tampa Bay Times. Miami Herald. Orlando Sentinel. Tampa Tribune. Palm Beach Post. Florida Times-Union. Pensacola News Journal. Lakeland Ledger. TCPalm. Bradenton Herald. Tallahassee Democrat. St. Augustine Record. WFSU. Sunshine State News. Gov. Rick Scott and his allies in public education claim victory over former Gov. Jeb Bush and his allies in the fight over setting performance benchmarks for Florida’s students and schools. Politico Florida.
Grading schools, states: The nation's schools receive a C grade in the annual Education Week's Quality Counts report. Florida was 29th among the 50 states with a C-minus grade. Massachusetts is first with a B-plus, and Nevada is last with a D. Education Week.
Students' bill: Florida House Rep. Chris Latvala, R-Dunedin, files a bill that was created by two Countryside High School students that would offer high school students an elective course for life skills, leadership development, college planning and a study hall. Florida Politics.
School calendar: Okaloosa County schools will start Aug. 10 and end May 26, 2017 Here's the full calendar. The move was made to end the first semester in December and start the second after the holidays. Northwest Florida Daily News.
New virtual tools: Florida Virtual School is partnering with Knewton to build personalized courses for students, starting this spring. Virtual-Strategy magazine. THE Journal. (more…)
Black suspensions: An investigation of more than 600,000 punishments in Pinellas County schools from 2010-2015 shows that black children are suspended at a much higher rate than in the other six large Florida districts, and four times the rate of other children based on their share of the school population. And more than half of those suspensions are for loosely defined offenses such as "not cooperating" and "class disruption." Tampa Bay Times.
Homeless students: More than 71,000 students in Florida public schools were homeless in the 2013-2014 school year, or 3.74 percent of the total. Orange County has about 7,000 homeless students, and Brevard, Seminole and Volusia each have about 2,000. Florida Today.
K-12 funding: State Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, wants fellow legislators to consider other options to boost spending for K-12. Gaetz has been critical of Gov. Rick Scott's education budget, which puts most of the burden of raising additional dollars on Florida residents through property taxes. Miami Herald.
Vouchers in courts: Several school voucher advocate groups are lobbying the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a Colorado case to determine the constitutionality of spending public dollars for tuition at private, religious schools. Many states, including Florida, have so-called Blaine Amendment prohibitions in their constitutions against spending state tax revenue on religious institutions. Education Week. (more…)
