ESSA implementation: The Florida Department of Education is going ahead with the implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) despite Congress' decision to repeal many of its key provisions. ESSA sets benchmarks of minimum student performances in a variety of areas. A group of school district leaders from around the state are working on the plan, and are expected to finish it by Sept. 18. Gradebook.
Brown convicted: Former U.S. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Jacksonville, is convicted on 18 of 22 corruption counts ranging from mail fraud to filing a false federal tax return. Prosecutors say she used her office to collect $800,000 in contributions for her phony education charity, One Door for Education. Florida Times-Union. Associated Press. Politico Florida.
Teacher honored: Katelyn Fiori, a fourth-grade teacher at Vero Beach Elementary School, is chosen as one of five finalists for the Department of Education's 2018 Florida teacher of the year award. Fiori was awarded $5,000. The winner will be announced July 13. TCPalm.
Charters and tax revenue: Some lawmakers have been trying for six years to direct property tax revenue to charter schools. This year, that measure was finally passed, and in the next school year charters may get almost twice the $75 million they received this year. redefinED.
School security: The education bill that allots $654,000 to improve security at Jewish day schools draws criticism from those who say that other religious schools - such as Muslim and Sikh - have also seen a recent spike in violent threats.“The fact that the funding singles out one religion raises serious concerns about unconstitutional discrimination, whether intentional or not,” says Kara Gross, ACLU of Florida’s legislative counsel. Miami Herald. (more…)
Job cuts urged: A consultant tells the Hillsborough County School District that it should cut 1,761 jobs over the next five years to save $404 million. More than 1,000 of those job cuts would come from the teaching staff, which the Gibson Consulting Group says is larger than comparably sized districts. The report does not include any cutbacks of administrators. School officials will begin conversations about the report with two labor unions this week. Tampa Bay Times.
School nurse shortage: Florida has just 1,300 school nurses for more than 4,170 public schools. It would need to triple that number to meet recent guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics. The group says every school should have a nurse. Orlando Sentinel.
Repairs needed: The Palm Beach County School District needs about $1.2 billion to make "critical" building repairs that were put off during the recession, according to a report by the Maintenance and Plant Operations Department. School roofs and windows, classroom lighting and fire alarm systems all reportedly need attention. The study comes as the district is asking voters to raise the county sales tax. Palm Beach Post. Sun-Sentinel.
Retention fallout: Manatee County School Superintendent Diana Greene says it would be a "massive understatement" to say she was "angry, frustrated and disappointed in the FLDOE's lack of leadership on this extremely important issue" of retaining third-graders who did not participate in state standardized testing. Greene also released an email she received from the Department of Education when she asked about retention. Gradebook. About 15 parents and students protest against the Sarasota County School District's promotion policies. Superintendent Lori White says third-graders who refuse to take the Florida Standards Assessments or an alternative test can be promoted if they show mastery of the state's benchmarks in several other tests. Some districts allow promotion through a student's portfolio of work. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. (more…)
