Tax credit scholarships. A bill that would expand access to the program is ready for a final vote in the House. News Service of Florida. Associated Press. Times/Herald. Palm Beach Post.

Broad prize. The award for urban school districts raises its standards, naming only two finalists for this year's prize. One of them is Orange County, Fla. Orlando Sentinel. EdWeek.

Charter schools. A former teacher lodges a complaint about a Hillsborough charter school, alleging it does not use properly certified teachers. Tampa Bay Times.

School safety. Miami-Dade schools hope to tamp rumors that circulate among students with a new text-messaging system. Miami Herald.

Career academies. A Glades construction academy could become a reality thanks to a recent donation. Extra Credit.

Teacher quality. Duval schools prepare a new initiative to lure high-caliber teachers and administrators to high-need areas. Florida Times-Union.

Superintendents. Seminole County's Walt Griffin gets a contract extension. Orlando Sentinel.

Common Core. A survey shows public opinion on the standards is split. Sunshine State News.

School days. Hernando schools consider six-period days to save money and give kids more time in each class. Tampa Bay Times.

Economic development. Palm Beach County schools and other officials are promoting their school system in an effort to lure new businesses into the area. South Florida Sun-Sentinel.

Maintenance. A bell in front of a Manatee County elementary school gets a rare cleaning. Bradenton Herald.

Awards. A newspaper honors 45 high school seniors. Daytona Beach News-Journal. Gainesville students are named Achievement Scholars. Gainesville Sun.

Charter schools. Palm Beach County school district officials worry about the impact of expanding charter schools. Palm Beach Post. The Miami Herald flags charter schools among its examples of industries with issues in play in the legislative session that contribute to campaigns. Neighborhood groups are concerned about the traffic impact of a planned charter school for as many as 1,800 students. Herald. Miami TV stations follow a $25 million sex abuse and bullying lawsuit against a Miami charter school.  CBS Miami. NBC Miami.

Virtual schools. A virtual charter school that met resistance from school district officials says it expects enrollment numbers to rise. Tampa Bay Times.

School choice. Palm Beach County parents should be finding out whether their children were admitted to choice programs. Extra Credit.

Tony Bennett. Florida's former education commissioner tells Chalkbeat Indiana that education reformers have lost the last several rounds of policy battles in a lengthy Q&A.

Advanced Placement. Florida's high school graduates outpace the nation in English and social-science courses. Not so in science or Calculus. Bridge to Tomorrow.

Teacher evaluations. The Department of Education watches as a handful of Pinellas County schools experiment with alternatives to VAM scores. Tampa Bay Times. (more…)

Charter schools. Legislation intended to ease contract negotiations heads to the House floor. RedefinED. Extra Credit. Florida Current. Three Pasco charter schools are on thin ice with their school district. Tampa Bay Times. A black charter school in Palm Beach County faces potential closure. South Florida Times. Another school gets a green light to grow. Palm Beach Post. WLRN in Miami produces a Q&A with Charter Schools USA CEO Jon Hage.

Virtual school. The Walton Sun reports on one family's experience with Florida Virtual School.

Tax credit scholarships. One of Florida's oldest companies contributes $2 million to the scholarship program for low-income students. Pensacola News-Journal. Step Up for Students Vice President Jon East responds to a column criticizing the program in the Tallahassee Democrat. The organization helps administer the program and co-hosts this blog.

Common Core. Law enforcement groups support the standards. StateImpact. Republicans shouldn't dismiss a Jeb Bush presidential run based on his support for the standards, a Washington Post columnist writes.

Prayer. An Orlando Sentinel columnist throws cold water on the story of a 5-year-old who was reportedly prevented from praying at school.

Reading instruction. Florida educators discuss the impact of an extra hour of reading in struggling schools. Education Week. Boys often struggle more with reading. Tampa Bay Times.

Budgets. Spending plans pass the Legislature amid debate over charter school capital funds. Times/Herald. With money tight, Hernando schools implement a hiring freeze. Tampa Bay Times. State class-size rules crimp budgets in Marion County. Ocala Star-Banner.

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The outcry over a half-million-dollar payout to the principal of a failing Florida charter school has spawned a proposed legislative remedy.

Florida Rep. Joe Saunders, D-Orlando, filed a bill this week that prevents compensation to charter school employees after the school shuts down. House Bill 373 is in direct response to the $519,000 payout an Orlando charter school principal received after her failing school closed in June.

NorthStar High School Principal Kelly Young’s final contract also entitled her to about $304,000 in salary and bonuses, netting her $824,000 in her last year, reported the Orlando Sentinel. In addition, an audit found the school paid Young’s husband $460,000 over five years for management services. The payouts shocked district and charter school officials, and prompted lawmakers, including Sen. David Simmons, R-Altamonte Springs, to call for more oversight of charter school spending.

Charter schools are public schools that receive state money, but operate independently of school districts. Charters have their own school boards to help manage finances and develop curriculum.

Saunders’ bill specifically states that charter school employees, service providers or vendors are not entitled to compensation after the school closes. It also calls for limiting an employee contract to the terms of the charter school contract, voiding the remainder of a contract after the school closes.

Simmons said late Tuesday he supports the bill's intent, but hopes to file a similar one this session that includes broader language. "I want to make sure that there is the assurance that this doesn't happen again,'' he said. "But at the same time, I don't want a knee-jerk reaction that hurts the choice and charter school movement.'' (more…)